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Filatova TS, Kuzmin VS, Dzhumaniiazova I, Pustovit OB, Abramochkin DV, Shiels HA. 3-Methyl-phenanthrene (3-MP) disrupts the electrical and contractile activity of the heart of the polar fish, navaga cod (Eleginus nawaga). CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 357:142089. [PMID: 38643846 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.142089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2024] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
Alkylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are abundant in crude oil and are enriched during petroleum refinement but knowledge of their cardiotoxicity remains limited. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are considered the main hazardous components in crude oil and the tricyclic PAH phenanthrene has been singled out for its direct effects on cardiac tissue in mammals and fish. Here we test the impact of the monomethylated phenanthrene, 3-methylphenanthrene (3-MP), on the contractile and electrical function of the atrium and ventricle of a polar fish, the navaga cod (Eleginus nawaga). Using patch-clamp electrophysiology in atrial and ventricular cardiomyocytes we show that 3-MP is a potent inhibitor of the delayed rectifier current IKr (IC50 = 0.25 μM) and prolongs ventricular action potential duration. Unlike the parent compound phenanthrene, 3-MP did not reduce the amplitude of the L-type Ca2+ current (ICa) but it accelerated current inactivation thus reducing charge transfer across the myocyte membrane and compromising pressure development of the whole heart. 3-MP was a potent inhibitor (IC50 = 4.7 μM) of the sodium current (INa), slowing the upstroke of the action potential in isolated cells, slowing conduction velocity across the atrium measured with optical mapping, and increasing atrio-ventricular delay in a working whole heart preparation. Together, these findings reveal the strong cardiotoxic potential of this phenanthrene derivative on the fish heart. As 3-MP and other alkylated phenanthrenes comprise a large fraction of the PAHs in crude oil mixtures, these findings are worrisome for Arctic species facing increasing incidence of spills and leaks from the petroleum industry. 3-MP is also a major component of polluted air but is not routinely measured. This is also of concern if the hearts of humans and other terrestrial animals respond to this PAH in a similar manner to fish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatiana S Filatova
- Department of Human and Animal Physiology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskiye Gory, 1, 12, Moscow, Russia
| | - Vladislav S Kuzmin
- Department of Human and Animal Physiology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskiye Gory, 1, 12, Moscow, Russia
| | - Irina Dzhumaniiazova
- Department of Human and Animal Physiology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskiye Gory, 1, 12, Moscow, Russia
| | - Oksana B Pustovit
- Department of Human and Animal Physiology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskiye Gory, 1, 12, Moscow, Russia
| | - Denis V Abramochkin
- Department of Human and Animal Physiology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskiye Gory, 1, 12, Moscow, Russia; Laboratory of Cardiac Electrophysiology, Chazov National Medical Research Center for Cardiology, Moscow, Russia; Department of Physiology, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Ostrovityanova str., 1, Moscow, Russia
| | - Holly A Shiels
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Core Technology Facility, 46 Grafton Street, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9NT, UK.
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Lei CL, Whittaker DG, Mirams GR. The impact of uncertainty in hERG binding mechanism on in silico predictions of drug-induced proarrhythmic risk. Br J Pharmacol 2024; 181:987-1004. [PMID: 37740435 DOI: 10.1111/bph.16250] [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: 03/14/2023] [Revised: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Drug-induced reduction of the rapid delayed rectifier potassium current carried by the human Ether-à-go-go-Related Gene (hERG) channel is associated with increased risk of arrhythmias. Recent updates to drug safety regulatory guidelines attempt to capture each drug's hERG binding mechanism by combining in vitro assays with in silico simulations. In this study, we investigate the impact on in silico proarrhythmic risk predictions due to uncertainty in the hERG binding mechanism and physiological hERG current model. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH Possible pharmacological binding models were designed for the hERG channel to account for known and postulated small molecule binding mechanisms. After selecting a subset of plausible binding models for each compound through calibration to available voltage-clamp electrophysiology data, we assessed their effects, and the effects of different physiological models, on proarrhythmic risk predictions. KEY RESULTS For some compounds, multiple binding mechanisms can explain the same data produced under the safety testing guidelines, which results in different inferred binding rates. This can result in substantial uncertainty in the predicted torsade risk, which often spans more than one risk category. By comparison, we found that the effect of a different hERG physiological current model on risk classification was subtle. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS The approach developed in this study assesses the impact of uncertainty in hERG binding mechanisms on predictions of drug-induced proarrhythmic risk. For some compounds, these results imply the need for additional binding data to decrease uncertainty in safety-critical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chon Lok Lei
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China
| | - Dominic G Whittaker
- Centre for Mathematical Medicine & Biology, School of Mathematical Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Gary R Mirams
- Centre for Mathematical Medicine & Biology, School of Mathematical Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
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3
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Genge CE, Muralidharan P, Kemp J, Hull CM, Yip M, Simpson K, Hunter DV, Claydon TW. Zebrafish cardiac repolarization does not functionally depend on the expression of the hERG1b-like transcript. Pflugers Arch 2024; 476:87-99. [PMID: 37934265 DOI: 10.1007/s00424-023-02875-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Revised: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023]
Abstract
Zebrafish provide a translational model of human cardiac function. Their similar cardiac electrophysiology enables screening of human cardiac repolarization disorders, drug arrhythmogenicity, and novel antiarrhythmic therapeutics. However, while zebrafish cardiac repolarization is driven by delayed rectifier potassium channel current (IKr), the relative role of alternate channel transcripts is uncertain. While human ether-a-go-go-related-gene-1a (hERG1a) is the dominant transcript in humans, expression of the functionally distinct alternate transcript, hERG1b, modifies the electrophysiological and pharmacologic IKr phenotype. Studies of zebrafish IKr are frequently translated without consideration for the presence and impact of hERG1b in humans. Here, we performed phylogenetic analyses of all available KCNH genes from Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes). Our findings confirmed zebrafish cardiac zkcnh6a as the paralog of human hERG1a (hKCNH2a), but also revealed evidence of a hERG1b (hKCNH2b)-like N-terminally truncated gene, zkcnh6b, in zebrafish. zkcnh6b is a teleost-specific variant that resulted from the 3R genome duplication. qRT-PCR showed dominant expression of zkcnh6a in zebrafish atrial and ventricular tissue, with low levels of zkcnh6b. Functional evaluation of zkcnh6b in a heterologous system showed no discernable function under the conditions tested, and no influence on zkcnh6a function during the zebrafish ventricular action potential. Our findings provide the first descriptions of the zkcnh6b gene, and show that, unlike in humans, zebrafish cardiac repolarization does not rely upon co-assembly of zERG1a/zERG1b. Given that hERG1b modifies IKr function and drug binding in humans, our findings highlight the need for consideration when translating hERG variant effects and toxicological screens in zebrafish, which lack a functional hERG1b-equivalent gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine E Genge
- Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, V5A 1S6, Burnaby, B.C, Canada
| | - Padmapriya Muralidharan
- Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, V5A 1S6, Burnaby, B.C, Canada
| | - Jake Kemp
- Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, V5A 1S6, Burnaby, B.C, Canada
| | - Christina M Hull
- Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, V5A 1S6, Burnaby, B.C, Canada
| | - Mandy Yip
- Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, V5A 1S6, Burnaby, B.C, Canada
| | - Kyle Simpson
- Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, V5A 1S6, Burnaby, B.C, Canada
| | - Diana V Hunter
- Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, V5A 1S6, Burnaby, B.C, Canada
| | - Thomas W Claydon
- Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, V5A 1S6, Burnaby, B.C, Canada.
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4
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Jameson MB, Ríos-Pérez EB, Liu F, Eichel CA, Robertson GA. Pairwise biosynthesis of ion channels stabilizes excitability and mitigates arrhythmias. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2305295120. [PMID: 37816059 PMCID: PMC10589643 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2305295120] [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: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Coordinated expression of ion channels is crucial for cardiac rhythms, neural signaling, and cell cycle progression. Perturbation of this balance results in many disorders including cardiac arrhythmias. Prior work revealed association of mRNAs encoding cardiac NaV1.5 (SCN5A) and hERG1 (KCNH2), but the functional significance of this association was not established. Here, we provide a more comprehensive picture of KCNH2, SCN5A, CACNA1C, and KCNQ1 transcripts collectively copurifying with nascent hERG1, NaV1.5, CaV1.2, or KCNQ1 channel proteins. Single-molecule fluorescence in situ hybridization (smFISH) combined with immunofluorescence reveals that the channel proteins are synthesized predominantly as heterotypic pairs from discrete molecules of mRNA, not as larger cotranslational complexes. Puromycin disrupted colocalization of mRNA with its encoded protein, as expected, but remarkably also pairwise mRNA association, suggesting that transcript association relies on intact translational machinery or the presence of the nascent protein. Targeted depletion of KCHN2 by specific shRNA resulted in concomitant reduction of all associated mRNAs, with a corresponding reduction in the encoded channel currents. This co-knockdown effect, originally described for KCNH2 and SCN5A, thus appears to be a general phenomenon among transcripts encoding functionally related proteins. In multielectrode array recordings, proarrhythmic behavior arose when IKr was reduced by the selective blocker dofetilide at IC50 concentrations, but not when equivalent reductions were mediated by shRNA, suggesting that co-knockdown mitigates proarrhythmic behavior expected from the selective reduction of a single channel species. We propose that coordinated, cotranslational association of functionally related ion channel mRNAs confers electrical stability by co-regulating complementary ion channels in macromolecular complexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret B. Jameson
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI53705
| | - Erick B. Ríos-Pérez
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI53705
| | - Fang Liu
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI53705
| | - Catherine A. Eichel
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI53705
| | - Gail A. Robertson
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI53705
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5
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KCNH2 encodes a nuclear-targeted polypeptide that mediates hERG1 channel gating and expression. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2214700120. [PMID: 36626562 PMCID: PMC9934303 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2214700120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
KCNH2 encodes hERG1, the voltage-gated potassium channel that conducts the rapid delayed rectifier potassium current (IKr) in human cardiac tissue. hERG1 is one of the first channels expressed during early cardiac development, and its dysfunction is associated with intrauterine fetal death, sudden infant death syndrome, cardiac arrhythmia, and sudden cardiac death. Here, we identified a hERG1 polypeptide (hERG1NP) that is targeted to the nuclei of immature cardiac cells, including human stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) and neonatal rat cardiomyocytes. The nuclear hERG1NP immunofluorescent signal is diminished in matured hiPSC-CMs and absent from adult rat cardiomyocytes. Antibodies targeting distinct hERG1 channel epitopes demonstrated that the hERG1NP signal maps to the hERG1 distal C-terminal domain. KCNH2 deletion using CRISPR simultaneously abolished IKr and the hERG1NP signal in hiPSC-CMs. We then identified a putative nuclear localization sequence (NLS) within the distal hERG1 C-terminus, 883-RQRKRKLSFR-892. Interestingly, the distal C-terminal domain was targeted almost exclusively to the nuclei when overexpressed HEK293 cells. Conversely, deleting the NLS from the distal peptide abolished nuclear targeting. Similarly, blocking α or β1 karyopherin activity diminished nuclear targeting. Finally, overexpressing the putative hERG1NP peptide in the nuclei of HEK cells significantly reduced hERG1a current density, compared to cells expressing the NLS-deficient hERG1NP or GFP. These data identify a developmentally regulated polypeptide encoded by KCNH2, hERG1NP, whose presence in the nucleus indirectly modulates hERG1 current magnitude and kinetics.
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6
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Fan W, Sun X, Yang C, Wan J, Luo H, Liao B. Pacemaker activity and ion channels in the sinoatrial node cells: MicroRNAs and arrhythmia. PROGRESS IN BIOPHYSICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2023; 177:151-167. [PMID: 36450332 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbiomolbio.2022.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Revised: 11/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The primary pacemaking activity of the heart is determined by a spontaneous action potential (AP) within sinoatrial node (SAN) cells. This unique AP generation relies on two mechanisms: membrane clocks and calcium clocks. Nonhomologous arrhythmias are caused by several functional and structural changes in the myocardium. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are essential regulators of gene expression in cardiomyocytes. These miRNAs play a vital role in regulating the stability of cardiac conduction and in the remodeling process that leads to arrhythmias. Although it remains unclear how miRNAs regulate the expression and function of ion channels in the heart, these regulatory mechanisms may support the development of emerging therapies. This study discusses the spread and generation of AP in the SAN as well as the regulation of miRNAs and individual ion channels. Arrhythmogenicity studies on ion channels will provide a research basis for miRNA modulation as a new therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Fan
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, 25 Taiping Street, Jiangyang District, Luzhou, Sichuan Province, 646000, China
| | - Xuemei Sun
- Department of Pharmacy, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, 25 Taiping Street, Jiangyang District, Luzhou, Sichuan Province, 646000, China
| | - Chao Yang
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, 25 Taiping Street, Jiangyang District, Luzhou, Sichuan Province, 646000, China
| | - Juyi Wan
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, 25 Taiping Street, Jiangyang District, Luzhou, Sichuan Province, 646000, China.
| | - Hongli Luo
- Department of Pharmacy, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, 25 Taiping Street, Jiangyang District, Luzhou, Sichuan Province, 646000, China.
| | - Bin Liao
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, 25 Taiping Street, Jiangyang District, Luzhou, Sichuan Province, 646000, China.
