Biophysical properties of 9 KCNQ1 mutations associated with long-QT syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Inherited long-QT syndrome is characterized by prolonged QT interval on the ECG, syncope, and sudden death caused by ventricular arrhythmia. Causative mutations occur mostly in cardiac potassium and sodium channel subunit genes. Confidence in mutation pathogenicity is usually reached through family genotype-phenotype tracking, control population studies, molecular modeling, and phylogenetic alignments; however, biophysical testing offers a higher degree of validating evidence. METHODS AND RESULTS: By using in vitro electrophysiological testing of transfected mutant and wild-type long-QT syndrome constructs into Chinese hamster ovary cells, we investigated the biophysical properties of 9 KCNQ1 missense mutations (A46T, T265I, F269S, A302V, G316E, F339S, R360G, H455Y, and S546L) identified in a New Zealand-based long-QT syndrome screening program. We demonstrate through electrophysiology and molecular modeling that 7 of the missense mutations have profound pathological dominant-negative loss-of-function properties, confirming their likely disease-causing nature. This supports the use of these mutations in diagnostic family screening. Two mutations (A46T, T265I) show suggestive evidence of pathogenicity within the experimental limits of biophysical testing, indicating that these variants are disease-causing via delayed- or fast-activation kinetics. Further investigation of the A46T family has revealed an inconsistent cosegregation of the variant with the clinical phenotype. CONCLUSIONS: Electrophysiological characterization should be used to validate long-QT syndrome pathogenicity of novel missense channelopathies. When such results are inconclusive, great care should be taken with genetic counseling and screening of such families, and alternative disease-causing mechanisms should be considered.

Long QT and Brugada syndrome gene mutations in New Zealand.

BACKGROUND: Genetic testing in long QT syndrome (LQTS) is moving from research into clinical practice. We have recently piloted a molecular genetics program in a New Zealand research laboratory with a view to establishing a clinical diagnostic service. OBJECTIVE: This study sought to report the spectrum of LQTS and Brugada mutations identified by a pilot LQTS gene testing program in New Zealand. METHODS: Eighty-four consecutive index cases referred for LQT gene testing, from New Zealand and Australia, were evaluated. The coding sequence and splice sites of 5 LQTS genes (KCNQ1, HERG, SCN5A, KCNE1, and KCNE2) were screened for genomic variants by transgenomics denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography (dHPLC) system and automated DNA sequencing. RESULTS: Forty-five LQTS mutations were identified in 43 patients (52% of the cohort): 25 KCNQ1 mutations (9 novel), 13 HERG mutations (7 novel), and 7 SCN5A mutations (2 novel). Forty patients had LQTS, and 3 had Brugada syndrome. Mutations were identified in 14 patients with resuscitated sudden cardiac death: 4 KCNQ1, 5 HERG, 5 SCN5A. In 17 cases there was a family history of sudden cardiac death in a first-degree relative: 8 KCNQ1, 6 HERG, 2 SCN5A, and 1 case with mutations in both KCNQ1 and HERG. CONCLUSION: The spectrum of New Zealand LQTS and Brugada mutations is similar to previous studies. The high proportion of novel mutations (40%) dictates a need to confirm pathogenicity for locally prevalent mutations. Careful screening selection criteria, cellular functional analysis of novel mutations, and development of locally relevant control sample cohorts will all be essential to establishing regional diagnostic services.