Background-Cardiac ion channelopathies are responsible for an ever-increasing number and diversity of familial cardiac arrhythmia syndromes. We describe a new clinical entity that consists of an ST-segment elevation in the right precordial ECG leads, a shorter-than-normal QT interval, and a history of sudden cardiac death. Methods and Results-Eighty-two consecutive probands with Brugada syndrome were screened for ion channel gene mutations with direct sequencing. Site-directed mutagenesis was performed, and CHO-K1 cells were cotransfected with cDNAs encoding wild-type or mutant CACNB2b (Ca v␤2b ), CACNA2D1 (Ca v␣2␦1 ), and CACNA1C tagged with enhanced yellow fluorescent protein (Ca v 1.2). Whole-cell patch-clamp studies were performed after 48 to 72 hours. Three probands displaying ST-segment elevation and corrected QT intervals Յ360 ms had mutations in genes encoding the cardiac L-type calcium channel. Corrected QT ranged from 330 to 370 ms among probands and clinically affected family members. Rate adaptation of QT interval was reduced. Quinidine normalized the QT interval and prevented stimulation-induced ventricular tachycardia. Genetic and heterologous expression studies revealed loss-of-function missense mutations in CACNA1C (A39V and G490R) and CACNB2 (S481L) encoding the ␣ 1 -and ␤ 2b -subunits of the L-type calcium channel. Confocal microscopy revealed a defect in trafficking of A39V Ca v 1.2 channels but normal trafficking of channels containing G490R Ca v 1.2 or S481L Ca v␤2b -subunits. Conclusions-This is the first report of loss-of-function mutations in genes encoding the cardiac L-type calcium channel to be associated with a familial sudden cardiac death syndrome in which a Brugada syndrome phenotype is combined with shorter-than-normal QT intervals. Key Words: arrhythmia Ⅲ genetics Ⅲ electrophysiology Ⅲ tachycardia Ⅲ fibrillation C ardiac arrhythmias are responsible for an estimated 1 million cases of syncope and sudden cardiac death (SCD) among Europeans and Americans each year. 1 Cardiac arrhythmias can be acquired as a consequence of coronary heart disease or may be secondary to familial or inherited syndromes. The past decade has witnessed an explosion of information linking cardiac ion channel mutations with a wide variety of inherited arrhythmia syndromes. 2 The long-QT syndrome has been associated with 10 different Clinical Perspective p 449genes, in large part owing to the pioneering studies of Keating and coworkers. The LQT8 form of long-QT syndrome, also known as Timothy syndrome, is associated with gain-offunction mutations in cardiac calcium channel activity. 3,4 The cardiac L-type calcium channel is a protein complex formed by at least 3 subunits, ␣ 1 , ␤, and ␣ 2␦ . The pore-forming Ca v 1. subunit, encoded by CACNB2b, modulates calcium channel activity in the human heart and enables trafficking by suppressing an endoplasmic reticulum retention signal in the I-II loop of the ␣ 1 -subunit. 5 The short-QT syndrome (SQTS), a clinical entity first described in 2000,6 has been associated ...

Background-Sudden cardiac death takes the lives of more than 300 000 Americans annually. Malignant ventricular arrhythmias occurring in individuals with structurally normal hearts account for a subgroup of these sudden deaths. The present study describes the genetic basis for a new clinical entity characterized by sudden death and short-QT intervals in the ECG. Methods and Results-Three families with hereditary short-QT syndrome and a high incidence of ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death were studied. In 2 of them, we identified 2 different missense mutations resulting in the same amino acid change (N588K) in the S5-P loop region of the cardiac I Kr channel HERG (KCNH2). The mutations dramatically increase I Kr , leading to heterogeneous abbreviation of action potential duration and refractoriness, and reduce the affinity of the channels to I Kr blockers. Conclusions-We demonstrate a novel genetic and biophysical mechanism responsible for sudden death in infants, children, and young adults caused by mutations in KCNH2. The occurrence of sudden cardiac death in the first 12 months of life in 2 patients suggests the possibility of a link between KCNH2 gain of function mutations and sudden infant death syndrome. KCNH2 is the binding target for a wide spectrum of cardiac and noncardiac pharmacological compounds. Our findings may provide better understanding of drug interaction with KCNH2 and have implications for diagnosis and therapy of this and other arrhythmogenic diseases.

