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Trayanova NA, Lyon A, Shade J, Heijman J. Computational modeling of cardiac electrophysiology and arrhythmogenesis: toward clinical translation. Physiol Rev 2024; 104:1265-1333. [PMID: 38153307 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00017.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The complexity of cardiac electrophysiology, involving dynamic changes in numerous components across multiple spatial (from ion channel to organ) and temporal (from milliseconds to days) scales, makes an intuitive or empirical analysis of cardiac arrhythmogenesis challenging. Multiscale mechanistic computational models of cardiac electrophysiology provide precise control over individual parameters, and their reproducibility enables a thorough assessment of arrhythmia mechanisms. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of models of cardiac electrophysiology and arrhythmias, from the single cell to the organ level, and how they can be leveraged to better understand rhythm disorders in cardiac disease and to improve heart patient care. Key issues related to model development based on experimental data are discussed, and major families of human cardiomyocyte models and their applications are highlighted. An overview of organ-level computational modeling of cardiac electrophysiology and its clinical applications in personalized arrhythmia risk assessment and patient-specific therapy of atrial and ventricular arrhythmias is provided. The advancements presented here highlight how patient-specific computational models of the heart reconstructed from patient data have achieved success in predicting risk of sudden cardiac death and guiding optimal treatments of heart rhythm disorders. Finally, an outlook toward potential future advances, including the combination of mechanistic modeling and machine learning/artificial intelligence, is provided. As the field of cardiology is embarking on a journey toward precision medicine, personalized modeling of the heart is expected to become a key technology to guide pharmaceutical therapy, deployment of devices, and surgical interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia A Trayanova
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States
- Alliance for Cardiovascular Diagnostic and Treatment Innovation, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States
| | - Aurore Lyon
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, CARIM School for Cardiovascular Diseases, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Division of Heart and Lungs, Department of Medical Physiology, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Julie Shade
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States
- Alliance for Cardiovascular Diagnostic and Treatment Innovation, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States
| | - Jordi Heijman
- Department of Cardiology, CARIM School for Cardiovascular Diseases, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
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2
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Clark AP, Wei S, Christini DJ, Krogh-Madsen T. Single-cell ionic current phenotyping elucidates non-canonical features and predictive potential of cardiomyocytes during automated drug experiments. J Physiol 2024. [PMID: 38747042 DOI: 10.1113/jp285120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/23/2024] Open
Abstract
All new drugs must go through preclinical screening tests to determine their proarrhythmic potential. While these assays effectively filter out dangerous drugs, they are too conservative, often misclassifying safe compounds as proarrhythmic. In this study, we attempt to address this shortcoming with a novel, medium-throughput drug-screening approach: we use an automated patch-clamp system to acquire optimized voltage clamp (VC) and action potential (AP) data from human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (iPSC-CMs) at several drug concentrations (baseline, 3×, 10× and 20× the effective free plasma concentrations). With our novel method, we show correlations between INa block and upstroke slowing after treatment with flecainide or quinine. Additionally, after quinine treatment, we identify significant reductions in current during voltage steps designed to isolate If and IKs. However, we do not detect any IKr block by either drug, and upon further investigation, do not see any IKr present in the iPSC-CMs when prepared for automated patch experiments (i.e. in suspension) - this is in contrast to similar experiments we have conducted with these cells using the manual patch setup. In this study, we: (1) present a proof-of-concept demonstration of a single-cell medium-throughput drug study, and (2) characterize the non-canonical electrophysiology of iPSC-CMs when prepared for experiments in a medium-throughput setting. KEY POINTS: Human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (iPSC-CMs) offer potential as an in vitro model to study the proarrhythmic potential of drugs, but insights from these cells are often limited by the low throughput of manual patch-clamp. In this study, we use a medium-throughput automated patch-clamp system to acquire action potential (AP) and complex voltage clamp (VC) data from single iPSC-CMs at multiple drug concentrations. A correlation between AP upstroke and INa transients was identified and drug-induced changes in ionic currents found. We also characterize the substantially altered physiology of iPSC-CMs when patched in an automated system, suggesting the need to investigate differences between manual and automated patch experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander P Clark
