• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제18권4호
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• pp.448-453
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• 2010

Drug-induced long QT syndrome is known to be associated with the onset of torsades de pointes (TdP), resulting in a fatal ventricular arrhythmia. QT interval prolongation can result from blocking the human ether-a-go-go-related gene (hERG) channel, which is important for the repolarization of cardiac action potential. Nicardipine, a Ca-channel blocker and antihypertensive agent, has been reported to increase the risk of occasional serious ventricular arrhythmias. We studied the effects of nicardipine on hERG $K^+$ channels expressed in HEK293 cells and Xenopus oocytes. The cardiac electrophysiological effect of nicardipine was also investigated in this study. Our results revealed that nicardipine dose-dependently decreased the tail current of the hERG channel expressed in HEK293 cells with an $IC_{50}$ of 0.43 ${\mu}M$. On the other hand, nicardipine did not affect hERG channel trafficking. Taken together, nicardipine inhibits the hERG channel by the mechanism of short-term channel blocking. Two S6 domain mutations, Y652A and F656A, partially attenuated (Y652A) or abolished (F656A) the hERG current blockade, suggesting that nicardipine blocks the hERG channel at the pore of the channel.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제13권3호
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• pp.215-220
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• 2009

Chlorpheniramine is a potent first-generation histamine $H_1$ receptor antagonist that can increase action potential duration and induce QT prolongation in several animal models. Since block of cardiac human ether-a-go-go-related gene (hERG) channels is one of leading causes of acquired long QT syndrome, we investigated the acute effects of chlorpheniramine on hERG channels to determine the electrophysiological basis for its proarrhythmic potential. We examined the effects of chlorpheniramine on the hERG channels expressed in Xenopus oocytes using two-microelectrode voltage-clamp techniques. Chlorpheniramine induced a concentration-dependent decrease of the current amplitude at the end of the voltage steps and hERG tail currents. The $IC_{50}$ of chlorpheniramine-dependent hERG block in Xenopus oocytes decreased progressively relative to the degree of depolarization. Chlorpheniramine affected the channels in the activated and inactivated states but not in the closed states. The S6 domain mutations Y652A and F656A partially attenuated (Y652A) or abolished (F656A) the hERG current block. These results suggest that the $H_1$ antihistamine, chlorpheniramine is a blocker of the hERG channels, providing a molecular mechanism for the drug-induced arrhythmogenic side effects.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제21권1호
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• pp.75-82
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• 2017

The effects of acepromazine on human ether-$\grave{a}$-go-go-related gene (hERG) potassium channels were investigated using whole-cell voltage-clamp technique in human embryonic kidney (HEK293) cells transfected with hERG. The hERG currents were recorded with or without acepromazine, and the steady-state and peak tail currents were analyzed for the evaluating the drug effects. Acepromazine inhibited the hERG currents in a concentration-dependent manner with an $IC_{50}$ value of $1.5{\mu}M$ and Hill coefficient of 1.1. Acepromazine blocked hERG currents in a voltage-dependent manner between -40 and +10 mV. Before and after application of acepromazine, the half activation potentials of hERG currents changed to hyperpolarizing direction. Acepromazine blocked both the steady-state hERG currents by depolarizing pulse and the peak tail currents by repolarizing pulse; however, the extent of blocking by acepromazine in the repolarizing pulse was more profound than that in the depolarizing pulse, indicating that acepromazine has a high affinity for the open state of the channels, with a relatively lower affinity for the closed state of hERG channels. A fast application of acepromazine during the tail currents inhibited the open state of hERG channels in a concentration-dependent. The steady-state inactivation of hERG currents shifted to the hyperpolarized direction by acepromazine. These results suggest that acepromazine inhibits the hERG channels probably by an open- and inactivated-channel blocking mechanism. Regarding to the fact that the hERG channels are the potential target of drug-induced long QT syndrome, our results suggest that acepromazine can possibly induce a cardiac arrhythmia through the inhibition of hERG channels.