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7
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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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8
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McGahan K, Keener J. Modeling the kinetics of heteromeric potassium channels. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:1036813. [DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.1036813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Mechanistic mathematical modeling has long been used as a tool for answering questions in cellular physiology. To mathematically describe cellular processes such as cell excitability, volume regulation, neurotransmitter release, and hormone secretion requires accurate descriptions of ion channel kinetics. One class of ion channels currently lacking a physiological model framework is the class of channels built with multiple different potassium protein subunits called heteromeric voltage gated potassium channels. Here we present a novel mathematical model for heteromeric potassium channels that captures both the number and type of protein subunits present in each channel. Key model assumptions are validated by showing our model is the reduction of a Markov model and through observations about voltage clamp data. We then show our model's success in replicating kinetic properties of concatemeric channels with different numbers of Kv1.1 and Kv1.2 subunits. Finally, through comparisons with multiple expression experiments across multiple voltage gated potassium families, we use the model to make predictions about the importance and effect of genetic mutations in heteromeric channel formation.
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9
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Johnson AA, Crawford TR, Trudeau MC. The N-linker region of hERG1a upregulates hERG1b potassium channels. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:102233. [PMID: 35798139 PMCID: PMC9428852 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Revised: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
A major physiological role of hERG1 (human Ether-á-go-go-Related Gene 1) potassium channels is to repolarize cardiac action potentials. Two isoforms, hERG1a and hERG1b, associate to form the potassium current IKr in cardiomyocytes. Inherited mutations in hERG1a or hERG1b cause prolonged cardiac repolarization, long QT syndrome, and sudden death arrhythmia. hERG1a subunits assemble with and enhance the number of hERG1b subunits at the plasma membrane, but the mechanism for the increase in hERG1b by hERG1a is not well understood. Here, we report that the hERG1a N-terminal region expressed in trans with hERG1b markedly increased hERG1b currents and increased biotin-labeled hERG1b protein at the membrane surface. hERG1b channels with a deletion of the N-terminal 1b domain did not have a measurable increase in current or biotinylated protein when coexpressed with hERG1a N-terminal regions, indicating that the 1b domain was required for the increase in hERG1b. Using a biochemical pull-down interaction assay and a FRET hybridization experiment, we detected a direct interaction between the hERG1a N-terminal region and the hERG1b N-terminal region. Using engineered deletions and alanine mutagenesis, we identified a short span of amino acids at positions 216 to 220 within the hERG1a "N-linker" region that were necessary for the upregulation of hERG1b. We propose that direct structural interactions between the hERG1a N-linker region and the hERG1b 1b domain increase hERG1b at the plasma membrane. Mechanisms regulating hERG1a and hERG1b are likely critical for cardiac function, may be disrupted by long QT syndrome mutants, and serve as potential targets for therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley A Johnson
- Department of Physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Taylor R Crawford
- Department of Physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Matthew C Trudeau
- Department of Physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
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10
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Sanchez-Conde FG, Jimenez-Vazquez EN, Auerbach DS, Jones DK. The ERG1 K+ Channel and Its Role in Neuronal Health and Disease. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:890368. [PMID: 35600076 PMCID: PMC9113952 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.890368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The ERG1 potassium channel, encoded by KCNH2, has long been associated with cardiac electrical excitability. Yet, a growing body of work suggests that ERG1 mediates physiology throughout the human body, including the brain. ERG1 is a regulator of neuronal excitability, ERG1 variants are associated with neuronal diseases (e.g., epilepsy and schizophrenia), and ERG1 serves as a potential therapeutic target for neuronal pathophysiology. This review summarizes the current state-of-the-field regarding the ERG1 channel structure and function, ERG1’s relationship to the mammalian brain and highlights key questions that have yet to be answered.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Eric N. Jimenez-Vazquez
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - David S. Auerbach
- Department of Pharmacology, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, United States
- *Correspondence: David S. Auerbach,
| | - David K. Jones
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- David K. Jones,
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11
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Jones DK. Hysteretic hERG channel gating current recorded at physiological temperature. Sci Rep 2022; 12:5950. [PMID: 35396394 PMCID: PMC8993916 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-10003-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Cardiac hERG channels comprise at least two subunits, hERG 1a and hERG 1b, and drive cardiac action potential repolarization. hERG 1a subunits contain a cytoplasmic PAS domain that is absent in hERG 1b. The hERG 1a PAS domain regulates voltage sensor domain (VSD) movement, but hERG VSD behavior and its regulation by the hERG 1a PAS domain have not been studied at physiological temperatures. We recorded gating charge from homomeric hERG 1a and heteromeric hERG 1a/1b channels at near physiological temperatures (36 ± 1 °C) using pulse durations comparable in length to the human ventricular action potential. The voltage dependence of deactivation was hyperpolarized relative to activation, reflecting VSD relaxation at positive potentials. These data suggest that relaxation (hysteresis) works to delay pore closure during repolarization. Interestingly, hERG 1a VSD deactivation displayed a double Boltzmann distribution, but hERG 1a/1b deactivation displayed a single Boltzmann. Disabling the hERG 1a PAS domain using a PAS-targeting antibody similarly transformed hERG 1a deactivation from a double to a single Boltzmann, highlighting the contribution of the PAS in regulating VSD movement. These data represent, to our knowledge, the first recordings of hERG gating charge at physiological temperature and demonstrate that VSD relaxation (hysteresis) is present in hERG channels at physiological temperature.
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Affiliation(s)
- David K Jones
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA. .,Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA.
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12
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Electro-anatomical computational cardiology in humans and experimental animal models. TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH IN ANATOMY 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tria.2022.100162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
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13
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Conformation-sensitive antibody reveals an altered cytosolic PAS/CNBh assembly during hERG channel gating. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2108796118. [PMID: 34716268 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2108796118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The human ERG (hERG) K+ channel has a crucial function in cardiac repolarization, and mutations or channel block can give rise to long QT syndrome and catastrophic ventricular arrhythmias. The cytosolic assembly formed by the Per-Arnt-Sim (PAS) and cyclic nucleotide binding homology (CNBh) domains is the defining structural feature of hERG and related KCNH channels. However, the molecular role of these two domains in channel gating remains unclear. We have previously shown that single-chain variable fragment (scFv) antibodies can modulate hERG function by binding to the PAS domain. Here, we mapped the scFv2.12 epitope to a site overlapping with the PAS/CNBh domain interface using NMR spectroscopy and mutagenesis and show that scFv binding in vitro and in the cell is incompatible with the PAS interaction with CNBh. By generating a fluorescently labeled scFv2.12, we demonstrate that association with the full-length hERG channel is state dependent. We detect Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) with scFv2.12 when the channel gate is open but not when it is closed. In addition, state dependence of scFv2.12 FRET signal disappears when the R56Q mutation, known to destabilize the PAS-CNBh interaction, is introduced in the channel. Altogether, these data are consistent with an extensive structural alteration of the PAS/CNBh assembly when the cytosolic gate opens, likely favoring PAS domain dissociation from the CNBh domain.
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14
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Lee HJ, Choi BH, Choi JS, Hahn SJ. Effects of iloperidone on hERG 1A/3.1 heterotetrameric channels. Neuroreport 2021; 32:1299-1306. [PMID: 34605450 DOI: 10.1097/wnr.0000000000001724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Iloperidone is an atypical antipsychotic drug that is widely used for the treatment of schizophrenia. hERG 3.1, alternatively spliced form of hERG 1A, is considered a potential target for an antipsychotic drug. The present study was designed to study the effects of iloperidone on hERG 1A/3.1 heterotetrameric channels. METHODS The interactions of iloperidone with hERG 1A/3.1 heterotetrameric channels stably expressed in HEK cells were investigated using the whole-cell patch-clamp technique and western blot analysis. RESULTS Iloperidone inhibited the hERG 1A/3.1 tail currents at -50 mV in a concentration-dependent manner with an IC50 value of 0.44 μM. The block of hERG 1A/3.1 currents by iloperidone was voltage-dependent and increased over a range of voltage for channel activation. However, the block by iloperidone was voltage-independent at more depolarized potentials where the channels were fully activated. A fast application of iloperidone inhibited the hERG 1A/3.1 current elicited by a 5-s depolarizing pulse to +60 mV to fully inactivate the hERG 1A/3.1 currents. Iloperidone also induced a rapid and reversible inhibition of hERG 1A/3.1 tail currents during repolarization. However, iloperidone had no effect on either hERG 1A or hERG 1A/3.1 channel trafficking to the cell membrane. CONCLUSIONS Our results indicated that iloperidone concentration-dependently inhibited hERG 1A/3.1 currents by preferentially interacting with the open states of channels, but not by the disruption of membrane trafficking or surface membrane expression of hERG 1A and hERG 1A/3.1 channel proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Joon Lee
- Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul
| | - Bok Hee Choi
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute for Medical Science, Jeonbuk National University Medical School, Jeonju
| | - Jin-Sung Choi
- College of Pharmacy, Integrated Research Institute of Pharmaceutical, The Catholic University of Korea, Bucheon, Korea
| | - Sang June Hahn
- Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul
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15
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Bell DC, Fermini B. Use of automated patch clamp in cardiac safety assessment: Past, present & future perspectives. J Pharmacol Toxicol Methods 2021; 111:107114. [PMID: 34400309 DOI: 10.1016/j.vascn.2021.107114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
There is no doubt that automated patch clamp (APC) technology has revolutionized research in biomedical science. High throughput ion channel screening is now an integral part of the development and safety profiling of the majority of new chemical entities currently developed to address unmet medical needs. The increased throughput it provides has significantly improved the ability to overcome the time-consuming, low throughput bottlenecks resulting from the more conventional manual patch clamp method, considered the 'gold standard', for studying ion channel function and pharmacology. While systems offering the luxury of automation have only been commercially available for two decades, the road leading to this new technology is long and rich in seminal, hands-on, studies dating back as far as the 18th century. So where does this technology currently stand, and what will it look like in the future? In the current article, we review the scientific history leading to the development of APC systems, examine key drivers in the rapid development of this technology (such as failed ion channel programmes and the issue of drug-induced hERG inhibition and QT interval prolongation), highlight key capabilities and finally provide some perspective on the current and future impact of the technology on cardiac safety assessment and biomedical science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damian C Bell
- Sophion Bioscience A/S, Ballerup, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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16
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Codding SJ, Johnson AA, Trudeau MC. Gating and regulation of KCNH (ERG, EAG, and ELK) channels by intracellular domains. Channels (Austin) 2021; 14:294-309. [PMID: 32924766 PMCID: PMC7515569 DOI: 10.1080/19336950.2020.1816107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The KCNH family comprises the ERG, EAG, and ELK voltage-activated, potassium-selective channels. Distinct from other K channels, KCNH channels contain unique structural domains, including a PAS (Per-Arnt-Sim) domain in the N-terminal region and a CNBHD (cyclic nucleotide-binding homology domain) in the C-terminal region. The intracellular PAS domains and CNBHDs interact directly and regulate some of the characteristic gating properties of each type of KCNH channel. The PAS-CNBHD interaction regulates slow closing (deactivation) of hERG channels, the kinetics of activation and pre-pulse dependent population of closed states (the Cole-Moore shift) in EAG channels and voltage-dependent potentiation in ELK channels. KCNH channels are all regulated by an intrinsic ligand motif in the C-terminal region which binds to the CNBHD. Here, we focus on some recent advances regarding the PAS-CNBHD interaction and the intrinsic ligand.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara J Codding
- Department of Physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine , Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ashley A Johnson
- Department of Physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine , Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Matthew C Trudeau
- Department of Physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine , Baltimore, MD, USA
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17
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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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18
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Bell DC, Fermini B. Use of automated patch clamp in cardiac safety assessment: past, present and future perspectives. J Pharmacol Toxicol Methods 2021; 110:107072. [PMID: 33962018 DOI: 10.1016/j.vascn.2021.107072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Revised: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
There is no doubt that automated patch clamp (APC) technology has revolutionized research in biomedical science. High throughput ion channel screening is now an integral part of the development and safety profiling of the majority of new chemical entities currently developed to address unmet medical needs. The increased throughput it provides has significantly improved the ability to overcome the time-consuming, low throughput bottlenecks resulting from the more conventional manual patch clamp method, considered the 'gold standard', for studying ion channel function and pharmacology. While systems offering the luxury of automation have only been commercially available for two decades, the road leading to this new technology is long and rich in seminal, hands-on, studies dating back as far as the 18th century. So where does this technology currently stand, and what will it look like in the future? In the current article, we review the scientific history leading to the development of APC systems, examine key drivers in the rapid development of this technology (such as failed ion channel programmes and the issue of drug-induced hERG inhibition and QT interval prolongation), highlight key capabilities and finally provide some perspective on the current and future impact of the technology on cardiac safety assessment and biomedical science.