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Siyu Wei
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, New York, USA
| | - David J Christini
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, New York, USA
| | - Trine Krogh-Madsen
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
- Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
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3
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Verkerk AO, Wilders R. Injection of I K1 through dynamic clamp can make all the difference in patch-clamp studies on hiPSC-derived cardiomyocytes. Front Physiol 2023; 14:1326160. [PMID: 38152247 PMCID: PMC10751953 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1326160] [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: 10/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Human-induced stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) are a valuable tool for studying development, pharmacology, and (inherited) arrhythmias. Unfortunately, hiPSC-CMs are depolarized and spontaneously active, even the working cardiomyocyte subtypes such as atrial- and ventricular-like hiPSC-CMs, in contrast to the situation in the atria and ventricles of adult human hearts. Great efforts have been made, using many different strategies, to generate more mature, quiescent hiPSC-CMs with more close-to-physiological resting membrane potentials, but despite promising results, it is still difficult to obtain hiPSC-CMs with such properties. The dynamic clamp technique allows to inject a current with characteristics of the inward rectifier potassium current (IK1), computed in real time according to the actual membrane potential, into patch-clamped hiPSC-CMs during action potential measurements. This results in quiescent hiPSC-CMs with a close-to-physiological resting membrane potential. As a result, action potential measurements can be performed with normal ion channel availability, which is particularly important for the physiological functioning of the cardiac SCN5A-encoded fast sodium current (INa). We performed in vitro and in silico experiments to assess the beneficial effects of the dynamic clamp technique in dissecting the functional consequences of the SCN5A-1795insD+/- mutation. In two separate sets of patch-clamp experiments on control hiPSC-CMs and on hiPSC-CMs with mutations in ACADVL and GNB5, we assessed the value of dynamic clamp in detecting delayed afterdepolarizations and in investigating factors that modulate the resting membrane potential. We conclude that the dynamic clamp technique has highly beneficial effects in all of the aforementioned settings and should be widely used in patch-clamp studies on hiPSC-CMs while waiting for the ultimate fully mature hiPSC-CMs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arie O. Verkerk
- Department of Medical Biology, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Department of Experimental Cardiology, Heart Center, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Ronald Wilders
- Department of Medical Biology, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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4
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Nasilli G, Yiangou L, Palandri C, Cerbai E, Davis RP, Verkerk AO, Casini S, Remme CA. Beneficial effects of chronic mexiletine treatment in a human model of SCN5A overlap syndrome. Europace 2023; 25:euad154. [PMID: 37369559 PMCID: PMC10299896 DOI: 10.1093/europace/euad154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
AIMS SCN5A mutations are associated with various cardiac phenotypes, including long QT syndrome type 3 (LQT3), Brugada syndrome (BrS), and cardiac conduction disease (CCD). Certain mutations, such as SCN5A-1795insD, lead to an overlap syndrome, with patients exhibiting both features of BrS/CCD [decreased sodium current (INa)] and LQT3 (increased late INa). The sodium channel blocker mexiletine may acutely decrease LQT3-associated late INa and chronically increase peak INa associated with SCN5A loss-of-function mutations. However, most studies have so far employed heterologous expression systems and high mexiletine concentrations. We here investigated the effects of a therapeutic dose of mexiletine on the mixed phenotype associated with the SCN5A-1795insD mutation in HEK293A cells and human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs). METHODS AND RESULTS To assess only the chronic effects on trafficking, HEK293A cells transfected with wild-type (WT) SCN5A or SCN5A-1795insD were incubated for 48 h with 10 µm mexiletine followed by wash-out, which resulted in an increased peak INa for both SCN5A-WT and SCN5A-1795insD and an increased late INa for SCN5A-1795insD. Acute re-exposure of HEK293A cells to 10 µm mexiletine did not impact on peak INa but significantly decreased SCN5A-1795insD late INa. Chronic incubation of SCN5A-1795insD hiPSC-CMs with mexiletine followed by wash-out increased peak INa, action potential (AP) upstroke velocity, and AP duration. Acute re-exposure did not impact on peak INa or AP upstroke velocity, but significantly decreased AP duration. CONCLUSION These findings demonstrate for the first time the therapeutic benefit of mexiletine in a human cardiomyocyte model of SCN5A overlap syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanna Nasilli
