Background The rapidly activating delayed rectifier potassium current （/Kr）, whose pore-forming alpha subunit is encoded by the human ether-a-go-go-related gene （hERG）, is a key contributor to the third phase of action potential repolarization. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect and mechanism of arecoline hydrobromide induced inhibition of hERG K^＋ current （/hERG）. Methods Transient transfection of hERG channel cDNA plasmid pcDNA3.1 into the cultured HEK293 cells was performed using Lipofectamine. A standard whole-cell patch-clamp technique was used to record the /hI=RG before and after the exposure to arecoline. Results Arecoline decreased the amplitude and the density of the /bERG in a concentration-dependent manner （IC5o=9.55 μmol/L）. At test potential of ＋60 mV, the magnitude of lhERG tail at test pulse of -40 mV was reduced from （151.7±6.2） pA/pF to （84.4±7.6） pA/pF （P 〈0.01, n=20） and the magnitude of IhERG tail at test pulse of -110 mV was reduced from （-187.5±9.8） pA/pF to （-97.6±12.6） pA/pF （P 〈0.01, n=20）. The blockade of arecoline in the open and inactivated state was significant in a state-dependent manner. The maximal blockade was achieved in the inactivated state. Studies of gating mechanism showed that the steady-state activation curve of IhERG was significantly negatively shifted by arecoline. Time constants of activation were shortened. Steady-state inactivation curve and time constants of fast inactivation were not significantly affected by arecoline. Furthermore, the inhibition of IhERG by arecoline was characterized markedly by a frequency-dependent manner from 0.03 to 1.00 Hz pulse. Conclusion Arecoline could potently block IhERG in both frequency and state-dependent manner.
ZHAO Xu-yanLIU Yu-qiFU Yi-chengXU BinGAO Jin-liaoZHENG Xiao-qinLIN MinCHEN Mei-yanLI Yang
Objective To explore the effect of allocryptopine （All） on the Late sodium current （INa,Late） of atrial myocytes in spontaneously hyper- tensive rats （SHR）. Method The enzyme digestion method was used to separate single atrial myocytes from SHR and Wistar-Kyoto rat （WKY） rats. INa,Late was record by patch-clamp technique and the effect of All on the current was evaluated. Results Comparing with WKY cells, markedly increasing of INa,Late current in SHR myocytes was found from 0.24 ± 0.02 pA/pF of WKY cells to 1.73± 0.04 pA/pF of SHR cells （P 〈 0.01, n = 15）. After treament with 30 μmol/L All; the current densities was reduced to 0.92 ± 0.03 pA/pF. The ratio of INa,Late/INa,peak of WKY and SHR were 0.09% ± 0.01% and 0.71% ± 0.02%, INa, Late/INa,peak of SHR was reduced to 0.37% ± 0.02% by 30 μmol/L All （P 〈 0.01, n = 15）. We also determined the effect of All on the gating mechanism of the INa,Late in the SHR cells. It was found that All decreased the INa,Late by alleviating the inactivation of the channels and increasing the window current of sodium channel. Conclusion Increased INa,Late in SHR atrial myocytes and the prolonged APD were inhibited by All coming from Chinese herb medicine.
Objectives To evaluate the association between a KCNQ 1 mutation, R259H, and short QT syndrome （SQTS） and to explore the elec- trophysiological mechanisms underlying their association. Methods We performed genetic screening of SQTS genes in 25 probands and their family members （63 patients）. We used direct sequencing to screen the exons and intron-exon boundaries of candidate genes that en- code ion channels which contribute to the repolarization of the ventricular action potential, including KCNQI, KCNH2, KCNE1, KCNE2, KCNJ2, CACNAlc, CACNB2b and CACNA2D1. In one of the 25 SQTS probands screened, we discovered a KCNQ1 mutation, R259H. We cloned R259H and transiently expressed it in HEK-293 cells; then, currents were recorded using whole cell patch clamp techniques. Results R259H-KCNQ 1 showed significantly increased current density, which was approximately 3-fold larger than that of wild type （WT） after a depolarizing pulse at 1 s. The steady state voltage dependence of the activation and inactivation did not show significant differences between the WT and R259H mutation （P 〉 0.05）, whereas the time constant of deactivation was markedly prolonged in the mutant compared with the WT in terms of the test potentials, which indicated that the deactivation of R259H was markedly slower than that of the WT. These results suggested that the R259H mutation can effectively increase the slowly activated delayed rectifier potassium current （Irs） in phase 3 of the cardiac action potential, which may be an infrequent cause of QT interval shortening. Conclusions R259H is a gain-of-function muta- tion of the KCNQ1 channel that is responsible for SQTS2. This is the first time that the R259H mutation was detected in Chinese people.
Zhi-Juan WUYun HUANGYi-Cheng FUXiao-Jing ZHAOChao ZHUYu ZHANGBin XUQing-Lei ZHUYang LI