• 분석과학
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• 제24권6호
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• pp.533-543
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• 2011

hERG (human ether-a-go-go related gene) 이온채널은 심장 재분극의 중요 요소이며 이 채널의 저해제는 부정맥과 돌연사를 유발할 수 있다. 따라서, 신약개발과정에서 후보물질이 hERG 이온채널의 잠재적인 저해제일 경우에는 심장독성 부작용을 유발하므로, 이를 최소화하고자 많은 노력이 집중되고 있다. 본 연구는 HEK(인간 배아 신장)세포에서 얻은 202개 유기화합물의 $IC_{50}$ 데이터를 이용하여 2차원 구조-활성의 정량적 관계(2D-QSAR)방법으로 예측하는 모델을 개발하였다. hERG이온채널 저해제의 기계 학습방법으로는 다중선형회귀(Multiple Linear Regression), 서포트 벡터 머신(Support Vector Machine: SVM)방법과 인공신경망(Artificial Neural Network)방법이며, 교차검증을 적용한 모집단 기반 전진선택(forward selection)방법과 결합하여 각 학습모델에 적합한 최적의 표현자들을 결정하였다. 가장 우수한 방법은 14종의 표현자를 사용한 인공신경망방법($R^2_{CV}$=0.617, RMSECV=0.762, MAECV=0.583)이었고, 다중선형회귀방법을 통해서 hERG이온채널 저해물질의 구조적 특징과 수용체와의 상호작용을 설명할 수 있다. QSAR모델의 검증은 교차검증과 Y-scrambling test방법으로 수행하였다.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• 제32권1호
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• pp.251-262
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• 2011

Human ether-a-go-go related gene (hERG) potassium channel blockade, an undesirable side effect which might cause sudden cardiac death, is one of the major concerns facing the pharmaceutical industry. The purpose of this study is to develop an in silico QSAR model which uncovers the structural parameters of T-type calcium channel blockers to reduce hERG blockade. Comparative molecular similarity indices analysis (CoMSIA) was conducted on a series of piperazine and benzimidazole derivatives bearing methyl 5-(ethyl(methyl)amino)-2-isopropyl-2-phenylpentanoate moieties, which was synthesized by our group. Three different alignment methods were applied to obtain a reliable model: ligand based alignment, pharmacophore based alignment, and receptor guided alignment. The CoMSIA model with receptor guided alignment yielded the best results : $r^2$ = 0.955, $q^2$ = 0.781, $r^2_{pred}$ = 0.758. The generated CoMSIA contour maps using electrostatic, hydrophobic, H-bond donor, and acceptor fields explain well the structural requirements for hERG nonblockers and also correlate with the lipophilic potential map of the hERG channel pore.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• 제43권1호
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• pp.43-51
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• 2018

$K^+$ channels are key components of the primary and secondary basolateral $Cl^-$ pump systems, which are important for secretion from the salivary glands. Paroxetine is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) for psychiatric disorders that can induce QT prolongation, which may lead to torsades de pointes. We studied the effects of paroxetine on a human $K^+$ channel, human ether-a-go-go-related gene (hERG), expressed in Xenopus oocytes and on action potential in guinea pig ventricular myocytes. The hERG encodes the pore-forming subunits of the rapidly-activating delayed rectifier $K^+$ channel ($I_{Kr}$) in the heart. Mutations in hERG reduce $I_{Kr}$ and cause type 2 long QT syndrome (LQT2), a disorder that predisposes individuals to life-threatening arrhythmias. Paroxetine induced concentration-dependent decreases in the current amplitude at the end of the voltage steps and hERG tail currents. The inhibition was concentration-dependent and time-dependent, but voltage-independent during each voltage pulse. In guinea pig ventricular myocytes held at $36^{\circ}C$, treatment with $0.4{\mu}M$ paroxetine for 5 min decreased the action potential duration at 90% of repolarization ($APD_{90}$) by 4.3%. Our results suggest that paroxetine is a blocker of the hERG channels, providing a molecular mechanism for the arrhythmogenic side effects of clinical administration of paroxetine.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제14권5호
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• pp.305-310
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• 2010