- Department of Experimental Cardiology, Amsterdam University Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Heart Centre, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Heart Failure & Arrhythmias, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Loukia Yiangou
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Chiara Palandri
- Department NeuroFarBa, University of Florence, Viale Gaetano Pieraccini 6, 50139, Florence, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Cerbai
- Department NeuroFarBa, University of Florence, Viale Gaetano Pieraccini 6, 50139, Florence, Italy
| | - Richard P Davis
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine (reNEW), Albinusdreef 2, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Arie O Verkerk
- Department of Experimental Cardiology, Amsterdam University Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Heart Centre, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Heart Failure & Arrhythmias, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Medical Biology, Amsterdam University Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Simona Casini
- Department of Experimental Cardiology, Amsterdam University Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Heart Centre, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Heart Failure & Arrhythmias, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Carol Ann Remme
- Department of Experimental Cardiology, Amsterdam University Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Heart Centre, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Heart Failure & Arrhythmias, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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5
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Altomare C, Bartolucci C, Sala L, Balbi C, Burrello J, Pietrogiovanna N, Burrello A, Bolis S, Panella S, Arici M, Krause R, Rocchetti M, Severi S, Barile L. A dynamic clamping approach using in silico IK1 current for discrimination of chamber-specific hiPSC-derived cardiomyocytes. Commun Biol 2023; 6:291. [PMID: 36934210 PMCID: PMC10024709 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04674-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived cardiomyocytes (CM) constitute a mixed population of ventricular-, atrial-, nodal-like cells, limiting the reliability for studying chamber-specific disease mechanisms. Previous studies characterised CM phenotype based on action potential (AP) morphology, but the classification criteria were still undefined. Our aim was to use in silico models to develop an automated approach for discriminating the electrophysiological differences between hiPSC-CM. We propose the dynamic clamp (DC) technique with the injection of a specific IK1 current as a tool for deriving nine electrical biomarkers and blindly classifying differentiated CM. An unsupervised learning algorithm was applied to discriminate CM phenotypes and principal component analysis was used to visualise cell clustering. Pharmacological validation was performed by specific ion channel blocker and receptor agonist. The proposed approach improves the translational relevance of the hiPSC-CM model for studying mechanisms underlying inherited or acquired atrial arrhythmias in human CM, and for screening anti-arrhythmic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Altomare
- Cardiovascular Theranostics, Istituto Cardiocentro Ticino, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, Lugano, Switzerland
- Laboratories for Translational Research, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, Bellinzona, Switzerland
- Euler institute, Università Svizzera italiana, Lugano, Switzerland
| | - Chiara Bartolucci
- Department of Electrical, Electronic and Information Engineering 'Guglielmo Marconi', University of Bologna, Cesena, Italy
| | - Luca Sala
- Istituto Auxologico Italiano IRCCS, Center for Cardiac Arrhythmias of Genetic Origin and Laboratory of Cardiovascular Genetics, Milan, Italy
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milano, Italy
| | - Carolina Balbi
- Laboratories for Translational Research, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, Bellinzona, Switzerland
- Cellular and Molecular Cardiology, Istituto Cardiocentro Ticino, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, Lugano, Switzerland
- Center for Molecular Cardiology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jacopo Burrello
- Cardiovascular Theranostics, Istituto Cardiocentro Ticino, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, Lugano, Switzerland
- Division of Internal Medicine 4 and Hypertension Unit, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Nicole Pietrogiovanna
- Cardiovascular Theranostics, Istituto Cardiocentro Ticino, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, Lugano, Switzerland
| | - Alessio Burrello
- Department of Electrical, Electronic and Information Engineering (DEI), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Sara Bolis
- Cardiovascular Theranostics, Istituto Cardiocentro Ticino, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, Lugano, Switzerland
