State of Gene Therapy for Monogenic Cardiovascular Diseases.

Over the past 2 decades, significant efforts have been made to advance gene therapy into clinical practice. Although successful examples exist in other fields, gene therapy for the treatment of monogenic cardiovascular diseases lags behind. In this review, we (1) highlight a brief history of gene therapy, (2) distinguish between gene silencing, gene replacement, and gene editing technologies, (3) discuss vector modalities used in the field with a special focus on adeno-associated viruses, (4) provide examples of gene therapy approaches in cardiomyopathies, channelopathies, and familial hypercholesterolemia, and (5) present current challenges and limitations in the gene therapy field.

Prognostic Value of Multiplexed Assays of Variant Effect and Automated Patch-clamping for KCNH2-LQTS Risk Stratification.

Background: Long QT syndrome (LQTS) is a lethal arrhythmia condition, frequently caused by rare loss-of-function variants in the cardiac potassium channel encoded by KCNH2. Variant-based risk stratification is complicated by heterogenous clinical data, incomplete penetrance, and low-throughput functional data. Objective: To test the utility of variant-specific features, including high-throughput functional data, to predict cardiac events among KCNH2 variant heterozygotes. Methods: We quantified cell-surface trafficking of 18,323 variants in KCNH2 and recorded potassium current densities for 506 KCNH2 variants. Next, we deeply phenotyped 1150 KCNH2 missense variant patients, including ECG features, cardiac event history (528 total cardiac events), and mortality. We then assessed variant functional, in silico, structural, and LQTS penetrance data to stratify event-free survival for cardiac events in the study cohort. Results: Variant-specific current density (HR 0.28 [0.13-0.60]) and estimates of LQTS penetrance incorporating MAVE data (HR 3.16 [1.59-6.27]) were independently predictive of severe cardiac events when controlling for patient-specific features. Risk prediction models incorporating these data significantly improved prediction of 20 year cardiac events (AUC 0.79 [0.75-0.82]) over patient-only covariates (QTc and sex) (AUC 0.73 [0.70-0.77]). Conclusion: We show that high-throughput functional data, and other variant-specific features, meaningfully contribute to both diagnosis and prognosis of a clinically actionable monogenic disease.

Temporal Association Between Vaping and Risk of Cardiac Events.

OBJECTIVE: To describe our early observations with sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) and sudden death (SD) in patients using vape products. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis of Mayo Clinic's Windland Smith Rice Genetic Heart Rhythm Clinic and Sudden Death Genomics Laboratory was performed on all SCA survivors and decedents who presented between January 1, 2007, and December 31, 2021, to identify patients/decedents with a history of vaping. Data abstraction included patient demographics, clinical characteristics, and documented use of vape products. RESULTS: Among 144 SCA survivors and 360 SD victims, there were six individuals (1%; 3 females) with unexplained SCA (n=4) or SD (n=2) that was temporally associated with vaping use with a mean age at sentinel event of 23±5 years. The SCA survivors include a 19-year-old male who was resuscitated from documented ventricular fibrillation 40 minutes after vaping and a 19-year-old male who was resuscitated from ventricular fibrillation a few hours post vaping. The first SD victim was a 19-year-old female with exercise-induced asthma who died in her sleep after vaping that evening. Autopsy results showed eosinophilic infiltrates in the lung tissue and death was attributed to bronchial asthma. The second vaping-associated death involved a 26-year-old male whose autopsy attributed the death to acute respiratory distress syndrome. CONCLUSION: We have identified six young individuals with a history of vaping who experienced a near fatal episode or a tragic SD. Although larger cohort studies are needed to quantify the actual risk of SD, it seems prudent to sound an early warning about vaping's potential lethality.

Fatal Cardiac Arrhythmias During Electronic Gaming in Patients With Genetically Mediated Heart Diseases.