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19
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Su S, Sun J, Wang Y, Xu Y. Cardiac hERG K + Channel as Safety and Pharmacological Target. Handb Exp Pharmacol 2021; 267:139-166. [PMID: 33829343 DOI: 10.1007/164_2021_455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
The human ether-á-go-go related gene (hERG, KCNH2) encodes the pore-forming subunit of the potassium channel responsible for a fast component of the cardiac delayed rectifier potassium current (IKr). Outward IKr is an important determinant of cardiac action potential (AP) repolarization and effectively controls the duration of the QT interval in humans. Dysfunction of hERG channel can cause severe ventricular arrhythmias and thus modulators of the channel, including hERG inhibitors and activators, continue to attract intense pharmacological interest. Certain inhibitors of hERG channel prolong the action potential duration (APD) and effective refractory period (ERP) to suppress premature ventricular contraction and are used as class III antiarrhythmic agents. However, a reduction of the hERG/IKr current has been recognized as a predominant mechanism responsible for the drug-induced delayed repolarization known as acquired long QT syndromes (LQTS), which is linked to an increased risk for "torsades de pointes" (TdP) ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. Many drugs of different classes and structures have been identified to carry TdP risk. Hence, assessing hERG/IKr blockade of new drug candidates is mandatory in the drug development process according to the regulatory agencies. In contrast, several hERG channel activators have been shown to enhance IKr and shorten the APD and thus might have potential antiarrhythmic effects against pathological LQTS. However, these activators may also be proarrhythmic due to excessive shortening of APD and the ERP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shi Su
- Department of Pharmacology, Hebei Medical University, The Key Laboratory of New Drug Pharmacology and Toxicology, Hebei, China
| | - Jinglei Sun
- Department of Pharmacology, Hebei Medical University, The Key Laboratory of New Drug Pharmacology and Toxicology, Hebei, China
| | - Yi Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, Hebei Medical University, The Key Laboratory of New Drug Pharmacology and Toxicology, Hebei, China
| | - Yanfang Xu
- Department of Pharmacology, Hebei Medical University, The Key Laboratory of New Drug Pharmacology and Toxicology, Hebei, China.
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20
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Feng L, Zhang J, Lee C, Kim G, Liu F, Petersen AJ, Lim E, Anderson CL, Orland KM, Robertson GA, Eckhardt LL, January CT, Kamp TJ. Long QT Syndrome KCNH2 Variant Induces hERG1a/1b Subunit Imbalance in Patient-Specific Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes. Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol 2021; 14:e009343. [PMID: 33729832 PMCID: PMC8058932 DOI: 10.1161/circep.120.009343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
[Figure: see text].
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Feng
- Cellular and Molecular Arrhythmia Research Program, Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
- Department of Cardiology, Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Jianhua Zhang
- Cellular and Molecular Arrhythmia Research Program, Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
| | - ChangHwan Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY
| | - Gina Kim
- Cellular and Molecular Arrhythmia Research Program, Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
| | - Fang Liu
- Department of Neuroscience, Wisconsin Institutes for Medical Research, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
| | | | - Evi Lim
- Cellular and Molecular Arrhythmia Research Program, Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
| | - Corey L. Anderson
- Cellular and Molecular Arrhythmia Research Program, Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
| | - Kate M. Orland
- Cellular and Molecular Arrhythmia Research Program, Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
| | - Gail A. Robertson
- Department of Neuroscience, Wisconsin Institutes for Medical Research, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
| | - Lee L. Eckhardt
- Cellular and Molecular Arrhythmia Research Program, Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
| | - Craig T. January
- Cellular and Molecular Arrhythmia Research Program, Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
| | - Timothy J. Kamp
- Cellular and Molecular Arrhythmia Research Program, Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
- Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
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21
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Abstract
Long QT syndrome (LQTS) is a cardiovascular disorder characterized by an abnormality in cardiac repolarization leading to a prolonged QT interval and T-wave irregularities on the surface electrocardiogram. It is commonly associated with syncope, seizures, susceptibility to torsades de pointes, and risk for sudden death. LQTS is a rare genetic disorder and a major preventable cause of sudden cardiac death in the young. The availability of therapy for this lethal disease emphasizes the importance of early and accurate diagnosis. Additionally, understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying LQTS could help to optimize genotype-specific treatments to prevent deaths in LQTS patients. In this review, we briefly summarize current knowledge regarding molecular underpinning of LQTS, in particular focusing on LQT1, LQT2, and LQT3, and discuss novel strategies to study ion channel dysfunction and drug-specific therapies in LQT1, LQT2, and LQT3 syndromes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Isabelle Deschênes
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
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22
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Bernardi J, Aromolaran KA, Zhu H, Aromolaran AS. Circadian Mechanisms: Cardiac Ion Channel Remodeling and Arrhythmias. Front Physiol 2021; 11:611860. [PMID: 33519516 PMCID: PMC7841411 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2020.611860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 12/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Circadian rhythms are involved in many physiological and pathological processes in different tissues, including the heart. Circadian rhythms play a critical role in adverse cardiac function with implications for heart failure and sudden cardiac death, highlighting a significant contribution of circadian mechanisms to normal sinus rhythm in health and disease. Cardiac arrhythmias are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with heart failure and likely cause ∼250,000 deaths annually in the United States alone; however, the molecular mechanisms are poorly understood. This suggests the need to improve our current understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms that increase vulnerability to arrhythmias. Obesity and its associated pathologies, including diabetes, have emerged as dangerous disease conditions that predispose to adverse cardiac electrical remodeling leading to fatal arrhythmias. The increasing epidemic of obesity and diabetes suggests vulnerability to arrhythmias will remain high in patients. An important objective would be to identify novel and unappreciated cellular mechanisms or signaling pathways that modulate obesity and/or diabetes. In this review we discuss circadian rhythms control of metabolic and environmental cues, cardiac ion channels, and mechanisms that predispose to supraventricular and ventricular arrhythmias including hormonal signaling and the autonomic nervous system, and how understanding their functional interplay may help to inform the development and optimization of effective clinical and therapeutic interventions with implications for chronotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joyce Bernardi
- Masonic Medical Research Institute, Utica, NY, United States
| | | | - Hua Zhu
- Department of Surgery, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, United States
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23
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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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24
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Neurological Disorders and Risk of Arrhythmia. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 22:ijms22010188. [PMID: 33375447 PMCID: PMC7795827 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22010188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Revised: 12/19/2020] [Accepted: 12/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurological disorders including depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), schizophrenia, autism and epilepsy are associated with an increased incidence of cardiovascular disorders and susceptibility to heart failure. The underlying molecular mechanisms that link neurological disorders and adverse cardiac function are poorly understood. Further, a lack of progress is likely due to a paucity of studies that investigate the relationship between neurological disorders and cardiac electrical activity in health and disease. Therefore, there is an important need to understand the spatiotemporal behavior of neurocardiac mechanisms. This can be advanced through the identification and validation of neurological and cardiac signaling pathways that may be adversely regulated. In this review we highlight how dysfunction of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity and inflammation, predispose to psychiatric disorders and cardiac dysfunction. Moreover, antipsychotic and antidepressant medications increase the risk for adverse cardiac events, mostly through the block of the human ether-a-go-go-related gene (hERG), which plays a critical role in cardiac repolarization. Therefore, understanding how neurological disorders lead to adverse cardiac ion channel remodeling is likely to have significant implications for the development of effective therapeutic interventions and helps improve the rational development of targeted therapeutics with significant clinical implications.