- Laboratories for Translational Research, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, Bellinzona, Switzerland
- Cellular and Molecular Cardiology, Istituto Cardiocentro Ticino, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, Lugano, Switzerland
| | - Stefano Panella
- Cardiovascular Theranostics, Istituto Cardiocentro Ticino, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, Lugano, Switzerland
- Laboratories for Translational Research, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Martina Arici
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milano, Italy
| | - Rolf Krause
- Euler institute, Università Svizzera italiana, Lugano, Switzerland
| | - Marcella Rocchetti
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milano, Italy
| | - Stefano Severi
- Department of Electrical, Electronic and Information Engineering 'Guglielmo Marconi', University of Bologna, Cesena, Italy.
| | - Lucio Barile
- Cardiovascular Theranostics, Istituto Cardiocentro Ticino, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, Lugano, Switzerland.
- Laboratories for Translational Research, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, Bellinzona, Switzerland.
- Euler institute, Università Svizzera italiana, Lugano, Switzerland.
- Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Università Svizzera italiana, Lugano, Switzerland.
- Institute of Life Science, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa, Italy.
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6
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Ismaili D, Schulz C, Horváth A, Koivumäki JT, Mika D, Hansen A, Eschenhagen T, Christ T. Human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes as an electrophysiological model: Opportunities and challenges-The Hamburg perspective. Front Physiol 2023; 14:1132165. [PMID: 36875015 PMCID: PMC9978010 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1132165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Models based on human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CM) are proposed in almost any field of physiology and pharmacology. The development of human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes is expected to become a step forward to increase the translational power of cardiovascular research. Importantly they should allow to study genetic effects on an electrophysiological background close to the human situation. However, biological and methodological issues revealed when human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes were used in experimental electrophysiology. We will discuss some of the challenges that should be considered when human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes will be used as a physiological model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Djemail Ismaili
- Institute of Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.,Department of Cardiology, University Heart and Vascular Center Hamburg, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.,DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research), Partner Site Hamburg/Kiel/Lübeck, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Carl Schulz
- Institute of Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.,DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research), Partner Site Hamburg/Kiel/Lübeck, Hamburg, Germany
| | - András Horváth
- Translational Cardiology, Department of Cardiology, Inselspital, University Hospital Bern, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Jussi T Koivumäki
- BioMediTech, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Delphine Mika
- Inserm, UMR-S 1180, Université Paris-Saclay, Orsay, France
| | - Arne Hansen
- Institute of Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.,DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research), Partner Site Hamburg/Kiel/Lübeck, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Eschenhagen
- Institute of Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.,DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research), Partner Site Hamburg/Kiel/Lübeck, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Torsten Christ
- Institute of Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.,DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research), Partner Site Hamburg/Kiel/Lübeck, Hamburg, Germany
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7
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Verkerk AO, Doszpod IJ, Mengarelli I, Magyar T, Polyák A, Pászti B, Efimov IR, Wilders R, Koncz I. Acetylcholine Reduces L-Type Calcium Current without Major Changes in Repolarization of Canine and Human Purkinje and Ventricular Tissue. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10112987. [PMID: 36428555 PMCID: PMC9687254 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10112987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Revised: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) holds a strong basis as a potentially effective treatment modality for chronic heart failure, which explains why a multicenter VNS study in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction is ongoing. However, more detailed information is required on the effect of acetylcholine (ACh) on repolarization in Purkinje and ventricular cardiac preparations to identify the advantages, risks, and underlying cellular mechanisms of VNS. Here, we studied the effect of ACh on the action potential (AP) of canine Purkinje fibers (PFs) and several human ventricular preparations. In addition, we characterized the effects of ACh on the L-type Ca2+ current (ICaL) and AP of human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) and performed computer simulations to explain the observed effects. Using microelectrode recordings, we found a small but significant AP prolongation in canine PFs. In the human myocardium, ACh slightly prolonged the AP in the midmyocardium but resulted in minor AP shortening in subepicardial tissue. Perforated patch-clamp experiments on hiPSC-CMs demonstrated that 5 µM ACh caused an ≈15% decrease in ICaL density without changes in gating properties. Using dynamic clamp, we found that under blocked K+ currents, 5 µM ACh resulted in an ≈23% decrease in AP duration at 90% of repolarization in hiPSC-CMs. Computer simulations using the O'Hara-Rudy human ventricular cell model revealed that the overall effect of ACh on AP duration is a tight interplay between the ACh-induced reduction in ICaL and ACh-induced changes in K+ currents. In conclusion, ACh results in minor changes in AP repolarization and duration of canine PFs and human ventricular myocardium due to the concomitant inhibition of inward ICaL and outward K+ currents, which limits changes in net repolarizing current and thus prevents major changes in AP repolarization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arie O. Verkerk
- Department of Experimental Cardiology, Heart Center, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Medical Biology, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Illés J. Doszpod
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical School, University of Szeged, 6721 Szeged, Hungary
| | - Isabella Mengarelli
- Department of Experimental Cardiology, Heart Center, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Tibor Magyar
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical School, University of Szeged, 6721 Szeged, Hungary
| | - Alexandra Polyák
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical School, University of Szeged, 6721 Szeged, Hungary
| | - Bence Pászti
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical School, University of Szeged, 6721 Szeged, Hungary
| | - Igor R. Efimov
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
- Department of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Ronald Wilders
- Department of Medical Biology, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Correspondence: (R.W.); (I.K.)
| | - István Koncz
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical School, University of Szeged, 6721 Szeged, Hungary
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
- Correspondence: (R.W.); (I.K.)
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8
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Cócera-Ortega L, Wilders R, Kamps SC, Fabrizi B, Huber I, van der Made I, van den Bout A, de Vries DK, Gepstein L, Verkerk AO, Pinto YM, Tijsen AJ. shRNAs Targeting a Common KCNQ1 Variant Could Alleviate Long-QT1 Disease Severity by Inhibiting a Mutant Allele. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23074053. [PMID: 35409410 PMCID: PMC9000197 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23074053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Long-QT syndrome type 1 (LQT1) is caused by mutations in KCNQ1. Patients heterozygous for such a mutation co-assemble both mutant and wild-type KCNQ1-encoded subunits into tetrameric Kv7.1 potassium channels. Here, we investigated whether allele-specific inhibition of mutant KCNQ1 by targeting a common variant can shift the balance towards increased incorporation of the wild-type allele to alleviate the disease in human-induced pluripotent stem-cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs). We identified the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) rs1057128 (G/A) in KCNQ1, with a heterozygosity of 27% in the European population. Next, we determined allele-specificity of short-hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) targeting either allele of this SNP in hiPSC-CMs that carry an LQT1 mutation. Our shRNAs downregulated 60% of the A allele and 40% of the G allele without affecting the non-targeted allele. Suppression of the mutant KCNQ1 allele by 60% decreased the occurrence of arrhythmic events in hiPSC-CMs measured by a voltage-sensitive reporter, while suppression of the wild-type allele increased the occurrence of arrhythmic events. Furthermore, computer simulations based on another LQT1 mutation revealed that 60% suppression of the mutant KCNQ1 allele shortens the prolonged action potential in an adult cardiomyocyte model. We conclude that allele-specific inhibition of a mutant KCNQ1 allele by targeting a common variant may alleviate the disease. This novel approach avoids the need to design shRNAs to target every single mutation and opens up the exciting possibility of treating multiple LQT1-causing mutations with only two shRNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucía Cócera-Ortega
- Department of Experimental Cardiology, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (L.C.-O.); (S.C.K.); (B.F.); (I.v.d.M.); (A.v.d.B.); (D.K.d.V.); (A.O.V.); (Y.M.P.)