BACKGROUND: Recently, electronic gaming has been reported as a precipitant of life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias in susceptible individuals. However, the prevalence of cardiac events in genetic heart diseases (GHDs) in the setting of electronic gaming has not been established. OBJECTIVES: In this study, we sought to define the prevalence of cardiac events occurring in the setting of electronic gaming in GHDs. METHODS: Retrospective review of all patients evaluated and treated at Mayo Clinic's genetic heart rhythm clinic from July 2000 to November 2022 was performed to identify patients with a history of playing electronic games at the time of their cardiac event. Cardiac event was used to define events occurring before diagnosis, and breakthrough cardiac event (BCE) was used for events occurring after diagnosis. RESULTS: Of the 3,370 patients with a GHD (mean age at first evaluation 27 ± 19 years, 55% female), 1,079 (32%) had a cardiac event before diagnosis, with 5 patients (0.5%) having an electronic gaming-associated event (3 catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia, 1 long QT syndrome, and 1 premature ventricular contraction-triggered ventricular fibrillation). After diagnosis and treatment, 431 patients (13%) experienced ≥1 BCE during follow-up, of which 1 electronic gaming-associated BCE (0.2%) occurred in a patient with catecholamine-sensitive right outflow tract ventricular tachycardia. CONCLUSIONS: Although anecdotal cases of electronic gaming-associated life-threatening arrhythmias have been reported, in this largest single-center study to date, we show that these are extremely rare occurrences. While electronic gaming can have adverse health consequences, the threat of electronic gaming-triggered sudden death should not be used to try to curb time spent gaming.

Elucidation of ALG10B as a Novel Long-QT Syndrome-Susceptibility Gene.

BACKGROUND: Long-QT syndrome (LQTS) is characterized by QT prolongation and increased risk for syncope, seizures, and sudden cardiac death. The majority of LQTS stems from pathogenic mutations in KCNQ1, KCNH2, or SCN5A. However, ≈10% of patients with LQTS remain genetically elusive. We utilized genome sequencing to identify a novel LQTS genetic substrate in a multigenerational genotype-negative LQTS pedigree. METHODS: Genome sequencing was performed on 5 affected family members. Only rare nonsynonymous variants present in all affected family members were considered. The candidate variant was characterized functionally in patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cell and gene-edited, variant corrected, isogenic control induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes. RESULTS: A missense variant (p.G6S) was identified in ALG10B-encoded α-1,2-glucosyltransferase B protein. ALG10B (alpha-1,2-glucosyltransferase B protein) is a known interacting protein of KCNH2-encoded Kv11.1 (HERG [human Ether-à-go-go-related gene]). Compared with isogenic control, ALG10B-p.G6S induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes showed (1) decreased protein expression of ALG10B (p.G6S, 0.7±0.18, n=8 versus control, 1.25±0.16, n=9; P<0.05), (2) significant retention of HERG in the endoplasmic reticulum (P<0.0005), and (3) a significantly prolonged action potential duration confirmed by both patch clamp (p.G6S, 531.1±38.3 ms, n=15 versus control, 324.1±21.8 ms, n=13; P<0.001) and multielectrode assay (P<0.0001). Lumacaftor-a compound known to rescue HERG trafficking-shortened the pathologically prolonged action potential duration of ALG10B-p.G6S induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes by 10.6% (n=31 electrodes; P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Here, we demonstrate that ALG10B-p.G6S downregulates ALG10B, resulting in defective HERG trafficking and action potential duration prolongation. Therefore, ALG10B is a novel LQTS-susceptibility gene underlying the LQTS phenotype observed in a multigenerational pedigree. ALG10B mutation analysis may be warranted, especially in genotype-negative patients with an LQT2-like phenotype.

Injectable contraceptive Depo-Provera induces erratic beating patterns in patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes with long QT syndrome type 2.

