Thèse numérisée par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

Inherited long-QT syndrome is caused by mutations in HERG gene that are associated with distinct mechanisms of ion channel dysfunction (haploinsufficiency or IKr current suppression). Recently, mutations with a gain of HERG channel dysfunction were reported to cause ventricular fibrillation or short-QT syndrome. In the present work, we performed clinical characterization of arrhythmia patients, genotyping and biochemical analysis of HERG mutants in order to elucidate potential disease mechanisms. Using site-directed mutagenesis, 7 identified mutations were inserted into the WT-HERG cDNA. Western blot was used to analyze mutant HERG glycosylation patterns, immunostaining and confocal laser microscopy was performed to localize mutant proteins in different cell compartments. Heterologous expression in Xenopus oocytes was used to analyze IKr currents with the voltage clamp method. The cellular turnover of mutant HERG channels was assessed with pulse-chase experiments. Mutations in the cytoplasmic domains (PAS and cNBD) and in the voltage sensor are trafficking deficient and were identified in LQT2 patients. Three mutations in the N- and C-terminal linker regions undergo regular trafficking to the plasma membrane and were identified compound heterozygous with one of the other mutations in LQT2 patients or separate in patients with IVF. HERG-mutations are associated with various phenotypes like LQT2 and IVF. It seems that there is a direct correlation between the functionality of the protein region with the clinical and molecular biological phenotype. Mutations in functional regions like the PAS- and cNBD-domain lead to a trafficking defect of the mutant proteins and for that reason to a reduction of Ikr. Mutations in less functional regions like the N and C-terminal linker regions undergo normal trafficking and lead to IVF.

yes / The hERG potassium channel is critical for repolarisation of the cardiac action potential. Reduced expression of hERG at the plasma membrane, whether caused by hereditary mutations or drugs, results in long QT syndrome and increases the risk of ventricular arrhythmias. Thus, it is of fundamental importance to understand how the density of this channel at the plasma membrane is regulated. We used antibodies to an extracellular native or engineered epitope, in conjunction with immunofluorescence and ELISA, to investigate the mechanism of hERG endocytosis in recombinant cells and validated the findings in rat neonatal cardiac myocytes. The data reveal that this channel undergoes rapid internalisation, which is inhibited by neither dynasore, an inhibitor of dynamin, nor a dominant negative construct of Rab5a, into endosomes that are largely devoid of the transferrin receptor. These results support a clathrin-independent mechanism of endocytosis and exclude involvement of dynamin-dependent caveolin and RhoA mechanisms. In agreement, internalised hERG displayed marked overlap with glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored GFP, a clathrin-independent cargo. Endocytosis was significantly affected by cholesterol extraction with methyl-β-cyclodextrin and inhibition of Arf6 function with dominant negative Arf6-T27N-eGFP. Taken together, we conclude that hERG undergoes clathrin-independent endocytosis via a mechanism involving Arf6. / British Heart Foundation (grant number PG/10/68/28528; http://www.bhf.org.uk)

Thèse numérisée par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal.

Thèse numérisée par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal

Thesis (MScMedSc (Biomedical Sciences. Molecular Biology and Human Genetics))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / The human ether-à-go-go-related gene (HERG) encodes the protein underlying the cardiac potassium current IKr. Mutations in HERG may produce defective channels and cause Long QT Syndrome (LQTS), a cardiac disease affecting 1 in 2500 people. The disease is characterised by a prolonged QT interval on a surface electrocardiogram and has a symptomatic variability of sudden cardiac death in childhood to asymptomatic longevity. We hypothesised that genetic variation in the proteins that interact with HERG might modify the clinical expression of LQTS. Yeast two-hybrid methodology was used to screen a human cardiac cDNA library in order to identify putative HERG N-terminus ligands. Successive selection stages reduced the number of putative HERG ligandcontaining colonies (preys) from 268 to 8. Putative prey ligands were sequenced and identified by BLAST-search. False positive ligands were excluded based on their function and subcellular location. Three strong candidate ligands were identified: Rhoassociated coiled-coil containing kinase 1 (ROCK1), γ-sarcoglycan (SGCG) and microtubule-associated protein 1A (MAP1A). In vitro co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) and mammalian two-hybrid (M2H) analyses were used to validate these proposed interactions, but failed to do so. This should be further investigated. Analysis of confirmed interactions will shed light on their functional role and might contribute to understanding the symptomatic variability seen in LQTS.

