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Hypokalemia‐Induced Long QT Syndrome with an Underlying Novel Missense Mutation in S4‐S5 Linker of KCNQ1
Author(s) -
KUBOTA TOMOYUKI,
SHIMIZU WATARU,
KAMAKURA SHIRO,
HORIE MINORU
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
journal of cardiovascular electrophysiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.193
H-Index - 138
eISSN - 1540-8167
pISSN - 1045-3873
DOI - 10.1111/j.1540-8167.2000.tb00178.x
Subject(s) - medicine , missense mutation , hypokalemia , mutation , long qt syndrome , genetics , short qt syndrome , linker , cardiology , qt interval , gene , biology , computer science , operating system
Novel Mutation in Hypokalemia‐Induced LQTS. Congenital long QT syndrome (LQTS) is caused by mutations in at least five genes coding for cardiac potassium or sodium channels that regulate the duration of ventricular action potentials. Acquired LQTS often is associated with drugs or metabolic abnormalities. A 47‐year‐old woman who presented with marked QT prolongation (QTc = 620 msec 1/2 ) and repeated episodes of torsades de pointes associated with hypokalemia (2.6 mEq/L) was screened for mutations in LQTS genes using polymerase chain reaction/single‐strand conformation polymorphism (PCR/SSCP). We identified a novel missense mutation in the intracellular linker of S4‐S5 domains of KCNQ1, resulting in an amino acid substitution of cysteine for arginine at position 259 (R259C). Whole cell, patch clamp experiments were conducted on COS7 cells transfected with wild‐type and/or R259C KCNQ1 with or without KCNE1. Functional analyses of the mutant KCNQ1 subunit on COS7 cells revealed its functional channels in the homozygous state, producing a significantly smaller current than the KCNQ1 channels and a less severe dominant‐negative effect on IKS‐ The novel KCNQl mutation R259C is the molecular basis for I Ks dysfunction underlying an apparently sporadic case of hypokalemia‐induced LQTS, consistent with a mild mutation likely to disclose the clinical manifestation of LQTS in a context of severe hypokalemia. Our findings suggest that gene carriers with such mild mutations might not he so rare as commonly expected in patients with acquired LQTS, and stress the importance of mutational analysis for detecting either “silent” forms of congenital LQTS or de novo mutations.