| | - Ronald Wilders
- Department of Medical Biology, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands;
| | - Selina C. Kamps
- Department of Experimental Cardiology, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (L.C.-O.); (S.C.K.); (B.F.); (I.v.d.M.); (A.v.d.B.); (D.K.d.V.); (A.O.V.); (Y.M.P.)
| | - Benedetta Fabrizi
- Department of Experimental Cardiology, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (L.C.-O.); (S.C.K.); (B.F.); (I.v.d.M.); (A.v.d.B.); (D.K.d.V.); (A.O.V.); (Y.M.P.)
| | - Irit Huber
- The Sohnis Family Laboratory for Cardiac Electrophysiology and Regenerative Medicine, Rappaport Faculty of Medicine and Research Institute, Technion—Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 3109601, Israel; (I.H.); (L.G.)
| | - Ingeborg van der Made
- Department of Experimental Cardiology, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (L.C.-O.); (S.C.K.); (B.F.); (I.v.d.M.); (A.v.d.B.); (D.K.d.V.); (A.O.V.); (Y.M.P.)
| | - Anouk van den Bout
- Department of Experimental Cardiology, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (L.C.-O.); (S.C.K.); (B.F.); (I.v.d.M.); (A.v.d.B.); (D.K.d.V.); (A.O.V.); (Y.M.P.)
| | - Dylan K. de Vries
- Department of Experimental Cardiology, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (L.C.-O.); (S.C.K.); (B.F.); (I.v.d.M.); (A.v.d.B.); (D.K.d.V.); (A.O.V.); (Y.M.P.)
| | - Lior Gepstein
- The Sohnis Family Laboratory for Cardiac Electrophysiology and Regenerative Medicine, Rappaport Faculty of Medicine and Research Institute, Technion—Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 3109601, Israel; (I.H.); (L.G.)
| | - Arie O. Verkerk
- Department of Experimental Cardiology, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (L.C.-O.); (S.C.K.); (B.F.); (I.v.d.M.); (A.v.d.B.); (D.K.d.V.); (A.O.V.); (Y.M.P.)
- Department of Medical Biology, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands;
| | - Yigal M. Pinto
- Department of Experimental Cardiology, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (L.C.-O.); (S.C.K.); (B.F.); (I.v.d.M.); (A.v.d.B.); (D.K.d.V.); (A.O.V.); (Y.M.P.)
| | - Anke J. Tijsen
- Department of Experimental Cardiology, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (L.C.-O.); (S.C.K.); (B.F.); (I.v.d.M.); (A.v.d.B.); (D.K.d.V.); (A.O.V.); (Y.M.P.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +31-205668544
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9
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Koncz I, Verkerk AO, Nicastro M, Wilders R, Árpádffy-Lovas T, Magyar T, Tóth N, Nagy N, Madrid M, Lin Z, Efimov IR. Acetylcholine Reduces IKr and Prolongs Action Potentials in Human Ventricular Cardiomyocytes. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10020244. [PMID: 35203454 PMCID: PMC8869322 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10020244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2021] [Revised: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) has a meaningful basis as a potentially effective treatment for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. There is an ongoing VNS randomized study, and four studies are completed. However, relatively little is known about the effect of acetylcholine (ACh) on repolarization in human ventricular cardiomyocytes, as well as the effect of ACh on the rapid component of the delayed rectifier K+ current (IKr). Here, we investigated the effect of ACh on the action potential parameters in human ventricular preparations and on IKr in human induced pluripotent stem-cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs). Using standard microelectrode technique, we demonstrated that ACh (5 µM) significantly increased the action potential duration in human left ventricular myocardial slices. ACh (5 µM) also prolonged repolarization in a human Purkinje fiber and a papillary muscle. Optical mapping revealed that ACh increased the action potential duration in human left ventricular myocardial slices and that the effect was dose-dependent. Perforated patch clamp experiments demonstrated action potential prolongation and a significant decrease in IKr by ACh (5 µM) in hiPSC-CMs. Computer simulations of the electrical activity of a human ventricular cardiomyocyte showed an increase in action potential duration upon implementation of the experimentally observed ACh-induced changes in the fully activated conductance and steady-state activation of IKr. Our findings support the hypothesis that ACh can influence the repolarization in human ventricular cardiomyocytes by at least changes in IKr.
