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The congenital long QT syndrome (LQTS), one of the most common cardiac channelopathies, is characterized by delayed ventricular repolarization underlying prolongation of the QT interval of the surface electrocardiogram. LQTS is caused by mutations in genes coding for cardiac ion channels or ion channel-associated proteins. The major therapeutic approach to LQTS management is beta blocker therapy which has been shown to be effective in treatment of LQTS variants caused by mutations in K + channels. However, this approach has been questioned in the treatment of patients identified as LQTS variant 3(LQT3) patients who carry mutations in SCN5A , the gene coding for the principal cardiac Na + channel. LQT3 mutations are gain of function mutations that disrupt spontaneous Na + channel inactivation and promote persistent or late Na + channel current (I NaL ) that delays repolarization and underlies QT prolongation. Clinical investigation of patients with the two most common LQT3 mutations, the ΔKPQ and the E1784K mutations, found beta blocker treatment a useful therapeutic approach for managing arrhythmias in this patient population. However, there is little experimental data that reveals the mechanisms underlying these antiarrhythmic actions. Here, we have investigated the effects of the beta blocker propranolol on I NaL expressed by ΔKPQ and E1784K channels in induced pluripotent stem cells derived from patients carrying these mutations. Our results indicate that propranolol preferentially inhibits I NaL expressed by these channels suggesting that the protective effects of propranolol in treating LQT3 patients is due in part to modulation of I NaL .

Cyclic nucleotide-sensitive ion channels are molecular pores that open in response to cAMP or cGMP, which are universal second messengers. Binding of a cyclic nucleotide to the carboxyterminal cyclic nucleotide binding domain (CNBD) of these channels is thought to cause a conformational change that promotes channel opening. The C-linker domain, which connects the channel pore to this CNBD, plays an important role in coupling ligand binding to channel opening. Current structural insight into this mechanism mainly derives from X-ray crystal structures of the C-linker/CNBD from hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-modulated (HCN) channels. However, these structures reveal little to no conformational changes upon comparison of the ligand-bound and unbound form. In this study, we take advantage of a recently identified prokaryote ion channel, SthK, which has functional properties that strongly resemble cyclic nucleotide-gated (CNG) channels and is activated by cAMP, but not by cGMP. We determined X-ray crystal structures of the C-linker/CNBD of SthK in the presence of cAMP or cGMP. We observe that the structure in complex with cGMP, which is an antagonist, is similar to previously determined HCN channel structures. In contrast, the structure in complex with cAMP, which is an agonist, is in a more open conformation. We observe that the CNBD makes an outward swinging movement, which is accompanied by an opening of the C-linker. This conformation mirrors the open gate structures of the Kv1.2 channel or MthK channel, which suggests that the cAMP-bound C-linker/CNBD from SthK represents an activated conformation. These results provide a structural framework for better understanding cyclic nucleotide modulation of ion channels, including HCN and CNG channels.

This review outlines recent insights into ligand recognition, channel gating and ion permeation for the family of pentameric ligand-gated ion channels (pLGICs). These receptors are involved in the fast inhibitory and excitatory neurotransmission. Prototypical anion-selective members are the γ-amino butyric acid type A (GABA(A)), γ-amino butyric acid type C (GABA(C)) and glycine receptor. The cation-selective members are the 5-HT3 serotonin and nicotinic acetylcholine (nACh) receptors. They are the target for a wide variety of drugs and dysfunction in these receptors is associated with several diseases. We summarize recent structural knowledge in combination with electrophysiological data and molecular dynamic simulations, thereby describing key features of ligand binding, channel gating and ion permeation. A conserved cation-π interaction between ligand and aromatic residues of the ligand binding site critically contributes to ligand recognition, as revealed by X-ray crystal structures of acetylcholine binding proteins, as well as the integral pLGICs, ELIC and GluCl. In addition, we summarize the possible downstream effects on gating of structural rearrangements in the extracellular ligand-binding domain, which mainly occur in loop C and loop F. These data are discussed in the context of different conformational states of the pore-forming domain observed in crystal structures of GLIC and GluCl, which likely represent the open pore conformation, and ELIC, which likely corresponds to a closed pore conformation. We conclude with a current structural view on the determinants of ion selection and permeation., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The 5-HT(3) receptor is a pentameric serotonin-gated ion channel, which mediates rapid excitatory neurotransmission and is the target of a therapeutically important class of anti-emetic drugs, such as granisetron. We report crystal structures of a binding protein engineered to recognize the agonist serotonin and the antagonist granisetron with affinities comparable to the 5-HT(3) receptor. In the serotonin-bound structure, we observe hydrophilic interactions with loop E-binding site residues, which might enable transitions to channel opening. In the granisetron-bound structure, we observe a critical cation-π interaction between the indazole moiety of the ligand and a cationic centre in loop D, which is uniquely present in the 5-HT(3) receptor. We use a series of chemically tuned granisetron analogues to demonstrate the energetic contribution of this electrostatic interaction to high-affinity ligand binding in the human 5-HT(3) receptor. Our study offers the first structural perspective on recognition of serotonin and antagonism by anti-emetics in the 5-HT(3) receptor.