Qiuming Gong1, Matthew R Stump1, Vivianne Deng1, Li Zhang1, Zhengfeng Zhou2. 1. From the Knight Cardiovascular Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR (Q.G., M.R.S., V.D., Z.Z.); and Lankenau Institute for Medical Research and Lankenau Medical Center, Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, PA (L.Z.). 2. From the Knight Cardiovascular Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR (Q.G., M.R.S., V.D., Z.Z.); and Lankenau Institute for Medical Research and Lankenau Medical Center, Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, PA (L.Z.). zhouzh@ohsu.edu.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The KCNH2 gene encodes the Kv11.1 potassium channel that conducts the rapidly activating delayed rectifier current in the heart. The relative expression of the full-length Kv11.1a isoform and the C-terminally truncated Kv11.1a-USO isoform plays an important role in regulation of channel function. The formation of C-terminal isoforms is determined by competition between the splicing and alternative polyadenylation of KCNH2 intron 9. It is not known whether changes in the relative expression of Kv11.1a and Kv11.1a-USO can cause long-QT syndrome. METHODS AND RESULTS: We identified a novel KCNH2 splice site mutation in a large family. The mutation, IVS9-2delA, is a deletion of the A in the AG dinucleotide of the 3' acceptor site of intron 9. We designed an intron-containing full-length KCNH2 gene construct to study the effects of the mutation on the relative expression of Kv11.1a and Kv11.1a-USO at the mRNA, protein, and functional levels. We found that this mutation disrupted normal splicing and resulted in exclusive polyadenylation of intron 9, leading to a switch from the functional Kv11.1a to the nonfunctional Kv11.1a-USO isoform in HEK293 cells and HL-1 cardiomyocytes. We also showed that IVS9-2delA caused isoform switch in the mutant allele of mRNA isolated from patient lymphocytes. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that the IVS9-2delA mutation causes a switch in the expression of the functional Kv11.1a isoform to the nonfunctional Kv11.1a-USO isoform. Kv11.1 isoform switch represents a novel mechanism in the pathogenesis of long-QT syndrome.
BACKGROUND: The KCNH2 gene encodes the Kv11.1potassium channel that conducts the rapidly activating delayed rectifier current in the heart. The relative expression of the full-length Kv11.1a isoform and the C-terminally truncated Kv11.1a-USO isoform plays an important role in regulation of channel function. The formation of C-terminal isoforms is determined by competition between the splicing and alternative polyadenylation of KCNH2 intron 9. It is not known whether changes in the relative expression of Kv11.1a and Kv11.1a-USO can cause long-QT syndrome. METHODS AND RESULTS: We identified a novel KCNH2 splice site mutation in a large family. The mutation, IVS9-2delA, is a deletion of the A in the AG dinucleotide of the 3' acceptor site of intron 9. We designed an intron-containing full-length KCNH2 gene construct to study the effects of the mutation on the relative expression of Kv11.1a and Kv11.1a-USO at the mRNA, protein, and functional levels. We found that this mutation disrupted normal splicing and resulted in exclusive polyadenylation of intron 9, leading to a switch from the functional Kv11.1a to the nonfunctional Kv11.1a-USO isoform in HEK293 cells and HL-1 cardiomyocytes. We also showed that IVS9-2delA caused isoform switch in the mutant allele of mRNA isolated from patient lymphocytes. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that the IVS9-2delA mutation causes a switch in the expression of the functional Kv11.1a isoform to the nonfunctional Kv11.1a-USO isoform. Kv11.1 isoform switch represents a novel mechanism in the pathogenesis of long-QT syndrome.
Authors: Mahmut Akyol; Shapour Jalilzadeh; Moritz F Sinner; Siegfried Perz; Britt M Beckmann; Christian Gieger; Thomas Illig; H-Erich Wichmann; Thomas Meitinger; Stefan Kääb; Arne Pfeufer Journal: Eur Heart J Date: 2007-01-16 Impact factor: 29.983
Authors: W C Claycomb; N A Lanson; B S Stallworth; D B Egeland; J B Delcarpio; A Bahinski; N J Izzo Journal: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A Date: 1998-03-17 Impact factor: 11.205
Authors: B London; M C Trudeau; K P Newton; A K Beyer; N G Copeland; D J Gilbert; N A Jenkins; C A Satler; G A Robertson Journal: Circ Res Date: 1997-11 Impact factor: 17.367