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25
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Wang M, Gao M, Fang S, Zheng R, Peng D, Luo Q, Yu B. L51P, a novel mutation in the PAS domain of hERG channel, confers long QT syndrome by impairing channel activation. Am J Transl Res 2020; 12:8040-8049. [PMID: 33437379 PMCID: PMC7791479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The human ether-à-go-go-related gene (hERG) potassium channel mediates the repolarization of ventricular action potentials. Mutations in the KCNH2 cause long QT syndrome (LQTS) and are associated with cardiac arrhythmias and sudden death. Here, we functionally analyzed a mutation of hERG potassium channel (p.L51P), gaining novel insights into clinical genotype-phenotype relationships. Potassium currents were recorded by whole-cell patch clamping in HEK293 cells transiently transfected with wild-type and/or mutant hERG potassium channel. Immunofluorescence assay and confocal imaging were undertaken to study the effects of L51P mutation on channel trafficking. The models of the protein structure of hERG and its mutations are predicted by Amber16 software. Molecular dynamics (MD) of individual protein were performed with Particle Mesh Ewald (PME). The production of MD simulations of hERG-WT and hERG-Mut at constant pressure and temperature were carried out with SHAKE. L51 was a conservative amino acid, located in the Per-Arnt-Sim (PAS) domain of the amino terminus. L51P caused loss of function via impairing channel activation. L51P was predicted to destroy hydrophobic structure in the PAS domain, thus causing the failure of channel opening. In summary, the present study identifies L51P as a novel mutation of hERG potassium channel. L51P mutation mechanistically impairs channel activation, reducing channel functionality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mi Wang
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South UniversityChangsha, Hunan, China
- Research Institute of Blood Lipid and Atherosclerosis, Central South UniversityChangsha, Hunan, China
| | - Min Gao
- Department of Pharmacy, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen UniversityGuangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Senbiao Fang
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, Central South UniversityChangsha, Hunan, China
| | - Ruoqian Zheng
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, Central South UniversityChangsha, Hunan, China
| | - Daoquan Peng
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South UniversityChangsha, Hunan, China
- Research Institute of Blood Lipid and Atherosclerosis, Central South UniversityChangsha, Hunan, China
| | - Qin Luo
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South UniversityChangsha, Hunan, China
- Research Institute of Blood Lipid and Atherosclerosis, Central South UniversityChangsha, Hunan, China
| | - Bilian Yu
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South UniversityChangsha, Hunan, China
- Research Institute of Blood Lipid and Atherosclerosis, Central South UniversityChangsha, Hunan, China
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Tran PN, Sheng J, Randolph AL, Baron CA, Thiebaud N, Ren M, Wu M, Johannesen L, Volpe DA, Patel D, Blinova K, Strauss DG, Wu WW. Mechanisms of QT prolongation by buprenorphine cannot be explained by direct hERG channel block. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0241362. [PMID: 33157550 PMCID: PMC7647070 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0241362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Accepted: 10/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Buprenorphine is a μ-opioid receptor (MOR) partial agonist used to manage pain and addiction. QTC prolongation that crosses the 10 msec threshold of regulatory concern was observed at a supratherapeutic dose in two thorough QT studies for the transdermal buprenorphine product BUTRANS®. Because QTC prolongation can be associated with Torsades de Pointes (TdP), a rare but potentially fatal ventricular arrhythmia, these results have led to further investigation of the electrophysiological effects of buprenorphine. Drug-induced QTC prolongation and TdP are most commonly caused by acute inhibition of hERG current (IhERG) that contribute to the repolarizing phase of the ventricular action potentials (APs). Concomitant inhibition of inward late Na+ (INaL) and/or L-type Ca2+ (ICaL) current can offer some protection against proarrhythmia. Therefore, we characterized the effects of buprenorphine and its major metabolite norbuprenorphine on cardiac hERG, Ca2+, and Na+ ion channels, as well as cardiac APs. For comparison, methadone, a MOR agonist associated with QTC prolongation and high TdP risk, and naltrexone and naloxone, two opioid receptor antagonists, were also studied. Whole cell recordings were performed at 37°C on cells stably expressing hERG, CaV1.2, and NaV1.5 proteins. Microelectrode array (MEA) recordings were made on human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (iPSC-CMs). The results showed that buprenorphine, norbuprenorphine, naltrexone, and naloxone had no effect on IhERG, ICaL, INaL, and peak Na+ current (INaP) at clinically relevant concentrations. In contrast, methadone inhibited IhERG, ICaL, and INaL. Experiments on iPSC-CMs showed a lack of effect for buprenorphine, norbuprenorphine, naltrexone, and naloxone, and delayed repolarization for methadone at clinically relevant concentrations. The mechanism of QTC prolongation is opioid moiety-specific. This remains undefined for buprenorphine, while for methadone it involves direct hERG channel block. There is no evidence that buprenorphine use is associated with TdP. Whether this lack of TdP risk can be generalized to other drugs with QTC prolongation not mediated by acute hERG channel block warrants further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phu N. Tran
- Division of Applied Regulatory Science, Office of Clinical Pharmacology, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
- Division of Immunology and Hematology Devices, Center for Devices and Radiological Health, US Food and Drug Administration. Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Jiansong Sheng
- Division of Applied Regulatory Science, Office of Clinical Pharmacology, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
- CiPALab, Gaithersburg, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Aaron L. Randolph
- Division of Applied Regulatory Science, Office of Clinical Pharmacology, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Claudia Alvarez Baron
- Division of Applied Regulatory Science, Office of Clinical Pharmacology, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Nicolas Thiebaud
- Division of Applied Regulatory Science, Office of Clinical Pharmacology, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
- Vertex Pharmaceuticals (Europe) Ltd, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
| | - Ming Ren
- Division of Applied Regulatory Science, Office of Clinical Pharmacology, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Min Wu
- Division of Applied Regulatory Science, Office of Clinical Pharmacology, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
- Division of Immunology and Hematology Devices, Center for Devices and Radiological Health, US Food and Drug Administration. Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Lars Johannesen
- Division of Cardiology and Nephrology, Office of Cardiology, Hematology, Endocrinology and Nephrology, Office of New Drugs, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Donna A. Volpe
- Division of Applied Regulatory Science, Office of Clinical Pharmacology, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Dakshesh Patel
- Division of Biomedical Physics, Office of Science and Engineering Laboratories, Center for Devices and Radiological Health, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Ksenia Blinova
- Division of Biomedical Physics, Office of Science and Engineering Laboratories, Center for Devices and Radiological Health, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - David G. Strauss
- Division of Applied Regulatory Science, Office of Clinical Pharmacology, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Wendy W. Wu
- Division of Applied Regulatory Science, Office of Clinical Pharmacology, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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27
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Zhang Y, Dempsey CE, Hancox JC. Electrophysiological characterization of the modified hERG T potassium channel used to obtain the first cryo-EM hERG structure. Physiol Rep 2020; 8:e14568. [PMID: 33091232 PMCID: PMC7580876 DOI: 10.14814/phy2.14568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2020] [Revised: 08/13/2020] [Accepted: 08/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The voltage-gated hERG (human-Ether-à-go-go Related Gene) K+ channel plays a fundamental role in cardiac action potential repolarization. Loss-of-function mutations or pharmacological inhibition of hERG leads to long QT syndrome, whilst gain-of-function mutations lead to short QT syndrome. A recent open channel cryo-EM structure of hERG represents a significant advance in the ability to interrogate hERG channel structure-function. In order to suppress protein aggregation, a truncated channel construct of hERG (hERGT ) was used to obtain this structure. In hERGT cytoplasmic domain residues 141 to 350 and 871 to 1,005 were removed from the full-length channel protein. There are limited data on the electrophysiological properties of hERGT channels. Therefore, this study was undertaken to determine how hERGT influences channel function at physiological temperature. Whole-cell measurements of hERG current (IhERG ) were made at 37°C from HEK 293 cells expressing wild-type (WT) or hERGT channels. With a standard +20 mV activating command protocol, neither end-pulse nor tail IhERG density significantly differed between WT and hERGT . However, the IhERG deactivation rate was significantly slower for hERGT . Half-maximal activation voltage (V0.5 ) was positively shifted for hERGT by ~+8 mV (p < .05 versus WT), without significant change to the activation relation slope factor. Neither the voltage dependence of inactivation, nor time course of development of inactivation significantly differed between WT and hERGT , but recovery of IhERG from inactivation was accelerated for hERGT (p < .05 versus WT). Steady-state "window" current was positively shifted for hERGT with a modest increase in the window current peak. Under action potential (AP) voltage clamp, hERGT IhERG showed modestly increased current throughout the AP plateau phase with a significant increase in current integral during the AP. The observed consequences for hERGT IhERG of deletion of the two cytoplasmic regions may reflect changes to electrostatic interactions influencing the voltage sensor domain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yihong Zhang
- School of Physiology and Pharmacology and NeuroscienceBiomedical Sciences BuildingThe University of BristolUniversity WalkBristolUK
| | - Christopher E. Dempsey
- School of BiochemistryBiomedical Sciences BuildingThe University of BristolUniversity WalkBristolUK
| | - Jules C. Hancox
- School of Physiology and Pharmacology and NeuroscienceBiomedical Sciences BuildingThe University of BristolUniversity WalkBristolUK
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28
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Identification and Characterization of a Transcribed Distal Enhancer Involved in Cardiac Kcnh2 Regulation. Cell Rep 2020; 28:2704-2714.e5. [PMID: 31484079 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2018] [Revised: 06/05/2019] [Accepted: 07/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The human ether-a-go-go-related gene KCNH2 encodes the voltage-gated potassium channel underlying IKr, a current critical for the repolarization phase of the cardiac action potential. Mutations in KCNH2 that cause a reduction of the repolarizing current can result in cardiac arrhythmias associated with long-QT syndrome. Here, we investigate the regulation of KCNH2 and identify multiple active enhancers. A transcribed enhancer ∼85 kbp downstream of Kcnh2 physically contacts the promoters of two Kcnh2 isoforms in a cardiac-specific manner in vivo. Knockdown of its ncRNA transcript results in reduced expression of Kcnh2b and two neighboring mRNAs, Nos3 and Abcb8, in vitro. Genomic deletion of the enhancer, including the ncRNA transcription start site, from the mouse genome causes a modest downregulation of both Kcnh2a and Kcnh2b in the ventricles. These findings establish that the regulation of Kcnh2a and Kcnh2b is governed by a complex regulatory landscape that involves multiple partially redundantly acting enhancers.
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29
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Tschirhart JN, Zhang S. Fentanyl-Induced Block of hERG Channels Is Exacerbated by Hypoxia, Hypokalemia, Alkalosis, and the Presence of hERG1b. Mol Pharmacol 2020; 98:508-517. [PMID: 32321735 DOI: 10.1124/mol.119.119271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2019] [Accepted: 04/08/2020] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Human ether-a-go-go-related gene (hERG) encodes the pore-forming subunit of the rapidly activating delayed rectifier potassium current (IKr) important for repolarization of cardiac action potentials. Drug-induced disruption of hERG channel function is a main cause of acquired long QT syndrome, which can lead to ventricular arrhythmias and sudden death. Illicit fentanyl use is associated with sudden death. We have demonstrated that fentanyl blocks hERG current (IhERG) at concentrations that overlap with the upper range of postmortem blood concentrations in fentanyl-related deaths. Since fentanyl can cause respiratory depression and electrolyte imbalances, in the present study we investigated whether certain pathologic circumstances exacerbate fentanyl-induced block of IhERG Our results show that chronic hypoxia or hypokalemia additively reduced IhERG with fentanyl. As well, high pH potentiated the fentanyl-mediated block of hERG channels, with an IC50 at pH 8.4 being 7-fold lower than that at pH 7.4. Furthermore, although the full-length hERG variant, hERG1a, has been widely used to study hERG channels, coexpression with the short variant, hERG1b (which does not produce current when expressed alone), produces functional hERG1a/1b channels, which gate more closely resembling native IKr Our results showed that fentanyl blocked hERG1a/1b channels with a 3-fold greater potency than hERG1a channels. Thus, in addition to a greater susceptibility due to the presence of hERG1b in the human heart, hERG channel block by fentanyl can be exacerbated by certain conditions, such as hypoxia, hypokalemia, or alkalosis, which may increase the risk of fentanyl-induced ventricular arrhythmias and sudden death. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: This work demonstrates that heterologously expressed human ether a-go-go-related gene (hERG) 1a/1b channels, which more closely resemble rapidly activating delayed rectifier potassium current in the human heart, are blocked by fentanyl with a 3-fold greater potency than the previously studied hERG1a expressed alone. Additionally, chronic hypoxia, hypokalemia, and alkalosis can increase the block of hERG current by fentanyl, potentially increasing the risk of cardiac arrhythmias and sudden death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jared N Tschirhart
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - Shetuan Zhang
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
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30
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Orvos P, Kohajda Z, Szlovák J, Gazdag P, Árpádffy-Lovas T, Tóth D, Geramipour A, Tálosi L, Jost N, Varró A, Virág L. Evaluation of Possible Proarrhythmic Potency: Comparison of the Effect of Dofetilide, Cisapride, Sotalol, Terfenadine, and Verapamil on hERG and Native IKr Currents and on Cardiac Action Potential. Toxicol Sci 2020; 168:365-380. [PMID: 30561737 DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfy299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The proarrhythmic potency of drugs is usually attributed to the IKr current block. During safety pharmacology testing analysis of IKr in cardiomyocytes was replaced by human ether-a-go-go-related gene (hERG) test using automated patch-clamp systems in stable transfected cell lines. Aim of this study was to compare the effect of proarrhythmic compounds on hERG and IKr currents and on cardiac action potential. The hERG current was measured by using both automated and manual patch-clamp methods on HEK293 cells. The native ion currents (IKr, INaL, ICaL) were recorded from rabbit ventricular myocytes by manual patch-clamp technique. Action potentials in rabbit ventricular muscle and undiseased human donor hearts were studied by conventional microelectrode technique. Dofetilide, cisapride, sotalol, terfenadine, and verapamil blocked hERG channels at 37°C with an IC50 of 7 nM, 18 nM, 343 μM, 165 nM, and 214 nM, respectively. Using manual patch-clamp, the IC50 values of sotalol and terfenadine were 78 µM and 31 nM, respectively. The IC50 values calculated from IKr measurements at 37°C were 13 nM, 26 nM, 52 μM, 54 nM, and 268 nM, respectively. Cisapride, dofetilide, and sotalol excessively lengthened, terfenadine, and verapamil did not influence the action potential duration. Terfenadine significantly inhibited INaL and moderately ICaL, verapamil blocked only ICaL. Automated hERG assays may over/underestimate proarrhythmic risk. Manual patch-clamp has substantially higher sensitivity to certain drugs. Action potential studies are also required to analyze complex multichannel effects. Therefore, manual patch-clamp and action potential experiments should be a part of preclinical safety tests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Péter Orvos
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Faculty of Medicine.,Department of Ophthalmology, University of Szeged, Szeged H-6720, Hungary
| | - Zsófia Kohajda
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Faculty of Medicine.,MTA-SZTE Research Group for Cardiovascular Pharmacology, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Szeged H-6720, Hungary
| | - Jozefina Szlovák
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Faculty of Medicine
| | - Péter Gazdag
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Faculty of Medicine
| | | | - Dániel Tóth
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Faculty of Medicine
| | - Amir Geramipour
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Faculty of Medicine
| | | | - Norbert Jost
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Faculty of Medicine.,MTA-SZTE Research Group for Cardiovascular Pharmacology, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Szeged H-6720, Hungary.,Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Interdisciplinary Excellence Centre, University of Szeged, Szeged H-6720, Hungary
| | - András Varró
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Faculty of Medicine.,MTA-SZTE Research Group for Cardiovascular Pharmacology, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Szeged H-6720, Hungary.,Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Interdisciplinary Excellence Centre, University of Szeged, Szeged H-6720, Hungary
| | - László Virág
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Faculty of Medicine.,MTA-SZTE Research Group for Cardiovascular Pharmacology, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Szeged H-6720, Hungary.,Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Interdisciplinary Excellence Centre, University of Szeged, Szeged H-6720, Hungary
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31
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He S, Moutaoufik MT, Islam S, Persad A, Wu A, Aly KA, Fonge H, Babu M, Cayabyab FS. HERG channel and cancer: A mechanistic review of carcinogenic processes and therapeutic potential. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2020; 1873:188355. [PMID: 32135169 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2020.188355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2019] [Revised: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 02/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The human ether-à-go-go related gene (HERG) encodes the alpha subunit of Kv11.1, which is a voltage-gated K+ channel protein mainly expressed in heart and brain tissue. HERG plays critical role in cardiac repolarization, and mutations in HERG can cause long QT syndrome. More recently, evidence has emerged that HERG channels are aberrantly expressed in many kinds of cancer cells and play important roles in cancer progression. HERG could therefore be a potential biomarker for cancer and a possible molecular target for anticancer drug design. HERG affects a number of cellular processes, including cell proliferation, apoptosis, angiogenesis and migration, any of which could be affected by dysregulation of HERG. This review provides an overview of available information on HERG channel as it relates to cancer, with focus on the mechanism by which HERG influences cancer progression. Molecular docking attempts suggest two possible protein-protein interactions of HERG with the ß1-integrin receptor and the transcription factor STAT-1 as novel HERG-directed therapeutic targeting which avoids possible cardiotoxicity. The role of epigenetics in regulating HERG channel expression and activity in cancer will also be discussed. Finally, given its inherent extracellular accessibility as an ion channel, we discuss regulatory roles of this molecule in cancer physiology and therapeutic potential. Future research should be directed to explore the possibilities of therapeutic interventions targeting HERG channels while minding possible complications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siyi He
- Department of Surgery, Neuroscience Research Group, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E5, Canada
| | | | - Saadul Islam
- Department of Surgery, Neuroscience Research Group, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - Amit Persad
- Department of Surgery, Neuroscience Research Group, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - Adam Wu
- Department of Surgery, Neuroscience Research Group, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - Khaled A Aly
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Regina, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada
| | - Humphrey Fonge
- Department of Medical Imaging, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 0W8, Canada; Department of Medical Imaging, Royal University Hospital, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 0W8, Canada
| | - Mohan Babu
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Regina, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada
| | - Francisco S Cayabyab
- Department of Surgery, Neuroscience Research Group, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E5, Canada.