BACKGROUND: Long QT syndrome type 2 (LQT2) is caused by pathogenic variants in KCNH2. LQT2 may manifest as QT prolongation on an electrocardiogram and present with arrhythmic syncope/seizures and sudden cardiac arrest/death. Progestin-based oral contraceptives may increase the risk of LQT2-triggered cardiac events in women. We previously reported on a woman with LQT2 and recurrent cardiac events temporally related and attributed to the progestin-based contraceptive medroxyprogesterone acetate ("Depo-Provera" [Depo] MilliporeSigma, Catalog# 1378001, St. Louis, MO). OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the arrhythmic risk of Depo in a patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocyte (iPSC-CM) model of LQT2. METHODS: An iPSC-CM line was generated from a 40-year-old woman with p.G1006Afs∗49-KCNH2. A CRISPR/Cas9 gene-edited/variant-corrected isogenic control iPSC-CM line was generated. FluoVolt (Invitrogen, F10488, Waltham, MA) was used to measure the action potential duration after treatment with 10 µM Depo. Erratic beating patterns characterized as alternating spike amplitudes, alternans, or early afterdepolarization-like phenomena were assessed using multielectrode array (MEA) after 10 µM Depo, 1 µM isoproterenol (ISO), or combined Depo + ISO treatment. RESULTS: Depo treatment shortened the action potential duration at 90% repolarization of G1006Afs∗49 iPSC-CMs from 394 ± 10 to 303 ± 10 ms (P < .0001). Combined Depo + ISO treatment increased the percentage of electrodes displaying erratic beating in G1006Afs∗49 iPSC-CMs (baseline: 18% ± 5% vs Depo + ISO: 54% ± 5%; P < .0001) but not in isogenic control iPSC-CMs (baseline: 0% ± 0% vs Depo + ISO: 10% ± 3%; P = .9659). CONCLUSION: This cell study provides a potential mechanism for the patient's clinically documented Depo-associated episodes of recurrent ventricular fibrillation. This in vitro data should prompt a large-scale clinical assessment of Depo's potential proarrhythmic effect in women with LQT2.

Phenotypes of Overdiagnosed Long QT Syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Long QT syndrome (LQTS) predisposes individuals to arrhythmic syncope or seizure, sudden cardiac arrest, or sudden cardiac death (SCD). Increased physician and public awareness of LQTS-associated warning signs and an increase in electrocardiographic screening programs may contribute to overdiagnosis of LQTS. OBJECTIVES: This study sought to identify the diagnostic miscues underlying the continued overdiagnosis of LQTS. METHODS: Electronic medical records were reviewed for patients who arrived with an outside diagnosis of LQTS but were dismissed as having normal findings subsequently. Data were abstracted for details on referral, clinical history, and both cardiologic and genetic test results. RESULTS: Overall, 290 of 1,841 (16%) patients with original diagnosis of LQTS (174 [60%] female; mean age at first Mayo Clinic evaluation, 22 ± 14 years; mean QTc interval, 427 ± 25 milliseconds) were dismissed as having normal findings. The main cause of LQTS misdiagnosis or overdiagnosis was a prolonged QTc interval secondary to vasovagal syncope (n = 87; 30%), followed by a seemingly positive genetic test result for a variant in 1 of the main LQTS genes (n = 68; 23%) that was ultimately deemed not to be of clinical significance. Furthermore, patients received misdiagnoses because of a positive family history of SCD that was deemed unrelated to LQTS (n = 46; 16%), isolated/transient QT prolongation (n = 44; 15%), or misinterpretation of the QTc interval as a result of inclusion of the U-wave (n = 40, 14%). CONCLUSIONS: Knowing the 5 main determinants of discordance between a previously rendered diagnosis of LQTS and full diagnostic reversal or removal (vasovagal syncope, "pseudo"-positive genetic test result in LQTS-causative genes, family history of SCD, transient QT prolongation, and misinterpretation of the QTc interval) increases awareness and provides critical guidance to reduce this burden of overdiagnosed LQTS.

Suppression and Replacement Gene Therapy for KCNH2-Mediated Arrhythmias.

BACKGROUND: KCNH2-mediated arrhythmia syndromes are caused by loss-of-function (type 2 long QT syndrome [LQT2]) or gain-of-function (type 1 short QT syndrome [SQT1]) pathogenic variants in the KCNH2-encoded Kv11.1 potassium channel, which is essential for the cardiac action potential. METHODS: A dual-component "suppression-and-replacement" (SupRep) KCNH2 gene therapy was created by cloning into a single construct a custom-designed KCNH2 short hairpin RNA with ~80% knockdown (suppression) and a "short hairpin RNA-immune" KCNH2 cDNA (replacement). Induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes and their CRISPR-Cas9 variant-corrected isogenic control (IC) induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes were made for 2 LQT2- (G604S, N633S) and 1 SQT1- (N588K) causative variants. All variant lines were treated with KCNH2-SupRep or non-targeting control short hairpin RNA (shCT). The action potential duration (APD) at 90% repolarization (APD90) was measured using FluoVolt voltage dye. RESULTS: KCNH2-SupRep achieved variant-independent rescue of both pathologic phenotypes. For LQT2-causative variants, treatment with KCNH2-SupRep resulted in shortening of the pathologically prolonged APD90 to near curative (IC-like) APD90 levels (G604S IC, 471±25 ms; N633S IC, 405±55 ms) compared with treatment with shCT (G604S: SupRep-treated, 452±76 ms versus shCT-treated, 550±41 ms; P<0.0001; N633S: SupRep-treated, 399±105 ms versus shCT-treated, 577±39 ms, P<0.0001). Conversely, for the SQT1-causative variant, N588K, treatment with KCNH2-SupRep resulted in therapeutic prolongation of the pathologically shortened APD90 (IC: 429±16 ms; SupRep-treated: 396±61 ms; shCT-treated: 274±12 ms). CONCLUSIONS: We provide the first proof-of-principle gene therapy for correction of both LQT2 and SQT1. KCNH2-SupRep gene therapy successfully normalized the pathologic APD90, thereby eliminating the pathognomonic feature of both LQT2 and SQT1.

