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Ukachukwu CU, Jimenez-Vazquez EN, Jain A, Jones DK. hERG1 channel subunit composition mediates proton inhibition of rapid delayed rectifier potassium current (I Kr) in cardiomyocytes derived from hiPSCs. J Biol Chem 2022; 299:102778. [PMID: 36496073 PMCID: PMC9867984 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Revised: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The voltage-gated channel, hERG1, conducts the rapid delayed rectifier potassium current (IKr) and is critical for human cardiac repolarization. Reduced IKr causes long QT syndrome and increases the risk for cardiac arrhythmia and sudden death. At least two subunits form functional hERG1 channels, hERG1a and hERG1b. Changes in hERG1a/1b abundance modulate IKr kinetics, magnitude, and drug sensitivity. Studies from native cardiac tissue suggest that hERG1 subunit abundance is dynamically regulated, but the impact of altered subunit abundance on IKr and its response to external stressors is not well understood. Here, we used a substrate-driven human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocyte (hiPSC-CM) maturation model to investigate how changes in relative hERG1a/1b subunit abundance impact the response of native IKr to extracellular acidosis, a known component of ischemic heart disease and sudden infant death syndrome. IKr recorded from immatured hiPSC-CMs displays a 2-fold greater inhibition by extracellular acidosis (pH 6.3) compared with matured hiPSC-CMs. Quantitative RT-PCR and immunocytochemistry demonstrated that hERG1a subunit mRNA and protein were upregulated and hERG1b subunit mRNA and protein were downregulated in matured hiPSC-CMs compared with immatured hiPSC-CMs. The shift in subunit abundance in matured hiPSC-CMs was accompanied by increased IKr. Silencing hERG1b's impact on native IKr kinetics by overexpressing a polypeptide identical to the hERG1a N-terminal Per-Arnt-Sim domain reduced the magnitude of IKr proton inhibition in immatured hiPSC-CMs to levels comparable to those observed in matured hiPSC-CMs. These data demonstrate that hERG1 subunit abundance is dynamically regulated and determines IKr proton sensitivity in hiPSC-CMs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiamaka U. Ukachukwu
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | | | - Abhilasha Jain
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - David K. Jones
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA,Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School,For correspondence: David K. Jones
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2
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Research Progress on Natural Products’ Therapeutic Effects on Atrial Fibrillation by Regulating Ion Channels. Cardiovasc Ther 2022; 2022:4559809. [PMID: 35387267 PMCID: PMC8964196 DOI: 10.1155/2022/4559809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Revised: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Antiarrhythmic drugs (AADs) have a therapeutic effect on atrial fibrillation (AF) by regulating the function of ion channels. However, several adverse effects and high recurrence rates after drug withdrawal seriously affect patients’ medication compliance and clinical prognosis. Thus, safer and more effective drugs are urgently needed. Active components extracted from natural products are potential choices for AF therapy. Natural products like Panax notoginseng (Burk.) F.H. Chen, Sophora flavescens Ait., Stephania tetrandra S. Moore., Pueraria lobata (Willd.) Ohwi var. thomsonii (Benth.) Vaniot der Maesen., and Coptis chinensis Franch. have a long history in the treatment of arrhythmia, myocardial infarction, stroke, and heart failure in China. Based on the classification of chemical structures, this article discussed the natural product components’ therapeutic effects on atrial fibrillation by regulating ion channels, connexins, and expression of related genes, in order to provide a reference for development of therapeutic drugs for atrial fibrillation.