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32
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33
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Tay YL, Amanah A, Adenan MI, Wahab HA, Tan ML. Mitragynine, an euphoric compound inhibits hERG1a/1b channel current and upregulates the complexation of hERG1a-Hsp90 in HEK293-hERG1a/1b cells. Sci Rep 2019; 9:19757. [PMID: 31874991 PMCID: PMC6930223 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-56106-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2019] [Accepted: 11/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Mitragyna speciosa Korth (M. speciosa) has been widely used as a recreational product, however, there are growing concerns on the abuse potentials and toxicity of the plant. Several poisoning and fatal cases involving kratom and mitragynine have been reported but the underlying causes remain unclear. The human ether-a-go-go-related gene 1 (hERG1) encodes the pore-forming subunit underlying cardiac rapidly delayed rectifier potassium current (IKr). Pharmacological blockade of the IKr can cause acquired long QT syndrome, leading to lethal cardiac arrhythmias. This study aims to elucidate the mechanisms of mitragynine-induced inhibition on hERG1a/1b current. Electrophysiology experiments were carried out using Port-a-Patch system. Quantitative RT-PCR, Western blot analysis, immunofluorescence and co-immunoprecipitation methods were used to determine the effects of mitragynine on hERG1a/1b expression and hERG1-cytosolic chaperones interaction. Mitragynine was found to inhibit the IKr current with an IC50 value of 332.70 nM. It causes a significant reduction of the fully-glycosylated (fg) hERG1a protein expression but upregulates both core-glycosylated (cg) expression and hERG1a-Hsp90 complexes, suggesting possible impaired hERG1a trafficking. In conclusion, mitragynine inhibits hERG1a/1b current through direct channel blockade at lower concentration, but at higher concentration, it upregulates the complexation of hERG1a-Hsp90 which may be inhibitory towards channel trafficking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yea Lu Tay
- Malaysian Institute of Pharmaceuticals & Nutraceuticals, NIBM, Ministry of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change (MESTECC), Pulau Pinang, 11700, Malaysia
| | - Azimah Amanah
- Malaysian Institute of Pharmaceuticals & Nutraceuticals, NIBM, Ministry of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change (MESTECC), Pulau Pinang, 11700, Malaysia
| | - Mohd Ilham Adenan
- Atta-ur-Rahman Institute for Natural Product Discovery, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Selangor Darul Ehsan, 42300, Malaysia
| | - Habibah Abdul Wahab
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Pulau Pinang, 11700, Malaysia
| | - Mei Lan Tan
- Malaysian Institute of Pharmaceuticals & Nutraceuticals, NIBM, Ministry of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change (MESTECC), Pulau Pinang, 11700, Malaysia. .,School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Pulau Pinang, 11700, Malaysia. .,Advanced Medical and Dental Institute, Universiti Sains Malaysia, SAINS@BERTAM, Kepala Batas, Pulau Pinang, 13200, Malaysia.
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34
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Eichel CA, Ríos-Pérez EB, Liu F, Jameson MB, Jones DK, Knickelbine JJ, Robertson GA. A microtranslatome coordinately regulates sodium and potassium currents in the human heart. eLife 2019; 8:52654. [PMID: 31670657 PMCID: PMC6867827 DOI: 10.7554/elife.52654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2019] [Accepted: 10/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Catastrophic arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death can occur with even a small imbalance between inward sodium currents and outward potassium currents, but mechanisms establishing this critical balance are not understood. Here, we show that mRNA transcripts encoding INa and IKr channels (SCN5A and hERG, respectively) are associated in defined complexes during protein translation. Using biochemical, electrophysiological and single-molecule fluorescence localization approaches, we find that roughly half the hERG translational complexes contain SCN5A transcripts. Moreover, the transcripts are regulated in a way that alters functional expression of both channels at the membrane. Association and coordinate regulation of transcripts in discrete ‘microtranslatomes’ represents a new paradigm controlling electrical activity in heart and other excitable tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine A Eichel
- Department of Neuroscience and Cardiovascular Research Center, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, United States
| | - Erick B Ríos-Pérez
- Department of Neuroscience and Cardiovascular Research Center, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, United States
| | - Fang Liu
- Department of Neuroscience and Cardiovascular Research Center, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, United States
| | - Margaret B Jameson
- Department of Neuroscience and Cardiovascular Research Center, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, United States
| | - David K Jones
- Department of Neuroscience and Cardiovascular Research Center, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, United States
| | - Jennifer J Knickelbine
- Department of Neuroscience and Cardiovascular Research Center, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, United States
| | - Gail A Robertson
- Department of Neuroscience and Cardiovascular Research Center, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, United States
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35
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Perissinotti L, Guo J, Kudaibergenova M, Lees-Miller J, Ol'khovich M, Sharapova A, Perlovich GL, Muruve DA, Gerull B, Noskov SY, Duff HJ. The Pore-Lipid Interface: Role of Amino-Acid Determinants of Lipophilic Access by Ivabradine to the hERG1 Pore Domain. Mol Pharmacol 2019; 96:259-271. [PMID: 31182542 DOI: 10.1124/mol.118.115642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Accepted: 05/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abnormal cardiac electrical activity is a common side effect caused by unintended block of the promiscuous drug target human ether-à-go-go-related gene (hERG1), the pore-forming domain of the delayed rectifier K+ channel in the heart. hERG1 block leads to a prolongation of the QT interval, a phase of the cardiac cycle that underlies myocyte repolarization detectable on the electrocardiogram. Even newly released drugs such as heart-rate lowering agent ivabradine block the rapid delayed rectifier current IKr, prolong action potential duration, and induce potentially lethal arrhythmia known as torsades de pointes. In this study, we describe a critical drug-binding pocket located at the lateral pore surface facing the cellular membrane. Mutations of the conserved M651 residue alter ivabradine-induced block but not by the common hERG1 blocker dofetilide. As revealed by molecular dynamics simulations, binding of ivabradine to a lipophilic pore access site is coupled to a state-dependent reorientation of aromatic residues F557 and F656 in the S5 and S6 helices. We show that the M651 mutation impedes state-dependent dynamics of F557 and F656 aromatic cassettes at the protein-lipid interface, which has a potential to disrupt drug-induced block of the channel. This fundamentally new mechanism coupling the channel dynamics and small-molecule access from the membrane into the hERG1 intracavitary site provides a simple rationale for the well established state-dependence of drug blockade. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: The drug interference with the function of the cardiac hERG channels represents one of the major sources of drug-induced heart disturbances. We found a novel and a critical drug-binding pocket adjacent to a lipid-facing surface of the hERG1 channel, which furthers our molecular understanding of drug-induced QT syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Perissinotti
- Centre for Molecular Simulation, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada (L.P., M.K., S.Y.N.); Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta (J.G., J.-L.M., H.J.D.) and Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases (D.A.M.), Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Institute of Solution Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Ivanovo, Russian Federation (M.O., A.S., G.L.P.); Department of Cardiac Sciences and Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada (B.G.); and Comprehensive Heart Failure Center and Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany (B.G.)
| | - Jiqing Guo
- Centre for Molecular Simulation, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada (L.P., M.K., S.Y.N.); Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta (J.G., J.-L.M., H.J.D.) and Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases (D.A.M.), Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Institute of Solution Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Ivanovo, Russian Federation (M.O., A.S., G.L.P.); Department of Cardiac Sciences and Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada (B.G.); and Comprehensive Heart Failure Center and Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany (B.G.)
| | - Meruyert Kudaibergenova
- Centre for Molecular Simulation, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada (L.P., M.K., S.Y.N.); Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta (J.G., J.-L.M., H.J.D.) and Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases (D.A.M.), Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Institute of Solution Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Ivanovo, Russian Federation (M.O., A.S., G.L.P.); Department of Cardiac Sciences and Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada (B.G.); and Comprehensive Heart Failure Center and Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany (B.G.)
| | - James Lees-Miller
- Centre for Molecular Simulation, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada (L.P., M.K., S.Y.N.); Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta (J.G., J.-L.M., H.J.D.) and Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases (D.A.M.), Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Institute of Solution Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Ivanovo, Russian Federation (M.O., A.S., G.L.P.); Department of Cardiac Sciences and Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada (B.G.); and Comprehensive Heart Failure Center and Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany (B.G.)
| | - Marina Ol'khovich
- Centre for Molecular Simulation, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada (L.P., M.K., S.Y.N.); Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta (J.G., J.-L.M., H.J.D.) and Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases (D.A.M.), Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Institute of Solution Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Ivanovo, Russian Federation (M.O., A.S., G.L.P.); Department of Cardiac Sciences and Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada (B.G.); and Comprehensive Heart Failure Center and Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany (B.G.)
| | - Angelica Sharapova
- Centre for Molecular Simulation, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada (L.P., M.K., S.Y.N.); Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta (J.G., J.-L.M., H.J.D.) and Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases (D.A.M.), Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Institute of Solution Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Ivanovo, Russian Federation (M.O., A.S., G.L.P.); Department of Cardiac Sciences and Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada (B.G.); and Comprehensive Heart Failure Center and Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany (B.G.)
| | - German L Perlovich
- Centre for Molecular Simulation, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada (L.P., M.K., S.Y.N.); Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta (J.G., J.-L.M., H.J.D.) and Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases (D.A.M.), Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Institute of Solution Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Ivanovo, Russian Federation (M.O., A.S., G.L.P.); Department of Cardiac Sciences and Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada (B.G.); and Comprehensive Heart Failure Center and Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany (B.G.)
| | - Daniel A Muruve
- Centre for Molecular Simulation, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada (L.P., M.K., S.Y.N.); Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta (J.G., J.-L.M., H.J.D.) and Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases (D.A.M.), Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Institute of Solution Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Ivanovo, Russian Federation (M.O., A.S., G.L.P.); Department of Cardiac Sciences and Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada (B.G.); and Comprehensive Heart Failure Center and Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany (B.G.)
| | - Brenda Gerull
- Centre for Molecular Simulation, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada (L.P., M.K., S.Y.N.); Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta (J.G., J.-L.M., H.J.D.) and Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases (D.A.M.), Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Institute of Solution Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Ivanovo, Russian Federation (M.O., A.S., G.L.P.); Department of Cardiac Sciences and Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada (B.G.); and Comprehensive Heart Failure Center and Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany (B.G.)
| | - Sergei Yu Noskov
- Centre for Molecular Simulation, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada (L.P., M.K., S.Y.N.); Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta (J.G., J.-L.M., H.J.D.) and Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases (D.A.M.), Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Institute of Solution Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Ivanovo, Russian Federation (M.O., A.S., G.L.P.); Department of Cardiac Sciences and Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada (B.G.); and Comprehensive Heart Failure Center and Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany (B.G.)
| | - Henry J Duff
- Centre for Molecular Simulation, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada (L.P., M.K., S.Y.N.); Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta (J.G., J.-L.M., H.J.D.) and Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases (D.A.M.), Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Institute of Solution Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Ivanovo, Russian Federation (M.O., A.S., G.L.P.); Department of Cardiac Sciences and Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada (B.G.); and Comprehensive Heart Failure Center and Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany (B.G.)
