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Published on: June 2, 2015
Blockade of the human ether-a-go-go-related gene potassium channel by ketamine
Peihua Zhang1, Junlian Xing, Antao Luo
1Cardio-Electrophysiological Research Laboratory, Medical College, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
Objectives:
The inhibition of the cardiac rapid delayed rectifier potassium current (IKr ) and its cloned equivalent human ether-a-go-go-related gene (hERG) channel illustrate QT interval prolonging effects of a wide range of clinically used drugs. In this study, the direct interaction of the intravenous anaesthetic ketamine with wild-type (WT) and mutation hERG currents (IhERG ) was investigated.
Methods:
The hERG channel (WT, Y652A and F656A) was expressed in Xenopus oocytes and studied using standard two-microelectrode voltage-clamp techniques.
Key Findings:
WT hERG is blocked in a concentration-dependent manner with IC50 = 12.05 ± 1.38 μm by ketamine, and the steady-state inactivation curves are shifted to more negative potentials (about -27 mV). The mutation to Ala of Y652 and F656 located on the S6 domain attenuate IhERG blockade by ketamine, and produced approximately 9-fold and 2.5-fold increases in IC50 compared with that of WT hERG channel, respectively.
Conclusions:
Ketamine blocks WT IhERG expressed in Xenopus oocytes in a concentration-dependent manner and predominantly interacts with the open hERG channels. The interaction of ketamine with hERG channel may involve the aromatic residues Tyr652 and Phe656.
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