Rationale While the sodium channel locus SCN10A has been implicated by genome-wide association studies as a modulator of cardiac electrophysiology, the role of its gene product Nav1.8 as a modulator of cardiac ion currents is unknown. Objective We determined the electrophysiological and pharmacological properties of Nav1.8 in heterologous cell systems and assessed the antiarrhythmic effect of Nav1.8 block on isolated mouse and rabbit ventricular cardiomyocytes. Methods and results We first demonstrated that Scn10a transcripts are identified in mouse heart and that the blocker A-803467 is highly specific for Nav1.8 current over that of Nav1.5, the canonical cardiac sodium channel encoded by SCN5A. We then showed that low concentrations of A-803467 selectively block “late” sodium current and shorten action potentials in mouse and rabbit cardiomyocytes. Exaggerated late sodium current is known to mediate arrhythmogenic early afterdepolarizations in heart, and these were similarly suppressed by low concentrations of A-803467. Conclusion SCN10A expression contributes to late sodium current in heart, and represents a new target for antiarrhythmic intervention.

Background The D1275N SCN5A mutation has been associated with a range of unusual phenotypes including conduction disease and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) as well as atrial and ventricular tachyarrhythmias. However, when D1275N is studied in heterologous expression systems, most studies show near-normal sodium channel function. Thus, the relationship of the variant to the clinical phenotypes remains uncertain. Methods and results We identified D1275N in a patient with atrial flutter, atrial standstill, conduction disease, and sinus node dysfunction. There was no major difference in biophysical properties between wild-type and D1275N channels expressed in CHO or tsA201 cells in the absence or presence of β1 subunits. To determine D1275N function in vivo, the Scn5a locus was modified to knock out the mouse gene, and the full-length wild-type (H) or D1275N (DN) human SCN5A cDNAs were then inserted at the modified locus using recombinase mediated cassette exchange. Mice carrying the DN allele displayed slow conduction, heart block, atrial fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia, and a DCM phenotype, with no significant fibrosis or myocyte disarray on histological examination. The DN allele conferred gene-dose dependent increases in SCN5A mRNA abundance, but reduced sodium channel protein abundance and peak sodium current amplitudes (H/H, −41.0±2.9 pA/pF at −30mV; DN/H, 19.2±3.1 pA/pF, P<0.001 versus H/H; DN/DN, −9.3±1.1 pA/pF, P<0.001 versus H/H). Conclusions Although D1275N produces near normal currents in multiple heterologous expression experiments, our data establish this variant as a pathological mutation that generates conduction slowing, arrhythmias, and a DCM phenotype by reducing cardiac sodium current.

The use of low-cost iron(III) acetoacetate (Fe(acac)3) and tetramethylethylenediamine (TMEDA) enables the direct cross-coupling of alkyl halides with bis(pinacolato)diboron. This approach allows for the borylation of activated or unactivated primary, secondary, and tertiary bromides. Moreover, even the borylation of benzylic or allylic chlorides, tosylates, and mesylates are possible. The reactions proceed under mild conditions at room temperature and show broad functional-group compatibility and "robustness" as measured by a modified Glorius robustness screen.

The use of low-cost manganese­(II) bromide (MnBr2) and tetramethyl­ethylene­diamine (TMEDA) catalyzes the cross coupling of (bis)­pinacolato­diboron with a wide range of alkyl halides, demonstrating the first manganese-catalyzed coupling with alkyl electrophiles. This method allows access to primary, secondary, and tertiary boronic esters from the parent chlorides, which were previously inaccessible as coupling partners. The reaction proceeds in high yield with as little as 1000 ppm catalyst loading, while 5 mol % can provide high yields in as little as 30 min. Finally, radical-clock experiments revealed that at 0 °C direct borylation outcompetes alternative radical processes, thereby providing synthetically useful, temperature-controlled reaction outcomes.