BACKGROUND L-type calcium channel (LTCC) mutations have been associated with Brugada syndrome (BrS), short QT (SQT) syndrome, and Timothy syndrome (LQT8). Little is known about the extent to which LTCC mutations contribute to the J-wave syndromes associated with sudden cardiac death. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to identify mutations in the α1, β2, and α2δ subunits of LTCC (Cav1.2) among 205 probands diagnosed with BrS, idiopathic ventricular fibrillation (IVF), and early repolarization syndrome (ERS). CACNA1C, CACNB2b, and CACNA2D1 genes of 162 probands with BrS and BrS+SQT, 19 with IVF, and 24 with ERS were screened by direct sequencing. METHODS/RESULTS Overall, 23 distinct mutations were identified. A total of 12.3%, 5.2%, and 16% of BrS/BrS+SQT, IVF, and ERS probands displayed mutations in α1, β2, and α2δ subunits of LTCC, respectively. When rare polymorphisms were included, the yield increased to 17.9%, 21%, and 29.1% for BrS/BrS+SQT, IVF, and ERS probands, respectively. Functional expression of two CACNA1C mutations associated with BrS and BrS+SQT led to loss of function in calcium channel current. BrS probands displaying a normal QTc had additional variations known to prolong the QT interval. CONCLUSION The study results indicate that mutations in the LTCCs are detected in a high percentage of probands with J-wave syndromes associated with inherited cardiac arrhythmias, suggesting that genetic screening of Cav genes may be a valuable diagnostic tool in identifying individuals at risk. These results are the first to identify CACNA2D1 as a novel BrS susceptibility gene and CACNA1C, CACNB2, and CACNA2D1 as possible novel ERS susceptibility genes.

The description of a novel, de novo gain of function mutation in KCNQ1, responsible for atrial fibrillation and short QT syndrome in utero indicates that some of these cases may have a genetic basis and confirms a previous hypothesis that gain of function mutations in KCNQ1 channels can shorten the duration of ventricular and atrial action potentials.

Background-The Brugada syndrome, an inherited syndrome associated with a high incidence of sudden cardiac arrest, has been linked to mutations in 4 different genes, leading to a loss of function in sodium and calcium channel activity.Although the transient outward current (I to ) is thought to play a prominent role in the expression of the syndrome, mutations in I to -related genes have not been identified as yet. Methods and Results-One hundred five probands with the Brugada syndrome were screened for ion channel gene mutations using single-strand conformation polymorphism electrophoresis and direct sequencing. A missense mutation (R99H) in KCNE3 (MiRP2) was detected in 1 proband. The R99H mutation was found 4/4 phenotype-positive and 0/3 phenotype-negative family members.

Background-Brugada syndrome, characterized by ST-segment elevation in the right precordial ECG leads and the development of life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias, has been associated with mutations in 6 different genes. We identify and characterize a mutation in a new gene. Methods and Results-A 64-year-old white male displayed a type 1 ST-segment elevation in V1 and V2 during procainamide challenge. Polymerase chain reaction-based direct sequencing was performed using a candidate gene approach. A missense mutation (L10P) was detected in exon 1 of SCN3B, the ␤3 subunit of the cardiac sodium channel, but not in any other gene known to be associated with Brugada syndrome or in 296 controls. Wild-type (WT) and mutant genes were expressed in TSA201 cells and studied using whole-cell patch-clamp techniques. Coexpression of SCN5A/WTϩSCN1B/WTϩSCN3B/L10P resulted in an 82.6% decrease in peak sodium current density, accelerated inactivation, slowed reactivation, and a Ϫ9.6-mV shift of half-inactivation voltage compared with SCN5A/WTϩSCN1B/ WTϩSCN3B/WT. Confocal microscopy revealed that SCN5A/WT channels tagged with green fluorescent protein are localized to the cell surface when coexpressed with WT SCN1B and SCN3B but remain trapped in intracellular organelles when coexpressed with SCN1B/WT and SCN3B/L10P. Western blot analysis confirmed the presence of Na V ␤3 in human ventricular myocardium. Conclusions-Our

