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

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.

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.

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 K_v11.1 (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).

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.