The human voltage-sensitive K + channel hERG plays a fundamental role in cardiac action potential repolarization, effectively controlling the QT interval of the electrocardiogram. Inherited loss-or gain-of-function mutations in hERG can result in dangerous "long" (LQTS) or "short" QT syndromes (SQTS), respectively, and the anomalous susceptibility of hERG to block by a diverse range of drugs underlies an acquired LQTS. A recent open channel cryo-EM structure of hERG should greatly advance understanding of the molecular basis of hERG channelopathies and drug-induced LQTS. Here we describe an update of recent research that addresses the nature of the particular gated state of hERG captured in the new structure, and the insight afforded by the structure into the molecular basis for high affinity drug block of hERG, the binding of hERG activators and the molecular basis of hERG's peculiar gating properties. Interpretation of the pharmacology of natural SQTS mutants in the context of the structure is a promising approach to understanding the molecular basis of hERG inactivation, and the structure suggests how voltage-dependent changes in the membrane domain may be transmitted to an extracellular "turret" to effect inactivation through aromatic side chain motifs that are conserved throughout the KCNH family of channels.

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Congenital short QT syndrome (SQTS) is a repolarization disorder characterized by abbreviated QT intervals, atrial and ventricular arrhythmias and a risk of sudden death. This study characterized a missense mutation (I560T) in the S5 domain of the hERG K + channel that has been associated with variant 1 of the SQTS. Whole cell patch clamp recordings of wild-type (WT) and I560T hERG current (I hERG ) were made at 37 °C from hERG expressing HEK 293 cells, and the structural context of the mutation was investigated using a recently reported cryo-EM structure of hERG. Under conventional voltage clamp, the I560T mutation increased I hERG amplitude without altering the voltage-dependence of activation, although it accelerated activation time-course and also slowed deactivation time-course at some voltages. The voltage dependence of I hERG inactivation was positively shifted (by ∼24 mV) and the time-course of inactivation was slowed by the I560T mutation. There was also a modest decrease in K + over Na + ion selectivity with the I560T mutation. Under action potential (AP) voltage clamp, the net charge carried by hERG was significantly increased during ventricular, Purkinje fibre and atrial APs, with maximal I hERG also occurring earlier during the plateau phase of ventricular and Purkinje fibre APs. The I560T mutation exerted only a modest effect on quinidine sensitivity of I hERG : the IC 50 for mutant I hERG was 2.3 fold that for WT I hERG under conventional voltage clamp. Under AP voltage clamp the inhibitory effect of 1 μM quinidine was largely retained for I560T hERG and the timing of peak I560T I hERG was altered towards that of the WT channel. In both the open channel structure and a closed hERG channel model based on the closely-related EAG structure, I560T side-chains were oriented towards membrane lipid and away from adjacent domains of the channel, contrasting with previous predictions based on homology modelling. In summary, the I560T mutation produces multiple effects on hERG channel operation that result in a gain-of-function that is expected to abbreviate ventricular, atrial and Purkinje fibre repolarization. Quinidine is likely to be of value in offsetting the increase in I hERG and altered I hERG timing during ventricular APs in SQTS with this mutation.

The hERG potassium channel is critical to normal repolarization of cardiac action potentials (APs) and loss‐ and gain‐of‐function hERG mutations are associated, respectively, with long and short QT syndromes, pathological conditions that can lead to arrhythmias and sudden death. hERG current (I h ERG) exhibits uniquely fast inactivation involving conformational changes to the channel pore. The S631A hERG pore mutation was originally engineered to interrogate hERG channel inactivation, but has very recently been found in a family with short QT syndrome (SQTS). Accordingly, this study characterized the effects of the S631A mutation on I h ERG profile during ventricular, atrial, and Purkinje fiber (PF) AP waveforms, using patch clamp recording from hERG expressing HEK 293 cells at 37°C. Under conventional voltage clamp, the current–voltage (I–V) relation for I h ERG exhibited a marked right‐ward shift in the region of negative slope at positive membrane potentials. Under ventricular AP clamp, the S631A mutation resulted in augmented I h ERG, which also peaked much earlier during the AP plateau than did wild‐type (WT) I h ERG. Instantaneous I–V relations showed a marked positive shift in peak repolarizing current during the ventricular AP in the S631A setting, while the instantaneous conductance‐voltage relation showed an earlier and more sustained rise in S631A compared to WT I h ERG conductance during ventricular repolarization. Experiments with atrial and PF APs in each case also showed augmented and positively shifted I h ERG in the S631A setting, indicating that the S631A mutation is likely to accelerate repolarization in all three cardiac regions. Ventricular AP clamp experiments showed retained effectiveness of the class Ia antiarrhythmic drug quinidine (1 μmol/L) against S631A I h ERG. Quinidine is thus likely to be effective in reducing excessively fast repolarization in SQTS resulting from the S631A hERG mutation.

In this essay we briefly examine the judicial use of international human rights law in NewZealand. In particular, we identify the relevant sources of international human rights law for New Zealand and the possible methods of application of international human rights law in New Zealand's domestic judicial system, we assess the actual significance accorded to international human rights law, and attempt to account for the marked increase in use of international human rights law by New Zealand judges.

The congenital short QT syndrome (SQTS) is a rare condition characterized by abbreviated rate-corrected QT (QTc) intervals on the electrocardiogram and by increased susceptibility to both atrial and ventricular arrhythmias and sudden death. Although mutations to multiple genes have been implicated in the SQTS, evidence of causality is particularly strong for the first three (SQT1−3) variants: these result from gain-of-function mutations in genes that encode K + channel subunits responsible, respectively, for the I Kr , I Ks and I K1 cardiac potassium currents. This article reviews evidence for the impact of SQT1-3 missense potassium channel gene mutations on the electrophysiological properties of I Kr , I Ks and I K1 and of the links between these changes and arrhythmia susceptibility. Data from experimental and simulation studies and future directions for research in this field are considered. This article is part of the theme issue ‘The heartbeat: its molecular basis and physiological mechanisms’.

The macrolide antibiotic erythromycin has been associated with QT interval prolongation and inhibition of the hERG‐encoded channels responsible for the rapid delayed rectifier K+ current I(Kr). It has been suggested that low concentrations of erythromycin may have a protective effect against hERG block and associated drug‐induced arrhythmia by reducing the affinity of the pore‐binding site for high potency hERG inhibitors. This study aimed to explore further the notion of a potentially protective effect of erythromycin. Whole‐cell patch‐clamp experiments were performed in which hERG‐expressing mammalian (Human Embryonic Kidney; HEK) cells were preincubated with low to moderate concentrations of erythromycin (3 or 30 µM) prior to whole‐cell patch clamp recordings of hERG current (IhERG) at 37°C. In contrast to a previous report, exposure to low concentrations of erythromycin did not reduce pharmacological sensitivity of hERG to the antipsychotic thioridazine and antihistamine terfenadine. The IC50 value for IhERG tail inhibition by terfenadine was decreased by ~32‐fold in the presence of 3 µM erythromycin (p < .05 vs. no preincubation). Sensitivity to thioridazine remained unchanged (p > .05 vs. no preincubation). The effects of low concentrations of erythromycin were investigated for a series of pore blocking drugs, and the results obtained were consistent with additive and/or synergistic effects. Experiments with the externally acting blocker BeKm‐1 on WT hERG and a pore mutant (F656V) were used to explore the location of the binding site for erythromycin. Our data are inconsistent with the use of erythromycin for the management of drug‐induced QT prolongation.

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