Lack of modulatory effect of the SCN5A R1193Q polymorphism on cardiac fast Na+ current at body temperature

PLoS One. 2018 Nov 12;13(11):e0207437. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0207437. eCollection 2018.

Abstract

SCN5A encodes the main subunit of the NaV1.5 channel, which mediates the fast Na+ current responsible for generating cardiac action potentials. The single nucleotide polymorphism SCN5A(R1193Q), which results in an amino acid replacement in the subunit, is common in East Asia. SCN5A(R1193Q) is often identified in patients with type 3 long QT syndrome and Brugada syndrome. However, its linkage to arrhythmic disorders is under debate. Previous electrophysiological studies performed at room temperature inconsistently reported the gain- or loss-of-function effect of SCN5A(R1193Q) on the NaV1.5 channel. More recently, it was theoretically predicted that SCN5A(R1193Q) would exert a loss-of-function effect at body temperature. Here, we experimentally assessed whether SCN5A(R1193Q) modulates the NaV1.5 channel at various temperatures including normal and febrile body temperatures. We compared voltage-gated Na+ currents in SCN5A(R1193Q)-transfected and wild-type SCN5A-transfected HEK293T cells using a whole-cell voltage-clamp technique. First, we made comparisons at constant temperatures of 25°C, 36.5°C, and 38°C, and found no difference in the conductance density, voltage dependence of gating, or time dependence of gating. This suggested that SCN5A(R1193Q) does not modulate the NaV1.5 channel regardless of temperature. Second, we made comparisons while varying the temperature from 38°C to 26°C in 3 min, and again observed no difference in the time course of the amplitude or time dependence of gating during the temperature change. This also indicated that SCN5A(R1193Q) does not modulate the NaV1.5 channel in response to an acute body temperature change. Therefore, SCN5A(R1193Q) may not be a monogenic factor that triggers arrhythmic disorders.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Substitution
  • Arrhythmias, Cardiac / genetics
  • Arrhythmias, Cardiac / metabolism
  • Body Temperature*
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Humans
  • Membrane Potentials*
  • Mutation, Missense*
  • Myocardium / metabolism*
  • NAV1.5 Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel* / genetics
  • NAV1.5 Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel* / metabolism
  • Polymorphism, Genetic*
  • Sodium / metabolism*

Substances

  • NAV1.5 Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel
  • SCN5A protein, human
  • Sodium

Grants and funding

This study was supported by Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (https://www.jsps.go.jp/english/) KAKENHI (grant numbers JP24590852 and JP15K08867 to Yukiko Hata; JP26430012 and JP18K06461 to Toshihide Tabata) and Presidential Discretionary Funds, University of Toyama (https://www.u-toyama.ac.jp/en/) 2014 to Naoki Nishida. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.