Precision therapy in congenital long QT syndrome.

Long QT syndrome (LQTS) is a potentially life-threatening, but highly treatable genetic heart disease. LQTS-directed therapies often consist of beta-blockers (BBs), left cardiac sympathetic denervation (LCSD), and/or an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). However, in clinical practice, many patient-specific and genotype-directed permutations exist. Herein, we aim to review the spectrum of treatment configurations utilized at a single, tertiary center specializing in the care of patients with LQTS to demonstrate optimal LQTS-directed management is not amenable to a "one-size-fits-all" approach but instead benefits from patient- and genotype-tailored strategies.

Spectrum and prevalence of side effects and complications with guideline-directed therapies for congenital long QT syndrome.

BACKGROUND: ß-Blockers (BBs), sodium channel blockers (SCBs), left cardiac sympathetic denervation (LCSD), and implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) are used to prevent or counter long QT syndrome (LQTS)-triggered syncope, seizures, and sudden cardiac death. The spectrum and extent of side effects/complications associated with these guideline-directed therapies (GDTs) remain unknown. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to identify the types/prevalence of treatment-associated side effects/complications for patients with the most common LQTS subtypes after GDT. METHODS: Retrospective analysis was performed on 1310 patients with type 1, 2, or 3 LQTS evaluated in Mayo Clinic's Windland Smith Rice Genetic Heart Rhythm Clinic (average age at the time of diagnosis 22 ± 18 years; average length of follow-up 5 ± 5 years) and treated with ≥1 of the common GDTs for LQTS. RESULTS: BBs were used in 1102 (84%), SCBs in 104 (8%), LCSD in 197 (15%), and an ICD was used in 251 (19%) patients. Overall, 727 (55%) patients reported at least 1 treatment-associated side effect/complication. A total of 490 of 1102 patients treated with BBs (44%) reported side effects, with fatigue (381 [35%]) being the most common; 28 of 104 SCB-treated patients (27%) reported side effects, most common being gastrointestinal distress/vomiting (18 [17%]); 80 of 197 patients (41%) reported side effects after LCSD, most reporting neuropathic pain (57 [29%]); and 129 of 251 patients (51%) experienced ≥1 complication after ICD implantation, including inappropriate shocks (46 [18%]). CONCLUSION: Although LQTS-triggered sudden cardiac death is uncommon in the properly treated patient, this study demonstrates that contemporary GDTs for LQTS are not innocuous. Their treatment-related side effects are not trivial and should compel an ongoing quest for new LQTS therapies.

