Atrial‐like cardiomyocytes from human pluripotent stem cells are a robust preclinical model for assessing atrial‐selective pharmacology

Abstract Drugs targeting atrial‐specific ion channels, Kv1.5 or Kir3.1/3.4, are being developed as new therapeutic strategies for atrial fibrillation. However, current preclinical studies carried out in non‐cardiac cell lines or animal models may not accurately represent the physiology of a human ca...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Harsha D Devalla, Verena Schwach, John W Ford, James T Milnes, Said El‐Haou, Claire Jackson, Konstantinos Gkatzis, David A Elliott, Susana M Chuva de Sousa Lopes, Christine L Mummery, Arie O Verkerk, Robert Passier
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Springer Nature 2015-02-01
Series:EMBO Molecular Medicine
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.15252/emmm.201404757
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849226026254598144
author Harsha D Devalla
Verena Schwach
John W Ford
James T Milnes
Said El‐Haou
Claire Jackson
Konstantinos Gkatzis
David A Elliott
Susana M Chuva de Sousa Lopes
Christine L Mummery
Arie O Verkerk
Robert Passier
author_facet Harsha D Devalla
Verena Schwach
John W Ford
James T Milnes
Said El‐Haou
Claire Jackson
Konstantinos Gkatzis
David A Elliott
Susana M Chuva de Sousa Lopes
Christine L Mummery
Arie O Verkerk
Robert Passier
author_sort Harsha D Devalla
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Drugs targeting atrial‐specific ion channels, Kv1.5 or Kir3.1/3.4, are being developed as new therapeutic strategies for atrial fibrillation. However, current preclinical studies carried out in non‐cardiac cell lines or animal models may not accurately represent the physiology of a human cardiomyocyte (CM). In the current study, we tested whether human embryonic stem cell (hESC)‐derived atrial CMs could predict atrial selectivity of pharmacological compounds. By modulating retinoic acid signaling during hESC differentiation, we generated atrial‐like (hESC‐atrial) and ventricular‐like (hESC‐ventricular) CMs. We found the expression of atrial‐specific ion channel genes, KCNA5 (encoding Kv1.5) and KCNJ3 (encoding Kir 3.1), in hESC‐atrial CMs and further demonstrated that these ion channel genes are regulated by COUP‐TF transcription factors. Moreover, in response to multiple ion channel blocker, vernakalant, and Kv1.5 blocker, XEN‐D0101, hESC‐atrial but not hESC‐ventricular CMs showed action potential (AP) prolongation due to a reduction in early repolarization. In hESC‐atrial CMs, XEN‐R0703, a novel Kir3.1/3.4 blocker restored the AP shortening caused by CCh. Neither CCh nor XEN‐R0703 had an effect on hESC‐ventricular CMs. In summary, we demonstrate that hESC‐atrial CMs are a robust model for pre‐clinical testing to assess atrial selectivity of novel antiarrhythmic drugs.
format Article
id doaj-art-e5c077cf8cf042c9ae596c77921408ce
institution Kabale University
issn 1757-4676
1757-4684
language English
publishDate 2015-02-01
publisher Springer Nature
record_format Article
series EMBO Molecular Medicine
spelling doaj-art-e5c077cf8cf042c9ae596c77921408ce2025-08-24T11:44:29ZengSpringer NatureEMBO Molecular Medicine1757-46761757-46842015-02-017439441010.15252/emmm.201404757Atrial‐like cardiomyocytes from human pluripotent stem cells are a robust preclinical model for assessing atrial‐selective pharmacologyHarsha D Devalla0Verena Schwach1John W Ford2James T Milnes3Said El‐Haou4Claire Jackson5Konstantinos Gkatzis6David A Elliott7Susana M Chuva de Sousa Lopes8Christine L Mummery9Arie O Verkerk10Robert Passier11Department of Anatomy & Embryology, Leiden University Medical CenterDepartment of Anatomy & Embryology, Leiden University Medical CenterXention LtdXention LtdXention LtdXention LtdDepartment of Anatomy & Embryology, Leiden University Medical CenterMurdoch Childrens Research Institute, Royal Children's HospitalDepartment of Anatomy & Embryology, Leiden University Medical CenterDepartment of Anatomy & Embryology, Leiden University Medical CenterHeart Failure Research Center, Academic Medical Center, University of AmsterdamDepartment of Anatomy & Embryology, Leiden University Medical CenterAbstract Drugs targeting atrial‐specific ion channels, Kv1.5 or Kir3.1/3.4, are being developed as new therapeutic strategies for atrial fibrillation. However, current preclinical studies carried out in non‐cardiac