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36
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Goversen B, Jonsson MK, van den Heuvel NH, Rijken R, Vos MA, van Veen TA, de Boer TP. The influence of hERG1a and hERG1b isoforms on drug safety screening in iPSC-CMs. PROGRESS IN BIOPHYSICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2019; 149:86-98. [PMID: 30826123 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbiomolbio.2019.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2018] [Revised: 01/14/2019] [Accepted: 02/08/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
The human Ether-à-go-go Related Gene (hERG) encodes the pore forming subunit of the channel that conducts the rapid delayed rectifier potassium current IKr. IKr drives repolarization in the heart and when IKr is dysfunctional, cardiac repolarization delays, the QT interval on the electrocardiogram (ECG) prolongs and the risk of developing lethal arrhythmias such as Torsade de Pointes (TdP) increases. TdP risk is incorporated in drug safety screening for cardiotoxicity where hERG is the main target since the IKr channels appear highly sensitive to blockage. hERG block is also included as an important read-out in the Comprehensive in Vitro Proarrhythmia Assay (CiPA) initiative which aims to combine in vitro and in silico experiments on induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (iPSC-CMs) to screen for cardiotoxicity. However, the hERG channel has some unique features to consider for drug safety screening, which we will discuss in this study. The hERG channel consists of different isoforms, hERG1a and hERG1b, which individually influence the kinetics of the channel and the drug response in the human heart and in iPSC-CMs. hERG1b is often underappreciated in iPSC-CM studies, drug screening assays and in silico models, and the fact that its contribution might substantially differ between iPSC-CM and healthy but also diseased human heart, adds to this problem. In this study we show that the activation kinetics in iPSC-CMs resemble hERG1b kinetics using Cs+ as a charge carrier. Not including hERG1b in drug safety testing might underestimate the actual role of hERG1b in repolarization and drug response, and might lead to inappropriate conclusions. We stress to focus more on including hERG1b in drug safety testing concerning IKr.
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Affiliation(s)
- Birgit Goversen
- Department of Medical Physiology, Division Heart & Lungs, University Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Malin Kb Jonsson
- Department of Medical Physiology, Division Heart & Lungs, University Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands; Bioscience Heart Failure, Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolic Diseases, IMED Biotech Unit, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Nikki Hl van den Heuvel
- Department of Medical Physiology, Division Heart & Lungs, University Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Rianne Rijken
- Department of Medical Physiology, Division Heart & Lungs, University Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Marc A Vos
- Department of Medical Physiology, Division Heart & Lungs, University Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Toon Ab van Veen
- Department of Medical Physiology, Division Heart & Lungs, University Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Teun P de Boer
- Department of Medical Physiology, Division Heart & Lungs, University Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands.
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37
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Malak OA, Gluhov GS, Grizel AV, Kudryashova KS, Sokolova OS, Loussouarn G. Voltage-dependent activation in EAG channels follows a ligand-receptor rather than a mechanical-lever mechanism. J Biol Chem 2019; 294:6506-6521. [PMID: 30808709 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra119.007626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2019] [Revised: 02/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Ether-a-go-go family (EAG) channels play a major role in many physiological processes in humans, including cardiac repolarization and cell proliferation. Cryo-EM structures of two of them, KV10.1 and human ether-a-go-go-related gene (hERG or KV11.1), have revealed an original nondomain-swapped structure, suggesting that the mechanism of voltage-dependent gating of these two channels is quite different from the classical mechanical-lever model. Molecular aspects of hERG voltage-gating have been extensively studied, indicating that the S4-S5 linker (S4-S5L) acts as a ligand binding to the S6 gate (S6 C-terminal part, S6T) and stabilizes it in a closed state. Moreover, the N-terminal extremity of the channel, called N-Cap, has been suggested to interact with S4-S5L to modulate channel voltage-dependent gating, as N-Cap deletion drastically accelerates hERG channel deactivation. In this study, using COS-7 cells, site-directed mutagenesis, electrophysiological measurements, and immunofluorescence confocal microscopy, we addressed whether these two major mechanisms of voltage-dependent gating are conserved in KV10.2 channels. Using cysteine bridges and S4-S5L-mimicking peptides, we show that the ligand/receptor model is conserved in KV10.2, suggesting that this model is a hallmark of EAG channels. Truncation of the N-Cap domain, Per-Arnt-Sim (PAS) domain, or both in KV10.2 abolished the current and altered channel trafficking to the membrane, unlike for the hERG channel in which N-Cap and PAS domain truncations mainly affected channel deactivation. Our results suggest that EAG channels function via a conserved ligand/receptor model of voltage gating, but that the N-Cap and PAS domains have different roles in these channels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olfat A Malak
- From the INSERM, CNRS, l'Institut du Thorax, Université de Nantes, 44007 Nantes, France
| | - Grigory S Gluhov
- the Moscow M.V. Lomonosov State University, Moscow 119234, Russia
| | - Anastasia V Grizel
- the Saint Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg 199034, Russia, and
| | - Kseniya S Kudryashova
- the Moscow M.V. Lomonosov State University, Moscow 119234, Russia.,the Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 117997, Russia
| | - Olga S Sokolova
- the Moscow M.V. Lomonosov State University, Moscow 119234, Russia
| | - Gildas Loussouarn
- From the INSERM, CNRS, l'Institut du Thorax, Université de Nantes, 44007 Nantes, France,
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38
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Ni H, Morotti S, Grandi E. A Heart for Diversity: Simulating Variability in Cardiac Arrhythmia Research. Front Physiol 2018; 9:958. [PMID: 30079031 PMCID: PMC6062641 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2018.00958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2018] [Accepted: 06/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
In cardiac electrophysiology, there exist many sources of inter- and intra-personal variability. These include variability in conditions and environment, and genotypic and molecular diversity, including differences in expression and behavior of ion channels and transporters, which lead to phenotypic diversity (e.g., variable integrated responses at the cell, tissue, and organ levels). These variabilities play an important role in progression of heart disease and arrhythmia syndromes and outcomes of therapeutic interventions. Yet, the traditional in silico framework for investigating cardiac arrhythmias is built upon a parameter/property-averaging approach that typically overlooks the physiological diversity. Inspired by work done in genetics and neuroscience, new modeling frameworks of cardiac electrophysiology have been recently developed that take advantage of modern computational capabilities and approaches, and account for the variance in the biological data they are intended to illuminate. In this review, we outline the recent advances in statistical and computational techniques that take into account physiological variability, and move beyond the traditional cardiac model-building scheme that involves averaging over samples from many individuals in the construction of a highly tuned composite model. We discuss how these advanced methods have harnessed the power of big (simulated) data to study the mechanisms of cardiac arrhythmias, with a special emphasis on atrial fibrillation, and improve the assessment of proarrhythmic risk and drug response. The challenges of using in silico approaches with variability are also addressed and future directions are proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Eleonora Grandi
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
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39
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Perissinotti LL, De Biase PM, Guo J, Yang PC, Lee MC, Clancy CE, Duff HJ, Noskov SY. Determinants of Isoform-Specific Gating Kinetics of hERG1 Channel: Combined Experimental and Simulation Study. Front Physiol 2018; 9:207. [PMID: 29706893 PMCID: PMC5907531 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2018.00207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2017] [Accepted: 02/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
IKr is the rapidly activating component of the delayed rectifier potassium current, the ion current largely responsible for the repolarization of the cardiac action potential. Inherited forms of long QT syndrome (LQTS) (Lees-Miller et al., 1997) in humans are linked to functional modifications in the Kv11.1 (hERG) ion channel and potentially life threatening arrhythmias. There is little doubt now that hERG-related component of IKr in the heart depends on the tetrameric (homo- or hetero-) channels formed by two alternatively processed isoforms of hERG, termed hERG1a and hERG1b. Isoform composition (hERG1a- vs. the b-isoform) has recently been reported to alter pharmacologic responses to some hERG blockers and was proposed to be an essential factor pre-disposing patients for drug-induced QT prolongation. Very little is known about the gating and pharmacological properties of two isoforms in heart membranes. For example, how gating mechanisms of the hERG1a channels differ from that of hERG1b is still unknown. The mechanisms by which hERG 1a/1b hetero-tetramers contribute to function in the heart, or what role hERG1b might play in disease are all questions to be answered. Structurally, the two isoforms differ only in the N-terminal region located in the cytoplasm: hERG1b is 340 residues shorter than hERG1a and the initial 36 residues of hERG1b are unique to this isoform. In this study, we combined electrophysiological measurements for HEK cells, kinetics and structural modeling to tease out the individual contributions of each isoform to Action Potential formation and then make predictions about the effects of having various mixture ratios of the two isoforms. By coupling electrophysiological data with computational kinetic modeling, two proposed mechanisms of hERG gating in two homo-tetramers were examined. Sets of data from various experimental stimulation protocols (HEK cells) were analyzed simultaneously and fitted to Markov-chain models (M-models). The minimization procedure presented here, allowed assessment of suitability of different Markov model topologies and the corresponding parameters that describe the channel kinetics. The kinetics modeling pointed to key differences in the gating kinetics that were linked to the full channel structure. Interactions between soluble domains and the transmembrane part of the channel appeared to be critical determinants of the gating kinetics. The structures of the full channel in the open and closed states were compared for the first time using the recent Cryo-EM resolved structure for full open hERG channel and an homology model for the closed state, based on the highly homolog EAG1 channel. Key potential interactions which emphasize the importance of electrostatic interactions between N-PAS cap, S4-S5, and C-linker are suggested based on the structural analysis. The derived kinetic parameters were later used in higher order models of cells and tissue to track down the effect of varying the ratios of hERG1a and hERG1b on cardiac action potentials and computed electrocardiograms. Simulations suggest that the recovery from inactivation of hERG1b may contribute to its physiologic role of this isoform in the action potential. Finally, the results presented here contribute to the growing body of evidence that hERG1b significantly affects the generation of the cardiac Ikr and plays an important role in cardiac electrophysiology. We highlight the importance of carefully revisiting the Markov models previously proposed in order to properly account for the relative abundance of the hERG1 a- and b- isoforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura L Perissinotti
- Centre for Molecular Simulations, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Pablo M De Biase
- Centre for Molecular Simulations, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Jiqing Guo
- Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Pei-Chi Yang
- Department of Physiology and Membrane Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Miranda C Lee
- Centre for Molecular Simulations, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Colleen E Clancy
- Department of Physiology and Membrane Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Henry J Duff
- Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Sergei Y Noskov
- Centre for Molecular Simulations, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
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40