Role of chronic continuous intravenous lidocaine in the clinical management of patients with malignant type 3 long QT syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Type 3 long QT syndrome (LQT3) is caused by pathogenic, gain-of-function variants in SCN5A leading to a prolonged action potential, ventricular ectopy, and torsades de pointes. Treatment options include pharmacotherapy, cardiac denervation, and/or device therapy. Rarely, patients with malignant LQT3 require cardiac transplantation. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of chronic continuous intravenous (IV) lidocaine as a therapeutic option for select patients with LQT3 refractory to standard therapy. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of patients evaluated and treated at Mayo Clinic and identified 4 of 161 patients with LQT3 (2.5%) who were refractory to standard therapies and therefore treated with IV lidocaine. RESULTS: There were 4 patients (2 female [50%]). The median age at first IV lidocaine infusion was 2 months (interquartile range 1.5-4.8 months), and the median cumulative duration on IV lidocaine was 11.5 months (interquartile range 8.7-17.8 months). The main indication for IV lidocaine in all patients was persistent ventricular arrhythmias. Before IV lidocaine, all patients received an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator, and while on intermittent IV lidocaine, all patients underwent bilateral cardiac sympathetic denervation. Additionally, 2 (50%) patients had cardiac ablation for premature ventricular complexes. In all patients, lidocaine infusion resulted in a significant reduction of LQT3-triggered cardiac events. The main side effects of IV lidocaine observed were dizziness (n = 2, 50%) and seizures (n = 2, 50%). During follow-up, 3 of 4 (75%) patients underwent orthotopic cardiac transplantation. The remaining patient continues to receive IV lidocaine bolus for rescue as needed. CONCLUSION: For patients with LQT3 who are refractory to standard treatment, chronic IV lidocaine infusion can be used as a potential "bridge to transplant."

A phenotype-enhanced variant classification framework to decrease the burden of missense variants of uncertain significance in type 1 long QT syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Pathogenic/likely pathogenic (P/LP) variants in the KCNQ1-encoded Kv7.1 potassium channel cause type 1 long QT syndrome (LQT1). Despite the revamped 2015 American College of Medical Genetics (ACMG) variant interpretation guidelines, the burden of KCNQ1 variants of uncertain significance (VUS) in patients with LQTS remains ∼30%. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine whether a phenotype-enhanced (PE) variant classification approach could reduce the VUS burden in LQTS genetic testing. METHODS: Retrospective analysis was performed on 79 KCNQ1 missense variants in 356 patients from Mayo Clinic and an independent cohort of 42 variants in 225 patients from Amsterdam University Medical Center (UMC). Each variant was classified initially using the ACMG guidelines and then readjudicated using a PE-ACMG framework that incorporated the LQTS clinical diagnostic Schwartz score plus 4 "LQT1-defining features": broad-based/slow upstroke T waves, syncope/seizure during exertion, swimming-associated events, and a maladaptive LQT1 treadmill stress test. RESULTS: According to the ACMG guidelines, Mayo Clinic variants were classified as follows: 17 of 79 P variants (22%), 34 of 79 LP variants (43%), and 28 of 79 VUS (35%). Similarly, for Amsterdam UMC, the variant distribution was 9 of 42 P variants (22%), 14 of 42 LP variants (33%), and 19 of 42 variants VUS (45%). After PE-ACMG readjudication, the total VUS burden decreased significantly from 28 (35%) to 13 (16%) (P = .0007) for Mayo Clinic and from 19 (45%) to 12 (29%) (P = .02) for Amsterdam UMC. CONCLUSION: Phenotype-guided variant adjudication decreased significantly the VUS burden of LQT1 case-derived KCNQ1 missense variants in 2 independent cohorts. This study demonstrates the value of incorporating LQT1-specific phenotype/clinical data to aid in the interpretation of KCNQ1 missense variants identified during genetic testing for LQTS.

A Novel Truncating Variant in FLNC-Encoded Filamin C May Serve as a Proarrhythmic Genetic Substrate for Arrhythmogenic Bileaflet Mitral Valve Prolapse Syndrome.

A 51-year-old man with a long-standing history of bileaflet mitral valve prolapse accompanied by mitral annular disjunction and mild mitral regurgitation presented for evaluation of increasingly frequent palpitations. Ambulatory Holter monitoring, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, serial transthoracic echocardiography, and diagnostic electrophysiology studies were consistent with a diagnosis of arrhythmogenic bileaflet mitral valve prolapse syndrome. Because of the presence of a similar phenotype in the proband's mother, brother, and maternal aunt, research-based whole exome sequencing was pursued and a novel truncating variant (p.Trp34*-FLNC) in the cardiomyopathy-causative FLNC-encoded filamin C unearthed that cosegregated with disease. Unexpectedly, these observations provide the first evidence that a heritable proarrhythmic genetic substrate (ie, FLNC haploinsufficiency-mediated weakening of cell-cell adhesion) may underlie, at least in part, some cases of arrhythmogenic mitral valve prolapse syndrome.