Understanding protein-ligand interactions is highly important in drug development. In the present work the objective is to comprehend the link between structure and function using molecular modelling. Specifically, this thesis has been focused on implementation of receptor flexibility in molecular docking and studying structure-activity relationships of potassium ion channels and their blockers. In ligand docking simulations protein motion and heterogeneity of structural waters are approximated using an ensemble of protein structures. Four methods of combining multiple target structures within a single grid-based lookup table of interaction energies are tested. Two weighted average methods permit consistent and accurate ligand docking using a single grid representation of the target protein structures. Quaternary ammonium ions (QAIs) are well known K+ channel blockers. Conformations around C–N bonds at the quaternary centre in tetraalkylammonium ions in water solution are investigated using quantum mechanical methods. Relative solvation free energies of QAIs are further estimated from molecular dynamics simulations. The torsion barrier for a two-step interconversion between the conformations D2d and S4 is calculated to be 9.5 kcal mol–1. Furthermore D2d is found to be more stable than the S4 conformation which is in agreement with experimental studies. External QAI binding to the K+ channel KcsA is also studied. Computer simulations and relative binding free energies of the KcsA complexes with QAIs are calculated. This is done with the molecular dynamics free energy perturbation approach together with automated ligand docking. In agreement with experiment, the Et4N+ blocker in D2d symmetry has better binding than the other QAIs. Binding of blockers to the human cardiac hERG potassium channel is studied using a combination of homology modelling, automated docking and molecular dynamics simulations. The calculations reproduce the relative binding affinities of a set of drug derivatives very well and indicate that both polar interactions near the intracellular opening of the selectivity filter as well as hydrophobic complementarity in the region around F656 are important for blocker binding. Hence, the derived model of hERG should be useful for further interpretations of structure-activity relationships.

The human ether-à-go-go related gene (hERG) encodes the pore-forming voltage-gated K+ channel that is essential for cardiac repolarization. Dr. Tsushima’s laboratory has previously characterized the endogenous expression of SNARE proteins in the mammalian heart, and the interaction of the SNARE protein syntaxin 1A (STX1A) with several cardiac ion channels. Here, we utilize a multi-disciplinary approach to describe the inhibitory effect of STX1A on hERG channel function. STX1A impairs hERG channel maturation and trafficking to the plasma membrane and induces a hyperpolarizing shift in the voltage-sensitivity of steady-state inactivation. We identify the residues involved in this protein-protein interaction through the use of hERG truncation mutations. We also describe the pharmacological and temperature-mediated rescue of hERG channel trafficking in the presence of STX1A. The regulation of cardiac ion channels by SNARE proteins represents a novel biological mechanism that may have universally intrinsic implications for normal and diseased heart function.

The human ether-à-go-go related gene (hERG) encodes the pore-forming voltage-gated K+ channel that is essential for cardiac repolarization. Dr. Tsushima’s laboratory has previously characterized the endogenous expression of SNARE proteins in the mammalian heart, and the interaction of the SNARE protein syntaxin 1A (STX1A) with several cardiac ion channels. Here, we utilize a multi-disciplinary approach to describe the inhibitory effect of STX1A on hERG channel function. STX1A impairs hERG channel maturation and trafficking to the plasma membrane and induces a hyperpolarizing shift in the voltage-sensitivity of steady-state inactivation. We identify the residues involved in this protein-protein interaction through the use of hERG truncation mutations. We also describe the pharmacological and temperature-mediated rescue of hERG channel trafficking in the presence of STX1A. The regulation of cardiac ion channels by SNARE proteins represents a novel biological mechanism that may have universally intrinsic implications for normal and diseased heart function.

