Long-QT founder variant T309I-Kv7.1 with dominant negative pattern may predispose delayed afterdepolarizations under -adrenergic stimulation

The variant c.926C>T (p.T309I) in KCNQ1 gene was identified in 10 putatively unrelated Czech families with long QT syndrome (LQTS). Mutation carriers (24 heterozygous individuals) were more symptomatic compared to their non-affected relatives (17 individuals). The carriers showed a mild LQTS phenotype including a longer QTc interval at rest (466±24 ms vs. 418±20 ms) and after exercise (508±32 ms vs. 417±24 ms), 4 syncopes and 2 aborted cardiac arrests. The same haplotype associated with the c.926C>T variant was identified in all probands. Using the whole cell patch clamp technique and confocal microscopy, a complete loss of channel function was revealed in the homozygous setting, caused by an impaired channel trafficking. Dominant negativity with preserved reactivity to -adrenergic stimulation was apparent in the heterozygous setting. In simulations on a human ventricular cell model, the dysfunction resulted in delayed afterdepolarizations (DADs) and premature action potentials under -adrenergic stimulation that could be prevented by a slight inhibition of calcium current. We conclude that the KCNQ1 variant c.926C>T is the first identified LQTS-related founder mutation in Central Europe. The dominant negative channel dysfunction may lead to DADs under -adrenergic stimulation. Inhibition of calcium current could be possible therapeutic strategy in LQTS1 patients refractory to -blocker therapy.

Keywords

long QT syndrome, KCNQ1, mutation, founder, dominant negative, delayed 30 afterdepolarization

Citation

Scientific Reports. 2021, vol. 11, issue 1, p. 1-13.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-81670-1#Ack1

Document type

Peer-reviewed

Document version

Published version

Language of document

en

Document licence

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/