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Affiliation(s)
- István Koncz
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA; (I.K.); (M.M.); (Z.L.)
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical School, University of Szeged, 6721 Szeged, Hungary; (T.Á.-L.); (T.M.); (N.T.); (N.N.)
| | - Arie O. Verkerk
- Heart Center, Department of Experimental Cardiology, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (A.O.V.); (M.N.)
- Department of Medical Biology, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands;
| | - Michele Nicastro
- Heart Center, Department of Experimental Cardiology, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (A.O.V.); (M.N.)
| | - Ronald Wilders
- Department of Medical Biology, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands;
| | - Tamás Árpádffy-Lovas
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical School, University of Szeged, 6721 Szeged, Hungary; (T.Á.-L.); (T.M.); (N.T.); (N.N.)
| | - Tibor Magyar
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical School, University of Szeged, 6721 Szeged, Hungary; (T.Á.-L.); (T.M.); (N.T.); (N.N.)
| | - Noémi Tóth
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical School, University of Szeged, 6721 Szeged, Hungary; (T.Á.-L.); (T.M.); (N.T.); (N.N.)
| | - Norbert Nagy
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical School, University of Szeged, 6721 Szeged, Hungary; (T.Á.-L.); (T.M.); (N.T.); (N.N.)
- ELKH-SZTE Research Group of Cardiovascular Pharmacology, 6721 Szeged, Hungary
| | - Micah Madrid
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA; (I.K.); (M.M.); (Z.L.)
| | - Zexu Lin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA; (I.K.); (M.M.); (Z.L.)
| | - Igor R. Efimov
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA; (I.K.); (M.M.); (Z.L.)
- Querrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-202-294-8182
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10
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van den Brink L, Brandão KO, Yiangou L, Blanch-Asensio A, Mol MPH, Mummery CL, Verkerk AO, Davis RP. The Linkage Phase of the Polymorphism KCNH2-K897T Influences the Electrophysiological Phenotype in hiPSC Models of LQT2. Front Physiol 2022; 12:755642. [PMID: 34992545 PMCID: PMC8726482 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.755642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
While rare mutations in ion channel genes are primarily responsible for inherited cardiac arrhythmias, common genetic variants are also an important contributor to the clinical heterogeneity observed among mutation carriers. The common single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) KCNH2-K897T is associated with QT interval duration, but its influence on the disease phenotype in patients with long QT syndrome type 2 (LQT2) remains unclear. Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs), coupled with advances in gene editing technologies, are proving an invaluable tool for modeling cardiac genetic diseases and identifying variants responsible for variability in disease expressivity. In this study, we have used isogenic hiPSC-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) to establish the functional consequences of having the KCNH2-K897T SNP in cis- or trans-orientation with LQT2-causing missense variants either within the pore-loop domain (KCNH2A561T/WT) or tail region (KCNH2N996I/WT) of the potassium ion channel, human ether-a-go-go-related gene (hERG). When KCNH2-K897T was on the same allele (cis) as the primary mutation, the hERG channel in hiPSC-CMs exhibited faster activation and deactivation kinetics compared to their trans-oriented counterparts. Consistent with this, hiPSC-CMs with KCNH2-K897T in cis orientation had longer action and field potential durations. Furthermore, there was an increased occurrence of arrhythmic events upon pharmacological blocking of hERG. Collectively, these results indicate that the common polymorphism KCNH2-K897T differs in its influence on LQT2-causing KCNH2 mutations depending on whether it is present in cis or trans. This study corroborates hiPSC-CMs as a powerful platform to investigate the modifying effects of common genetic variants on inherited cardiac arrhythmias and aids in unraveling their contribution to the variable expressivity of these diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lettine van den Brink
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Karina O Brandão
