Isogenic sets of hiPSC-CMs harboring KCNH2 mutations capture location-related phenotypic differences

AimsLong QT syndrome type 2 (LQT2) is caused by mutations in the gene KCNH2, encoding the hERG ion channel. Clinically, mild and severe phenotypes are associated with this cardiac channelopathy, complicating efforts to predict patient risk. The location of the mutation within KCNH2 contributes to this variable disease manifestation. Here we determined whether such phenotypic differences could be detected in cardiomyocytes derived from isogenic human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) genetically edited to harbour a range of KCNH2 mutations.Methods and ResultsThe hiPSC lines heterozygous for missense mutations either within the pore or tail region of the ion channel were generated using CRISPR-Cas9 editing and subsequently differentiated to cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) for functional assessment. Electrophysiological analysis confirmed the mutations prolonged the action potentials and field potentials of the hiPSC-CMs, with differences detected between the pore and tail region mutations when measured as paced 2D monolayers. This was also reflected in the cytosolic Ca2+ transients and contraction kinetics of the different lines. Pharmacological blocking of the hERG channel in the hiPSC-CMs also revealed that mutations in the pore-loop region conferred a greater susceptibility to arrhythmic events.ConclusionThese findings establish that subtle phenotypic differences related to the location of the KCNH2 mutation in LQT2 patients are reflected in hiPSC-CMs under genetically controlled conditions. Moreover, the results validate hiPSC-CMs as a strong candidate for evaluating the underlying severity of individual KCNH2 mutations in humans which could ultimately facilitate patient risk stratification.Translational perspectiveClinical management of patients diagnosed with cardiac channelopathy diseases such as LQT2 is complicated by the variable disease phenotypes observed among mutation carriers, creating challenges for diagnosis, risk stratification and treatment. The genotype of the patient contributes to this clinical heterogeneity, with the influence of the mutation’s location within KCNH2 on a patient’s risk of a cardiac event being an example. Here we demonstrate that under stringently controlled genetic and experimental conditions, hiPSC-CMs are able to reflect these subtle genotype-phenotype differences, thereby providing new opportunities to stratify and potentially lessen sudden cardiac death risk amongst KCNH2 mutation carriers.