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3
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Wang G, Lu CJ, Trafford AW, Tian X, Flores HM, Maj P, Zhang K, Niu Y, Wang L, Du Y, Ji X, Xu Y, Wu L, Li D, Herring N, Paterson D, Huang CLH, Zhang H, Lei M, Hao G. Electrophysiological and Proarrhythmic Effects of Hydroxychloroquine Challenge in Guinea-Pig Hearts. ACS Pharmacol Transl Sci 2021; 4:1639-1653. [PMID: 34661080 PMCID: PMC8506600 DOI: 10.1021/acsptsci.1c00166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), clinically established in antimalarial and autoimmune therapy, recently raised cardiac arrhythmogenic concerns when used alone or with azithromycin (HCQ+AZM) in Covid-19. We report complementary, experimental, studies of its electrophysiological effects. In patch clamped HEK293 cells expressing human cardiac ion channels, HCQ inhibited IKr and IK1 at a therapeutic concentrations (IC50s: 10 ± 0.6 and 34 ± 5.0 μM). INa and ICaL showed higher IC50s; Ito and IKs were unaffected. AZM slightly inhibited INa, ICaL, IKs, and IKr, sparing IK1 and Ito. (HCQ+AZM) inhibited IKr and IK1 (IC50s: 7.7 ± 0.8 and 30.4 ± 3.0 μM), sparing INa, ICaL, and Ito. Molecular induced-fit docking modeling confirmed potential HCQ-hERG but weak AZM-hERG binding. Effects of μM-HCQ were studied in isolated perfused guinea-pig hearts by multielectrode, optical RH237 voltage, and Rhod-2 mapping. These revealed reversibly reduced left atrial and ventricular action potential (AP) conduction velocities increasing their heterogeneities, increased AP durations (APDs), and increased durations and dispersions of intracellular [Ca2+] transients, respectively. Hearts also became bradycardic with increased electrocardiographic PR and QRS durations. The (HCQ+AZM) combination accentuated these effects. Contrastingly, (HCQ+AZM) and not HCQ alone disrupted AP propagation, inducing alternans and torsadogenic-like episodes on voltage mapping during forced pacing. O'Hara-Rudy modeling showed that the observed IKr and IK1 effects explained the APD alterations and the consequently prolonged Ca2+ transients. The latter might then downregulate INa, reducing AP conduction velocity through recently reported INa downregulation by cytosolic [Ca2+] in a novel scheme for drug action. The findings may thus prompt future investigations of HCQ's cardiac safety under particular, chronic and acute, clinical situations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gongxin Wang
- Henan
SCOPE Research Institute of Electrophysiology Co. Ltd., Kaifeng 475000, China
| | - Chieh-Ju Lu
- Henan
SCOPE Research Institute of Electrophysiology Co. Ltd., Kaifeng 475000, China
| | - Andrew W. Trafford
- Unit
of Cardiac Physiology, Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, Manchester
Academic Health Sciences Centre, The University
of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, U.K.
| | - Xiaohui Tian
- Department
of Pharmacy, Huaihe Hospital and College of Medicine, Henan University, Kaifeng 475000, China
| | - Hannali M Flores
- Biological
Physics Group, Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, U.K.
| | - Piotr Maj
- Department
of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 2JD, U.K.
| | - Kevin Zhang
- School of
Medicine, Imperial College of London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | - Yanhong Niu
- Fuwai
Central China Cardiovascular Hospital, Zhengzhou 450003, China
| | - Luxi Wang
- Henan
SCOPE Research Institute of Electrophysiology Co. Ltd., Kaifeng 475000, China
| | - Yimei Du
- Department
of Cardiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Xinying Ji
- Department
of Pharmacy, Huaihe Hospital and College of Medicine, Henan University, Kaifeng 475000, China
| | - Yanfang Xu
- Department
of Pharmacology, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang City 050017, China
| | - Lin Wu
- Department
of Cardiology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing 100034, China
| | - Dan Li
- Department
of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University
of Oxford, Oxford OX1 2JD, U.K.
| | - Neil Herring
- Department
of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University
of Oxford, Oxford OX1 2JD, U.K.
| | - David Paterson
- Department
of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University
of Oxford, Oxford OX1 2JD, U.K.
| | - Christopher L.-H. Huang
- Physiological
Laboratory and Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EG, U.K.
- Key
Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology of the Ministry of Education
and Institute of Cardiovascular Research, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Henggui Zhang
- Biological
Physics Group, Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, U.K.
- Peng
Cheng Laboratory, Shenzhen 518066, China
- Key
Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology of the Ministry of Education
and Institute of Cardiovascular Research, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Ming Lei
- Department
of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 2JD, U.K.
- Key
Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology of the Ministry of Education
and Institute of Cardiovascular Research, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Guoliang Hao
- Henan
SCOPE Research Institute of Electrophysiology Co. Ltd., Kaifeng 475000, China
- Department
of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University
of Oxford, Oxford OX1 2JD, U.K.