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Loukia Yiangou
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Albert Blanch-Asensio
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Mervyn P H Mol
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Christine L Mummery
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands.,Department of Applied Stem Cell Technologies, University of Twente, Enschede, Netherlands
| | - Arie O Verkerk
- Department of Medical Biology, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Richard P Davis
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
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11
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Verkerk AO, Marchal GA, Zegers JG, Kawasaki M, Driessen AHG, Remme CA, de Groot JR, Wilders R. Patch-Clamp Recordings of Action Potentials From Human Atrial Myocytes: Optimization Through Dynamic Clamp. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:649414. [PMID: 33912059 PMCID: PMC8072333 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.649414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia. Consequently, novel therapies are being developed. Ultimately, the impact of compounds on the action potential (AP) needs to be tested in freshly isolated human atrial myocytes. However, the frequent depolarized state of these cells upon isolation seriously hampers reliable AP recordings. Purpose: We assessed whether AP recordings from single human atrial myocytes could be improved by providing these cells with a proper inward rectifier K+ current (IK1), and consequently with a regular, non-depolarized resting membrane potential (RMP), through “dynamic clamp”. Methods: Single myocytes were enzymatically isolated from left atrial appendage tissue obtained from patients with paroxysmal AF undergoing minimally invasive surgical ablation. APs were elicited at 1 Hz and measured using perforated patch-clamp methodology, injecting a synthetic IK1 to generate a regular RMP. The injected IK1 had strong or moderate rectification. For comparison, a regular RMP was forced through injection of a constant outward current. A wide variety of ion channel blockers was tested to assess their modulatory effects on AP characteristics. Results: Without any current injection, RMPs ranged from −9.6 to −86.2 mV in 58 cells. In depolarized cells (RMP positive to −60 mV), RMP could be set at −80 mV using IK1 or constant current injection and APs could be evoked upon stimulation. AP duration differed significantly between current injection methods (p < 0.05) and was shortest with constant current injection and longest with injection of IK1 with strong rectification. With moderate rectification, AP duration at 90% repolarization (APD90) was similar to myocytes with regular non-depolarized RMP, suggesting that a synthetic IK1 with moderate rectification is the most appropriate for human atrial myocytes. Importantly, APs evoked using each injection method were still sensitive to all drugs tested (lidocaine, nifedipine, E-4031, low dose 4-aminopyridine, barium, and apamin), suggesting that the major ionic currents of the atrial cells remained functional. However, certain drug effects were quantitatively dependent on the current injection approach used. Conclusion: Injection of a synthetic IK1 with moderate rectification facilitates detailed AP measurements in human atrial myocytes. Therefore, dynamic clamp represents a promising tool for testing novel antiarrhythmic drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arie O Verkerk
- Department of Medical Biology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands.,Department of Experimental Cardiology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Gerard A Marchal
- Department of Experimental Cardiology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Jan G Zegers
- Department of Medical Biology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Makiri Kawasaki
- Department of Experimental Cardiology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Antoine H G Driessen
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Carol Ann Remme
- Department of Experimental Cardiology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Joris R de Groot
- Department of Cardiology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Ronald Wilders
- Department of Medical Biology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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