Background ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) cardiac channels consist of inward rectifying channel subunits Kir6.1 or Kir6.2 (encoded by KCNJ8 or KCNJ11) and the sulfonylurea receptor subunits SUR2A (encoded by ABCC9). Objective To examine the association of mutations in KCNJ8 with Brugada (BrS) and early repolarization (ERS) syndromes and elucidate the mechanism underlying the gain of function of KATP channel current (IK-ATP). Methods Direct sequencing of KCNJ8 and other candidate genes was performed on 204 BrS and ERS probands and family members. Whole-cell and inside-out patch clamp methods were used to study mutated channels expressed in TSA201 cells. Results The same missense mutation, p.Ser422Leu (c.1265C>T) in KCNJ8, was identified in 3 BrS and 1 ERS proband, but was absent in 430 alleles from ethnically-matched healthy controls. Additional genetic variants included CACNB2b-D601E. Whole cell patch clamp studies showed a two-fold gain of function of glibenclamide-sensitive IK-ATP when KCNJ8-S422L was co-expressed with SUR2A-wild type. Inside-out patch clamp evaluation yielded a significantly greater IC50 for ATP in the mutant channels (785.5±2 vs. 38.4±3 µM, n=5; p<0.01) pointing to incomplete closing of the KATP channels under normoxic conditions. Patients with a CACNB2b-D601E polymorphism displayed longer QT/QTc intervals, likely due to their effect to induce an increase in ICa-L. Conclusion Our results support the hypothesis that KCNJ8 is a susceptibility gene for Brugada and early repolarization syndromes and point to S422L as a possible hotspot mutation. Our findings suggest that the S422L-induced gain of function in IK-ATP is due to reduced sensitivity to intracellular ATP.

BACKGROUND Cardiac sodium channel β-subunit mutations have been associated with several inherited cardiac arrhythmia syndromes. OBJECTIVE To identify and characterize variations in SCN1Bb associated with Brugada (BrS) and sudden infant death syndromes (SIDS). METHODS AND RESULTS Patient 1 was a 44-y/o male with an ajmaline-induced Type-1 ST-segment elevation in V1 and V2 supporting the diagnosis of BrS. Patient 2 was a 62-y/o female displaying a coved-type BrS ECG who developed cardiac arrest during fever. Patient 3 was a 4-m/o female SIDS case. All known exons and intron borders of BrS and SIDS susceptibility genes were amplified and sequenced in both directions. A R214Q variant was detected in exon 3A of SCN1Bb (Navβ1B) in all three probands, but not in any other gene previously associated with BrS or SIDS. R214Q was identified in 4 of 807 ethnically-matched healthy controls (0.50%). Wild type (WT) and mutant genes were expressed in TSA201 cells and studied using whole-cell patch-clamp and co-immunoprecipitation techniques. Co-expression of SCN5A/WT+SCN1Bb/R214Q resulted in peak sodium channel current (INa) 56.5% smaller compared to SCN5A/WT+SCN1Bb/WT ( n=11–12, p<0.05 ). Co-expression of KCND3/WT+SCN1Bb/R214Q induced a Kv4.3 current (Ito) 70.6% greater compared with KCND3/WT+SCN1Bb/WT(n=10–11, p<0.01). Co-immunoprecipitation indicated structural association between Navβ1B and Nav1.5 and Kv4.3. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that R214Q variation in SCN1Bb is a functional polymorphism that may serve as a modifier of the substrate responsible for Brugada or SIDS phenotypes via a combined loss of function of INa and gain of function of Ito.