no / Introduction:The human ether-a-go-go related gene (hERG) encodes the pore forming protein which mediates the rapid delayed rectifier K+ current in the heart (IKr). Together with other ion channels hERG determines the cardiac action potential and regulates the heart beating. Dysfuction of the hERG ion channel will lead to acquired long QT syndrome (LQTS). Therefore, new drug candidates must pass the test for a potential inhibitory effect on the hERG current as a first step in a nonclinical testing strategy. Arrhythmias in patients with LQTS are typically triggered during physical or emotional stress, suggesting a link between sympathetic stimulation and arrhythmias. It is well known that potassium level can affect the QT interval through affecting IhERG both in vivo and in vitro.In this study, we try to find out whether the trigger effect still exist when K+ changes violently in a short time period. In other words, whether the risk of TdP aggravate when patients suffer from acute water electrolyte balance disorder, which is a common symptom in hot weather. Methods: HEK293 Cell line stably expressing hERG channel were cultured in DMEM supplemented with 10% of fetal bovine serum.Whole-cell patch-clamp method was applied for ionic current recordings. The compositions of pipette was (in mM) 125 KCl, 5 MgCl2, 5 EGTA-K, 10 HEPES-K and 5 Na-ATP adjusted to pH 7.2 with KOH. The bath solutions for recording the IhERG currents was 136 NaCl, 4 KCl, 1 MgCl2, 10 HEPES-Na, 1.8 CaCl2 and 10 glucose, pH 7.4 with NaOH. The low extracellular K+ solution was 115 KCl, 5 MgCl2, 5 EGTA-K, 10 HEPES-K and 10 Na-ATP adjusted to pH 7.2 with NaOH. Patch-clamp experiments were performed at room temperature (22 ± 1°C). The recording of low K+ current was carried out immediately after the original normal K+ solution has been totally replaced. Isoproterenol (ISO) 100nM was added into both kinds of K+ solution to apply the effect of β1-AR stimulation. Results: We found that low K+ solution increased IhERG from 907.39±18.68to 1620.08±249.44pA(n=30,P<0.05); Low K+also shifted the I-V curve to the left. IC50 in control is 10.31±5.52 mV, low K+ is -6.15±1.58 mV. When adding ISO 100nM to extracellular solution, same effects were shown for both groups.ISO decreased Imax for both group. In control group, Imax reduced from 907.39±18.68to493.16±54.41pA (n=30, P<0.01), while in low K+ group, I max decreased Imax from 1620.08±29.44to 488.48±81.87pA(n=30,P<0.05). At the same time, ISO shifts the I-V curve to the right for the control group and shift the curve to the left for low K+ group. IC50 in control when added ISO is 22.25±3.80 mV, while IC50 in low K+ group after adding 100nM ISO is -31.00±5.73 mV. Conclusion: The results from this study is contradict to those in our previous study where low K+ combined with ISO can lead to temporarily increase of QT interval in vivo.It is reported that an increase in net outward repolarizing current, due to a relatively large increase of IKs, is responsible for the changes of QT interval in response to beta-adrenergic stimulation in vivo(2). Therefore future studies need to co-transfect IKs channel to confirm this. References: 1. Guo J, Massaeli H, Xu J, Jia Z, Wigle JT, Mesaeli N, et al. Extracellular K+ concentration controls cell surface density of IKr in rabbit hearts and of the HERG channel in human cell lines. The Journal of clinical investigation. 2009;119(9):2745- 57. 2. Shimizu W, Antzelevitch C. Differential effects of beta-adrenergic agonists and antagonists in LQT1, LQT2 and LQT3 models of the long QT syndrome. Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 2000;35(3):778-86.