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Roy S, Mathew MK. Fluid flow modulates electrical activity in cardiac hERG potassium channels. J Biol Chem 2018; 293:4289-4303. [PMID: 29305421 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra117.000432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2017] [Revised: 12/28/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Fluid movement within the heart generates substantial shear forces, but the effect of this mechanical stress on the electrical activity of the human heart has not been examined. The fast component of the delayed rectifier potassium currents responsible for repolarization of the cardiac action potential, Ikr, is encoded by the human ether-a-go-go related gene (hERG) channel. Here, we exposed hERG1a channel-expressing HEK293T cells to laminar shear stress (LSS) and observed that this mechanical stress increased the whole-cell current by 30-40%. LSS shifted the voltage dependence of steady-state activation of the hERG channel to the hyperpolarizing direction, accelerated the time course of activation and recovery from inactivation, slowed down deactivation, and shifted the steady-state inactivation to the positive direction, all of which favored the hERG open state. In contrast, the time course of inactivation was faster, favoring the closed state. Using specific inhibitors of focal adhesion kinase, a regulator of mechano-transduction via the integrin pathway, we also found that the LSS-induced modulation of the whole-cell current depended on the integrin pathway. The hERG1b channel variant, which lacks the Per-Arnt-Sim (PAS) domain, and long QT syndrome-associated variants having point mutations in the PAS domain were unaffected by LSS, suggesting that the PAS domain in hERG1a channel may be involved in sensing mechanical shear stress. We conclude that a mechano-electric feedback pathway modulates hERG channel activity through the integrin pathway, indicating that mechanical forces in the heart influence its electrical activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samrat Roy
- From the National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bengaluru 560065.,the Biocon Bristol Myers Squibb Research Center, Bengaluru 560099, and.,the School of Biotechnology, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) University, Bhubaneswar 751024, India
| | - M K Mathew
- From the National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bengaluru 560065,
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41
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McNally BA, Pendon ZD, Trudeau MC. hERG1a and hERG1b potassium channel subunits directly interact and preferentially form heteromeric channels. J Biol Chem 2017; 292:21548-21557. [PMID: 29089383 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m117.816488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2017] [Revised: 10/24/2017] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Voltage-activated human ether-á-go-go-related gene (hERG) potassium channels are critical for the repolarization of cardiac action potentials and tune-spike frequency adaptation in neurons. Two isoforms of mammalian ERG1 channel subunits, ERG1a and ERG1b, are the principal subunits that conduct the IKr current in the heart and are also broadly expressed in the nervous system. However, there is little direct evidence that ERG1a and ERG1b form heteromeric channels. Here, using electrophysiology, biochemistry, and fluorescence approaches, we systematically tested for direct interactions between hERG1a and hERG1b subunits. We report 1) that hERG1a dominant-negative subunits suppress hERG1b currents (and vice versa), 2) that disulfide bonds form between single cysteine residues experimentally introduced into an extracellular loop of hERG1a and hERG1b subunits and produce hERG1a-hERG1b dimers, and 3) that hERG1a and hERG1b subunits tagged with fluorescent proteins that are FRET pairs exhibit robust energy transfer at the plasma membrane. Thus, multiple lines of evidence indicated a physical interaction between hERG1a and hERG1b, consistent with them forming heteromeric channels. Moreover, co-expression of variable ratios of hERG1a and hERG1b RNA yielded channels with deactivation kinetics that reached a plateau and were different from those of hERG1b channels, consistent with a preference of hERG1b subunits for hERG1a subunits. Cross-linking studies revealed that an equal input of hERG1a and hERG1b yields more hERG1a-hERG1a or hERG1a-hERG1b dimers than hERG1b-hERG1b dimers, also suggesting that hERG1b preferentially interacts with hERG1a. We conclude that hERG1b preferentially forms heteromeric ion channels with hERG1a at the plasma membrane.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beth A McNally
- From the Department of Physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201
| | - Zeus D Pendon
- From the Department of Physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201
| | - Matthew C Trudeau
- From the Department of Physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201
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42
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Barrese V, Cidad P, Yeung SY, López-López JR, McNeish AJ, Ohya S, Pérez-García MT, Greenwood IA. Proliferative Role of Kv11 Channels in Murine Arteries. Front Physiol 2017; 8:500. [PMID: 28747891 PMCID: PMC5506201 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2017.00500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2017] [Accepted: 06/29/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
K+ channels encoded by the ether-a-go-go related gene (ERG1 or KCNH2) are important determinants of the cardiac action potential. Expression of both cardiac isoforms (ERG1a and ERG1b) were identified in murine portal vein and distinctive voltage-gated K+ currents were recorded from single myocytes. The aim of the present study was to ascertain the expression and functional impact of ERG channels in murine arteries. Methods: Quantitative RT-PCR was undertaken on RNA extracted from a number of murine arteries. Immunofluorescence was performed on single vascular smooth muscle cells using antibodies against the ERG1 expression product (Kv11.1). Single cell electrophysiology was performed on myocytes from portal vein and several different arteries, complimented by isometric tension recordings. Proliferation assays were undertaken on smooth muscle cells isolated from femoral arteries. Results: ERG1 transcripts were detected in all murine blood vessels, and Kv11.1 immunofluorescence was observed in all smooth muscle cells. However, K+ currents with properties consistent with ERG channels were only recorded in portal vein myocytes. Moreover, ERG channel blockers (E4031 or dofetilide, 1 μM) failed to depolarize carotid arteries or produce contraction. Proliferation of arterial smooth muscle cells was associated with a marked increase in ERG1 expression and ERG blockers suppressed proliferation significantly. Conclusions: These data reveal that arterial blood vessels express ERG channels that appear to be functional silent in contractile smooth muscle but contribute to proliferative response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincenzo Barrese
- Vascular Research Centre, Institute of Molecular & Clinical Sciences, St George's University of LondonLondon, United Kingdom
| | - Pilar Cidad
- Departmento de Fisiología, Universidad de ValladolidValladolid, Spain
| | - Shuk Y Yeung
- Vascular Research Centre, Institute of Molecular & Clinical Sciences, St George's University of LondonLondon, United Kingdom
| | | | - Alister J McNeish
- Reading School of Pharmacy, University of ReadingReading, United Kingdom
| | - Susumu Ohya
- Department of Pharmacology, Kyoto Pharmaceutical UniversityKyoto, Japan
| | | | - Iain A Greenwood
- Vascular Research Centre, Institute of Molecular & Clinical Sciences, St George's University of LondonLondon, United Kingdom
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43
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Mauerhöfer M, Bauer CK. Effects of Temperature on Heteromeric Kv11.1a/1b and Kv11.3 Channels. Biophys J 2017; 111:504-523. [PMID: 27508435 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2016.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2016] [Revised: 06/30/2016] [Accepted: 07/01/2016] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Kv11.1 channels are crucial in cardiac physiology, and there is increasing evidence of physiological roles of different Kv11 channels outside the heart. The HERG (human Kv11.1a) channel has previously been shown to carry substantially more current at elevated temperatures, and we have now comparably investigated the temperature dependence of neuronal Kv11.3 channels and the more ubiquitous heteromeric Kv11.1a/1b channels. Transiently expressed rat Kv11 channels were studied at 21°C, 30°C, and 35°C. At near-physiological temperature, the maximal sustained outward current density was almost three times the mean value obtained at room temperature for Kv11.1a/1b, and increased by ∼150% for Kv11.3. For both channels, reduced inactivation contributed to the current increase at higher temperature. Elevated temperature moved Kv11.1a/1b isochronal activation curves to more negative potentials, but shifted the potential of half-maximal Kv11.3 channel activation to more depolarized values and reduced its voltage sensitivity. Thus, increased temperature stabilized the open state over the closed state of Kv11.1a/1b channels and exerted the opposite effect on Kv11.3 channel activation. Both Kv11 channels exhibited an overall high temperature sensitivity of most gating parameters, with remarkably high Q10 factors of ∼5 for the rate of Kv11.1a/1b activation. The Q10 factors for Kv11.3 gating were more uniform, but still higher for activation than for inactivation kinetics. The results demonstrate that characteristic differences between Kv11.1a/1b and Kv11.3 determined at room temperature do not necessarily apply to physiological conditions. The data provided here can aid in the design of models that will enhance our understanding of the role of Kv11 currents in excitable cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maike Mauerhöfer
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Christiane K Bauer
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
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Sale H, Roy S, Warrier J, Thangathirupathy S, Vadari Y, Gopal SK, Krishnamurthy P, Ramarao M. Modulation of K v 11.1 (hERG) channels by 5-(((1H-indazol-5-yl)oxy)methyl)-N-(4-(trifluoromethoxy)phenyl)pyrimidin-2-amine (ITP-2), a novel small molecule activator. Br J Pharmacol 2017; 174:2484-2500. [PMID: 28500657 DOI: 10.1111/bph.13859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2016] [Revised: 05/04/2017] [Accepted: 05/05/2017] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Activators of Kv 11.1 (hERG) channels have potential utility in the treatment of acquired and congenital long QT (LQT) syndrome. Here, we describe a new hERG channel activator, 5-(((1H-indazol-5-yl)oxy)methyl)-N-(4-(trifluoromethoxy)phenyl)pyrimidin-2-amine (ITP-2), with a chemical structure distinct from previously reported compounds. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH Conventional electrophysiological methods were used to assess the effects of ITP-2 on hERG1a and hERG1a/1b channels expressed heterologously in HEK-293 cells. KEY RESULTS ITP-2 selectively increased test pulse currents (EC50 1.0 μM) and decreased tail currents. ITP-2 activated hERG1a homomeric channels primarily by causing large depolarizing shifts in the midpoint of voltage-dependent inactivation and hyperpolarizing shifts in the voltage-dependence of activation. In addition, ITP-2 slowed rates of inactivation and made recovery from inactivation faster. hERG1a/1b heteromeric channels showed reduced sensitivity to ITP-2 and their inactivation properties were differentially modulated. Effects on midpoint of voltage-dependent inactivation and rates of inactivation were less pronounced for hERG1a/1b channels. Effects on voltage-dependent activation and activation kinetics were not different from hERG1a channels. Interestingly, hERG1b channels were inhibited by ITP-2. Inactivation-impairing mutations abolished activation by ITP-2 and led to inhibition of hERG channels. ITP-2 exerted agonistic effect from extracellular side of the membrane and could activate one of the arrhythmia-associated trafficking-deficient LQT2 mutants. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS ITP-2 may serve as another novel lead molecule for designing robust activators of hERG channels. hERG1a/1b gating kinetics were differentially modulated by ITP-2 leading to altered sensitivity. ITP-2 is capable of activating an LQT2 mutant and may be potentially useful in the development of LQT2 therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harinath Sale
- Disease Sciences and Technology, Biocon Bristol-Myers Squibb Research and Development Center, Syngene International Limited, Bangalore, India
| | - Samrat Roy
- Disease Sciences and Technology, Biocon Bristol-Myers Squibb Research and Development Center, Syngene International Limited, Bangalore, India
| | - Jayakumar Warrier
- Medicinal Chemistry, Biocon Bristol Myers-Squibb Research and Development Center, Syngene International Limited, Bangalore, India
| | - Srinivasan Thangathirupathy
- Medicinal Chemistry, Biocon Bristol Myers-Squibb Research and Development Center, Syngene International Limited, Bangalore, India
| | - Yoganand Vadari
- Disease Sciences and Technology, Biocon Bristol-Myers Squibb Research and Development Center, Syngene International Limited, Bangalore, India
| | - Shruthi K Gopal
- Disease Sciences and Technology, Biocon Bristol-Myers Squibb Research and Development Center, Syngene International Limited, Bangalore, India
| | - Prasad Krishnamurthy
- Disease Sciences and Technology, Biocon Bristol-Myers Squibb Research and Development Center, Syngene International Limited, Bangalore, India
| | - Manjunath Ramarao
- Disease Sciences and Technology, Biocon Bristol-Myers Squibb Research and Development Center, Syngene International Limited, Bangalore, India
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Huang CS, Wang GH, Tai CH, Hu CC, Yang YC. Antiarrhythmics cure brain arrhythmia: The imperativeness of subthalamic ERG K + channels in parkinsonian discharges. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2017; 3:e1602272. [PMID: 28508055 PMCID: PMC5425237 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.1602272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2016] [Accepted: 03/15/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
ERG K+ channels have long been known to play a crucial role in shaping cardiac action potentials and, thus, appropriate heart rhythms. The functional role of ERG channels in the central nervous system, however, remains elusive. We demonstrated that ERG channels exist in subthalamic neurons and have similar gating characteristics to those in the heart. ERG channels contribute crucially not only to the setting of membrane potential and, consequently, the firing modes, but also to the configuration of burst discharges and, consequently, the firing frequency and automaticity of the subthalamic neurons. Moreover, modulation of subthalamic discharges via ERG channels effectively modulates locomotor behaviors. ERG channel inhibitors ameliorate parkinsonian symptoms, whereas enhancers render normal animals hypokinetic. Thus, ERG K+ channels could be vital to the regulation of both cardiac and neuronal rhythms and may constitute an important pathophysiological basis and pharmacotherapeutic target for the growing list of neurological disorders related to "brain arrhythmias."