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Zequn Z, Jiangfang L. Molecular Insights Into the Gating Kinetics of the Cardiac hERG Channel, Illuminated by Structure and Molecular Dynamics. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:687007. [PMID: 34168566 PMCID: PMC8217747 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.687007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The rapidly activating delayed rectifier K+ current generated by the cardiac hERG potassium channel encoded by KCNH2 is the most important reserve current for cardiac repolarization. The unique inward rectification characteristics of the hERG channel depend on the gating regulation, which involves crucial structural domains and key single amino acid residues in the full-length hERG channel. Identifying critical molecules involved in the regulation of gating kinetics for the hERG channel requires high-resolution structures and molecular dynamics simulation models. Based on the latest progress in hERG structure and molecular dynamics simulation research, summarizing the molecules involved in the changes in the channel state helps to elucidate the unique gating characteristics of the channel and the reason for its high affinity to cardiotoxic drugs. In this review, we aim to summarize the significant advances in understanding the voltage gating regulation of the hERG channel based on its structure obtained from cryo-electron microscopy and computer simulations, which reveal the critical roles of several specific structural domains and amino acid residues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng Zequn
- Department of Cardiovascular, Medical College, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Lian Jiangfang
- Department of Cardiovascular, Lihuili Hospital Affiliated to Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
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Ríos-Pérez EB, Liu F, Stevens-Sostre WA, Eichel CA, Silignavong J, Robertson GA. A stable cell line inducibly expressing hERG1a/1b heteromeric channels. J Pharmacol Toxicol Methods 2021; 110:107081. [PMID: 34058320 DOI: 10.1016/j.vascn.2021.107081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2020] [Revised: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Heterologously expressed hERG channels represent a mainstay of in vitro drug safety screens intended to mitigate risk of cardiac IKr block and sudden cardiac death. This is true even as more channel types are adopted as part of the Comprehensive in vitro Proarrhythmia Assay (CiPA) intended to elevate specificity and thus enhance throughput of promising lead drugs. Until now, hERG1a homomeric channels have been used as a proxy for IKr despite a wealth of evidence showing that hERG1a/1b heteromers better represent native channels in terms of protein abundance and channel biophysical and pharmacological properties. Past efforts to create a stable hERG1a/1b cell line were met with unpredictable silencing of hERG1b expression despite stable integration of the gene into the HEK293 cell genome. Here we report a new cell line stably expressing hERG1a, with hERG1b reliably controlled by an inducible promoter sensitive to doxycycline. Co-immunoprecipitation, Western blot analysis and patch-clamp electrophysiology confirm the heteromeric composition of the expressed channels. Association with hERG1b was found to promote hERG1a protein levels and enhance membrane current levels. Optimal conditions for drug screening and experimental investigation were achieved at 24 h exposure to 100 ng/ml doxycycline. Differences in pharmacological sensitivity between homomeric and heteromeric channels were observed for dofetilide and ebastine, but not fluoxetine, as evaluated by their IC50 values. Using these values in the O'Hara-Rudy-CiPA in silico model revealed discrepancies in pro-arrhythmia risk, implying the hERG1a homomeric platform overestimates risk for these two drugs. Dofetilide block was use-dependent and faster for hERG1a/1b than hERG1a channels, whereas ebastine showed considerable block at rest and had a slower progression for hERG1a/1b channels. The hERG1a/1b cell line thus represents an advanced model for contemporary drug safety screening assays such as CiPA that employ IC50 values to estimate risk of proarrhythmia in computational models of ventricular cardiomyocytes. This novel technology fulfills an unmet need to enhance specificity and foster a safe yet expanded drug development pipeline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erick B Ríos-Pérez
- Dept. of Neuroscience and Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, 1111 Highland Ave. #5505, Madison, WI 53705, United States of America
| | - Fang Liu
- Dept. of Neuroscience and Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, 1111 Highland Ave. #5505, Madison, WI 53705, United States of America
| | - Whitney A Stevens-Sostre
- Dept. of Neuroscience and Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, 1111 Highland Ave. #5505, Madison, WI 53705, United States of America
| | - Catherine A Eichel
- Dept. of Neuroscience and Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, 1111 Highland Ave. #5505, Madison, WI 53705, United States of America
| | - Jonathan Silignavong
- Dept. of Neuroscience and Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, 1111 Highland Ave. #5505, Madison, WI 53705, United States of America
| | - Gail A Robertson
- Dept. of Neuroscience and Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, 1111 Highland Ave. #5505, Madison, WI 53705, United States of America.