cell lines or animal models may not accurately represent the physiology of a human cardiomyocyte (CM). In the current study, we tested whether human embryonic stem cell (hESC)‐derived atrial CMs could predict atrial selectivity of pharmacological compounds. By modulating retinoic acid signaling during hESC differentiation, we generated atrial‐like (hESC‐atrial) and ventricular‐like (hESC‐ventricular) CMs. We found the expression of atrial‐specific ion channel genes, KCNA5 (encoding Kv1.5) and KCNJ3 (encoding Kir 3.1), in hESC‐atrial CMs and further demonstrated that these ion channel genes are regulated by COUP‐TF transcription factors. Moreover, in response to multiple ion channel blocker, vernakalant, and Kv1.5 blocker, XEN‐D0101, hESC‐atrial but not hESC‐ventricular CMs showed action potential (AP) prolongation due to a reduction in early repolarization. In hESC‐atrial CMs, XEN‐R0703, a novel Kir3.1/3.4 blocker restored the AP shortening caused by CCh. Neither CCh nor XEN‐R0703 had an effect on hESC‐ventricular CMs. In summary, we demonstrate that hESC‐atrial CMs are a robust model for pre‐clinical testing to assess atrial selectivity of novel antiarrhythmic drugs.https://doi.org/10.15252/emmm.201404757arrhythmiasatrial cardiomyocytesatrial fibrillationCOUP‐TFion channels
spellingShingle Harsha D Devalla
Verena Schwach
John W Ford
James T Milnes
Said El‐Haou
Claire Jackson
Konstantinos Gkatzis
David A Elliott
Susana M Chuva de Sousa Lopes
Christine L Mummery
Arie O Verkerk
Robert Passier
Atrial‐like cardiomyocytes from human pluripotent stem cells are a robust preclinical model for assessing atrial‐selective pharmacology
EMBO Molecular Medicine
arrhythmias
atrial cardiomyocytes
atrial fibrillation
COUP‐TF
ion channels
title Atrial‐like cardiomyocytes from human pluripotent stem cells are a robust preclinical model for assessing atrial‐selective pharmacology
title_full Atrial‐like cardiomyocytes from human pluripotent stem cells are a robust preclinical model for assessing atrial‐selective pharmacology
title_fullStr Atrial‐like cardiomyocytes from human pluripotent stem cells are a robust preclinical model for assessing atrial‐selective pharmacology
title_full_unstemmed Atrial‐like cardiomyocytes from human pluripotent stem cells are a robust preclinical model for assessing atrial‐selective pharmacology
title_short Atrial‐like cardiomyocytes from human pluripotent stem cells are a robust preclinical model for assessing atrial‐selective pharmacology
title_sort atrial like cardiomyocytes from human pluripotent stem cells are a robust preclinical model for assessing atrial selective pharmacology
topic arrhythmias
atrial cardiomyocytes
atrial fibrillation
COUP‐TF
ion channels
url https://doi.org/10.15252/emmm.201404757
work_keys_str_mv AT harshaddevalla atriallikecardiomyocytesfromhumanpluripotentstemcellsarearobustpreclinicalmodelforassessingatrialselectivepharmacology
AT verenaschwach atriallikecardiomyocytesfromhumanpluripotentstemcellsarearobustpreclinicalmodelforassessingatrialselectivepharmacology
AT johnwford atriallikecardiomyocytesfromhumanpluripotentstemcellsarearobustpreclinicalmodelforassessingatrialselectivepharmacology
AT jamestmilnes atriallikecardiomyocytesfromhumanpluripotentstemcellsarearobustpreclinicalmodelforassessingatrialselectivepharmacology
AT saidelhaou atriallikecardiomyocytesfromhumanpluripotentstemcellsarearobustpreclinicalmodelforassessingatrialselectivepharmacology
AT clairejackson atriallikecardiomyocytesfromhumanpluripotentstemcellsarearobustpreclinicalmodelforassessingatrialselectivepharmacology
AT konstantinosgkatzis atriallikecardiomyocytesfromhumanpluripotentstemcellsarearobustpreclinicalmodelforassessingatrialselectivepharmacology
AT davidaelliott atriallikecardiomyocytesfromhumanpluripotentstemcellsarearobustpreclinicalmodelforassessingatrialselectivepharmacology
AT susanamchuvadesousalopes atriallikecardiomyocytesfromhumanpluripotentstemcellsarearobustpreclinicalmodelforassessingatrialselectivepharmacology
AT christinelmummery atriallikecardiomyocytesfromhumanpluripotentstemcellsarearobustpreclinicalmodelforassessingatrialselectivepharmacology
AT arieoverkerk atriallikecardiomyocytesfromhumanpluripotentstemcellsarearobustpreclinicalmodelforassessingatrialselectivepharmacology
AT robertpassier atriallikecardiomyocytesfromhumanpluripotentstemcellsarearobustpreclinicalmodelforassessingatrialselectivepharmacology