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen-Syuan Huang
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan
| | - Guan-Hsun Wang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan
- School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan
| | - Chun-Hwei Tai
- Department of Neurology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chun-Chang Hu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan
| | - Ya-Chin Yang
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan
- Neuroscience Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou Medical Center, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan
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Chiamvimonvat N, Chen-Izu Y, Clancy CE, Deschenes I, Dobrev D, Heijman J, Izu L, Qu Z, Ripplinger CM, Vandenberg JI, Weiss JN, Koren G, Banyasz T, Grandi E, Sanguinetti MC, Bers DM, Nerbonne JM. Potassium currents in the heart: functional roles in repolarization, arrhythmia and therapeutics. J Physiol 2017; 595:2229-2252. [PMID: 27808412 DOI: 10.1113/jp272883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2016] [Accepted: 10/11/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
This is the second of the two White Papers from the fourth UC Davis Cardiovascular Symposium Systems Approach to Understanding Cardiac Excitation-Contraction Coupling and Arrhythmias (3-4 March 2016), a biennial event that brings together leading experts in different fields of cardiovascular research. The theme of the 2016 symposium was 'K+ channels and regulation', and the objectives of the conference were severalfold: (1) to identify current knowledge gaps; (2) to understand what may go wrong in the diseased heart and why; (3) to identify possible novel therapeutic targets; and (4) to further the development of systems biology approaches to decipher the molecular mechanisms and treatment of cardiac arrhythmias. The sessions of the Symposium focusing on the functional roles of the cardiac K+ channel in health and disease, as well as K+ channels as therapeutic targets, were contributed by Ye Chen-Izu, Gideon Koren, James Weiss, David Paterson, David Christini, Dobromir Dobrev, Jordi Heijman, Thomas O'Hara, Crystal Ripplinger, Zhilin Qu, Jamie Vandenberg, Colleen Clancy, Isabelle Deschenes, Leighton Izu, Tamas Banyasz, Andras Varro, Heike Wulff, Eleonora Grandi, Michael Sanguinetti, Donald Bers, Jeanne Nerbonne and Nipavan Chiamvimonvat as speakers and panel discussants. This article summarizes state-of-the-art knowledge and controversies on the functional roles of cardiac K+ channels in normal and diseased heart. We endeavour to integrate current knowledge at multiple scales, from the single cell to the whole organ levels, and from both experimental and computational studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nipavan Chiamvimonvat
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of California, Davis, Genome and Biomedical Science Facility, Rm 6315, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.,Department of Veterans Affairs, Northern California Health Care System, Mather, CA, 95655, USA
| | - Ye Chen-Izu
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of California, Davis, Genome and Biomedical Science Facility, Rm 6315, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.,Department of Pharmacology, University of California, Davis, Genome and Biomedical Science Facility, Rm 3503, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Davis, Genome and Biomedical Science Facility, Rm 2303, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Colleen E Clancy
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California, Davis, Genome and Biomedical Science Facility, Rm 3503, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Isabelle Deschenes
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, and Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44109, USA.,Heart and Vascular Research Center, MetroHealth Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, 44109, USA
| | - Dobromir Dobrev
- Institute of Pharmacology, West German Heart and Vascular Center, University Duisburg-Essen, Hufelandstrasse 55, 45122, Essen, Germany
| | - Jordi Heijman
- Department of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Faculty of Health, Medicine, and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Leighton Izu
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California, Davis, Genome and Biomedical Science Facility, Rm 3503, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Zhilin Qu
- Division of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Research Laboratory, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, 3645 MRL, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Crystal M Ripplinger
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California, Davis, Genome and Biomedical Science Facility, Rm 3503, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Jamie I Vandenberg
- Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, 405 Liverpool Street, Darlinghurst, NSW, 2010, Australia
| | - James N Weiss
- Division of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Research Laboratory, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, 3645 MRL, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Gideon Koren
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Rhode Island Hospital and the Cardiovascular Institute, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, 02903, USA
| | - Tamas Banyasz
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Eleonora Grandi
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California, Davis, Genome and Biomedical Science Facility, Rm 3503, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Michael C Sanguinetti
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Utah, Nora Eccles Harrison Cardiovascular Research & Training Institute, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA
| | - Donald M Bers
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California, Davis, Genome and Biomedical Science Facility, Rm 3503, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Jeanne M Nerbonne
- Departments of Developmental Biology and Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Division, Washington University Medical School, St Louis, MO, 63110, USA
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Bohnen MS, Peng G, Robey SH, Terrenoire C, Iyer V, Sampson KJ, Kass RS. Molecular Pathophysiology of Congenital Long QT Syndrome. Physiol Rev 2017; 97:89-134. [PMID: 27807201 PMCID: PMC5539372 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00008.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 114] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Ion channels represent the molecular entities that give rise to the cardiac action potential, the fundamental cellular electrical event in the heart. The concerted function of these channels leads to normal cyclical excitation and resultant contraction of cardiac muscle. Research into cardiac ion channel regulation and mutations that underlie disease pathogenesis has greatly enhanced our knowledge of the causes and clinical management of cardiac arrhythmia. Here we review the molecular determinants, pathogenesis, and pharmacology of congenital Long QT Syndrome. We examine mechanisms of dysfunction associated with three critical cardiac currents that comprise the majority of congenital Long QT Syndrome cases: 1) IKs, the slow delayed rectifier current; 2) IKr, the rapid delayed rectifier current; and 3) INa, the voltage-dependent sodium current. Less common subtypes of congenital Long QT Syndrome affect other cardiac ionic currents that contribute to the dynamic nature of cardiac electrophysiology. Through the study of mutations that cause congenital Long QT Syndrome, the scientific community has advanced understanding of ion channel structure-function relationships, physiology, and pharmacological response to clinically employed and experimental pharmacological agents. Our understanding of congenital Long QT Syndrome continues to evolve rapidly and with great benefits: genotype-driven clinical management of the disease has improved patient care as precision medicine becomes even more a reality.
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Affiliation(s)
- M S Bohnen
- Department of Pharmacology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York; and The New York Stem Cell Foundation Research Institute, New York, New York
| | - G Peng
- Department of Pharmacology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York; and The New York Stem Cell Foundation Research Institute, New York, New York
| | - S H Robey
- Department of Pharmacology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York; and The New York Stem Cell Foundation Research Institute, New York, New York
| | - C Terrenoire
- Department of Pharmacology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York; and The New York Stem Cell Foundation Research Institute, New York, New York
| | - V Iyer
- Department of Pharmacology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York; and The New York Stem Cell Foundation Research Institute, New York, New York
| | - K J Sampson
- Department of Pharmacology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York; and The New York Stem Cell Foundation Research Institute, New York, New York
| | - R S Kass
- Department of Pharmacology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York; and The New York Stem Cell Foundation Research Institute, New York, New York
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48
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Enhancement of hERG channel activity by scFv antibody fragments targeted to the PAS domain. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2016; 113:9916-21. [PMID: 27516548 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1601116113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The human human ether-à-go-go-related gene (hERG) potassium channel plays a critical role in the repolarization of the cardiac action potential. Changes in hERG channel function underlie long QT syndrome (LQTS) and are associated with cardiac arrhythmias and sudden death. A striking feature of this channel and KCNH channels in general is the presence of an N-terminal Per-Arnt-Sim (PAS) domain. In other proteins, PAS domains bind ligands and modulate effector domains. However, the PAS domains of KCNH channels are orphan receptors. We have uncovered a family of positive modulators of hERG that specifically bind to the PAS domain. We generated two single-chain variable fragments (scFvs) that recognize different epitopes on the PAS domain. Both antibodies increase the rate of deactivation but have different effects on channel activation and inactivation. Importantly, we show that both antibodies, on binding to the PAS domain, increase the total amount of current that permeates the channel during a ventricular action potential and significantly reduce the action potential duration recorded in human cardiomyocytes. Overall, these molecules constitute a previously unidentified class of positive modulators and establish that allosteric modulation of hERG channel function through ligand binding to the PAS domain can be attained.
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49
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Holzem KM, Gomez JF, Glukhov AV, Madden EJ, Koppel AC, Ewald GA, Trenor B, Efimov IR. Reduced response to IKr blockade and altered hERG1a/1b stoichiometry in human heart failure. J Mol Cell Cardiol 2016; 96:82-92. [PMID: 26093152 PMCID: PMC4683114 DOI: 10.1016/j.yjmcc.2015.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2014] [Revised: 05/27/2015] [Accepted: 06/01/2015] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Heart failure (HF) claims 250,000 lives per year in the US, and nearly half of these deaths are sudden and presumably due to ventricular tachyarrhythmias. QT interval and action potential (AP) prolongation are hallmark proarrhythmic changes in the failing myocardium, which potentially result from alterations in repolarizing potassium currents. Thus, we aimed to examine whether decreased expression of the rapid delayed rectifier potassium current, IKr, contributes to repolarization abnormalities in human HF. To map functional IKr expression across the left ventricle (LV), we optically imaged coronary-perfused LV free wall from donor and end-stage failing human hearts. The LV wedge preparation was used to examine transmural AP durations at 80% repolarization (APD80), and treatment with the IKr-blocking drug, E-4031, was utilized to interrogate functional expression. We assessed the percent change in APD80 post-IKr blockade relative to baseline APD80 (∆APD80) and found that ∆APD80s are reduced in failing versus donor hearts in each transmural region, with 0.35-, 0.43-, and 0.41-fold reductions in endo-, mid-, and epicardium, respectively (p=0.008, 0.037, and 0.022). We then assessed hERG1 isoform gene and protein expression levels using qPCR and Western blot. While we did not observe differences in hERG1a or hERG1b gene expression between donor and failing hearts, we found a shift in the hERG1a:hERG1b isoform stoichiometry at the protein level. Computer simulations were then conducted to assess IKr block under E-4031 influence in failing and nonfailing conditions. Our results confirmed the experimental observations and E-4031-induced relative APD80 prolongation was greater in normal conditions than in failing conditions, provided that the cellular model of HF included a significant downregulation of IKr. In human HF, the response to IKr blockade is reduced, suggesting decreased functional IKr expression. This attenuated functional response is associated with altered hERG1a:hERG1b protein stoichiometry in the failing human LV, and failing cardiomyoctye simulations support the experimental findings. Thus, of IKr protein and functional expression may be important determinants of repolarization remodeling in the failing human LV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine M Holzem
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Juan F Gomez
- Polytechnic University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Alexey V Glukhov
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Eli J Madden
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Aaron C Koppel
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Gregory A Ewald
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | | | - Igor R Efimov
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, MO 63130, USA; Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny, Moscow Region, Russia.
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50
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Aromolaran AS, Colecraft HM, Boutjdir M. High-fat diet-dependent modulation of the delayed rectifier K(+) current in adult guinea pig atrial myocytes. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2016; 474:554-559. [PMID: 27130822 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2016.04.113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2016] [Accepted: 04/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Obesity is associated with hyperlipidemia, electrical remodeling of the heart, and increased risk of supraventricular arrhythmias in both male and female patients. The delayed rectifier K(+) current (IK), is an important regulator of atrial repolarization. There is a paucity of studies on the functional role of IK in response to obesity. Here, we assessed the obesity-mediated functional modulation of IK in low-fat diet (LFD), and high-fat diet (HFD) fed adult guinea pigs. Guinea pigs were randomly divided into control and obese groups fed, ad libitum, with a LFD (10 kcal% fat) or a HFD (45 kcal% fat) respectively. Action potential duration (APD), and IK were studied in atrial myocytes and IKr and IKs in HEK293 cells using whole-cell patch clamp electrophysiology. HFD guinea pigs displayed a significant increase in body weight, total cholesterol and total triglycerides within 50 days. Atrial APD at 30% (APD30) and 90% (APD90) repolarization were shorter, while atrial IK density was significantly increased in HFD guinea pigs. Exposure to palmitic acid (PA) increased heterologously expressed IKr and IKs densities, while oleic acid (OA), severely reduced IKr and had no effect on IKs. The data are first to show that in obese guinea pigs abbreviated APD is due to increased IK density likely through elevations of PA. Our findings may have crucial implications for targeted treatment options for obesity-related arrhythmias.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ademuyiwa S Aromolaran
- Department of Physiology & Cellular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Henry M Colecraft
- Department of Physiology & Cellular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Mohamed Boutjdir
- Cardiovascular Research Program, VA New York Harbor Healthcare System, United States; Department of Medicine, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York, NY, United States; Department of Cell Biology, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York, NY, United States; Department of Pharmacology, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York, NY, United States; Department of Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States.
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