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Inhibition of the hERG potassium channel by phenanthrene: a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon pollutant. Cell Mol Life Sci 2021; 78:7899-7914. [PMID: 34727194 PMCID: PMC8629796 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-021-03967-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Revised: 09/25/2021] [Accepted: 10/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
The lipophilic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) phenanthrene is relatively abundant in polluted air and water and can access and accumulate in human tissue. Phenanthrene has been reported to interact with cardiac ion channels in several fish species. This study was undertaken to investigate the ability of phenanthrene to interact with hERG (human Ether-à-go-go-Related Gene) encoded Kv11.1 K+ channels, which play a central role in human ventricular repolarization. Pharmacological inhibition of hERG can be proarrhythmic. Whole-cell patch clamp recordings of hERG current (IhERG) were made from HEK293 cells expressing wild-type (WT) and mutant hERG channels. WT IhERG1a was inhibited by phenanthrene with an IC50 of 17.6 ± 1.7 µM, whilst IhERG1a/1b exhibited an IC50 of 1.8 ± 0.3 µM. WT IhERG block showed marked voltage and time dependence, indicative of dependence of inhibition on channel gating. The inhibitory effect of phenanthrene was markedly impaired by the attenuated inactivation N588K mutation. Remarkably, mutations of S6 domain aromatic amino acids (Y652, F656) in the canonical drug binding site did not impair the inhibitory action of phenanthrene; the Y652A mutation augmented IhERG block. In contrast, the F557L (S5) and M651A (S6) mutations impaired the ability of phenanthrene to inhibit IhERG, as did the S624A mutation below the selectivity filter region. Computational docking using a cryo-EM derived hERG structure supported the mutagenesis data. Thus, phenanthrene acts as an inhibitor of the hERG K+ channel by directly interacting with the channel, binding to a distinct site in the channel pore domain.
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Al-Moubarak E, Zhang Y, Dempsey CE, Zhang H, Harmer SC, Hancox JC. Serine mutation of a conserved threonine in the hERG K + channel S6-pore region leads to loss-of-function through trafficking impairment. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2020; 526:1085-1091. [PMID: 32321643 PMCID: PMC7237882 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2020.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Accepted: 04/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The human Ether-à-go-go Related Gene (hERG) encodes a potassium channel responsible for the cardiac rapid delayed rectifier K+ current, IKr, which regulates ventricular repolarization. Loss-of-function hERG mutations underpin the LQT2 form of congenital long QT syndrome. This study was undertaken to elucidate the functional consequences of a variant of uncertain significance, T634S, located at a highly conserved position at the top of the S6 helix of the hERG channel. Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings were made at 37 °C of hERG current (IhERG) from HEK 293 cells expressing wild-type (WT) hERG, WT+T634S and hERG-T634S alone. When the T634S mutation was expressed alone little or no IhERG could be recorded. Co-expressing WT and hERG-T634S suppressed IhERG tails by ∼57% compared to WT alone, without significant alteration of voltage dependent activation of IhERG. A similar suppression of IhERG was observed under action potential voltage clamp. Comparable reduction of IKr in a ventricular AP model delayed repolarization and led to action potential prolongation. A LI-COR® based On/In-Cell Western assay showed that cell surface expression of hERG channels in HEK 293 cells was markedly reduced by the T634S mutation, whilst total cellular hERG expression was unaffected, demonstrating impaired trafficking of the hERG-T634S mutant. Incubation with E−4031, but not lumacaftor, rescued defective hERG-T634S channel trafficking and IhERG density. In conclusion, these data identify hERG-T634S as a rescuable trafficking defective mutation that reduces IKr sufficiently to delay repolarization and, thereby, potentially produce a LQT2 phenotype. hERG potassium channel variants can cause dangerous ventricular arrhythmias. An S6 helix threonine in hERG, T634, is highly conserved amongst potassium channels. The T634S mutation reduces hERG current and its contribution to ventricular repolarization. The T634S mutation decreases hERG channel surface expression but not synthesis. T634S-induced hERG trafficking impairment is pharmacologically rescuable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ehab Al-Moubarak
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Biomedical Sciences Building, University Walk, Bristol, BS8 1TD, UK
| | - Yihong Zhang
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Biomedical Sciences Building, University Walk, Bristol, BS8 1TD, UK
| | - Christopher E Dempsey
- School of Biochemistry, Biomedical Sciences Building, University Walk, Bristol, BS8 1TD, UK
| | - Henggui Zhang
- Biological Physics Group, School of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
| | - Stephen C Harmer
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Biomedical Sciences Building, University Walk, Bristol, BS8 1TD, UK.
| | - Jules C Hancox
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Biomedical Sciences Building, University Walk, Bristol, BS8 1TD, UK.
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