The human $ether$-$a$-$go$-$go$-related gene ($hERG$) channel is important for repolarization in human myocardium and is a common target for drugs that prolong the QT interval. We studied the effects of two antipsychotics, tiapride and sulpiride, on hERG channels expressed in $Xenopus$ oocytes and also on delayed rectifier $K^+$ currents in guinea pig cardiomyocytes. Neither the amplitude of the hERG outward currents measured at the end of the voltage pulse, nor the amplitude of hERG tail currents, showed any concentration-dependent changes with either tiapride or sulpiride ($3{\sim}300{\mu}M$). However, our findings did show that tiapride increased the potential for half-maximal activation ($V_{1/2}$) of HERG at $10{\sim}300{\mu}M$, whereas sulpiride increased the maximum conductance ($G_{max}$) at 3, 10 and $100{\mu}M$. In guinea pig ventricular myocytes, bath applications of 100 and $500{\mu}M$ tiapride at $36^{\circ}C$ blocked rapidly activating delayed rectifier $K^+$ current ($I_{Kr}$) by 40.3% and 70.0%, respectively. Also, sulpiride at 100 and $500{\mu}M$ blocked $I_{Kr}$ by 38.9% and 76.5%, respectively. However, neither tiapride nor sulpiride significantly affected the slowly activating delayed rectifier $K^+$ current ($I_{Ks}$) at the same concentrations. Our findings suggest that the concentrations of the antipsychotics required to evoke a 50% inhibition of IKr are well above the reported therapeutic plasma concentrations of free and total compound.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제17권1호
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• pp.37-42
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• 2013

Taxifolin glycoside is a new drug candidate for the treatment of atopic dermatitis (AD). Many drugs cause side effects such as long QT syndrome by blocking the human ether-a-go-go related gene (hERG) $K^+$ channels. To determine whether taxifolin glycoside would block hERG $K^+$ channels, we recorded hERG $K^+$ currents using a whole-cell patch clamp technique. We found that taxifolin glycoside directly blocked hERG $K^+$ current in a concentration-dependent manner ($EC_{50}=9.6{\pm}0.7{\mu}M$). The activation curve of hERG $K^+$ channels was negatively shifted by taxifolin glycoside. In addition, taxifolin glycoside accelerated the activation time constant and reduced the onset of the inactivation time constant. These results suggest that taxifolin glycoside blocks hERG $K^+$ channels that function by facilitating activation and inactivation process.

• 대한화학회지
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• 제53권6호
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• pp.653-662
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• 2009

흡수, 분포, 대사, 배설 특성 및 독성을 예측하기 위한 효과적인 툴을 개발하는 것은 신약개발의 초기단계에서 NCE(new chemical entity)에 대한 가장 중요한 업무 중의 하나이다. 최근에 이런 시도중의 하나로서 ADME/T(absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, toxicity)관련 성질들의 예측에 support vector machine(SVM)을 이용하고 있다. 그리고 SVM은 ADME/T 성질들을 정확하게 예측하는데 많이 사용 되고 있다. 그러나 SVM 모델링에 두 가지 문제가 있다. 특성 선택(feature selection) 과 매개변수 설정(parameter setting)은 여전히 해결해야 할 과제이다. 이 두 가지 문제들은 SVM 분류의 효율성과 정확도에 결정적인 영향을 끼친다. 특히 특성 선택과 최적화된 SVM 변수의 설정은 서로 영향을 주기 때문에 동시에 다루어져야 한다. 여기서 우리는 genetic algorithm(GA) – 특성 선택에 사용 – 과 grid search(GS) method– 변수최적화에 사용 – 두 가지를 통합하는 효과적인 해결책을 제시하였다. ADME/T관련 성질 중 하나인 심장부정맥을 야기시키는 hERG 이온채널 저해제 분류 모델이 여기서 제안된 GA-GS-SVM을 위해 할당되고 테스트 되었다. 1891개의 화합물을 가지는 트레이닝 셋으로 단일 모델 3개, 앙상블 모델 3개, 총 6개의 모델을 만들었고 175개의 외부 데이터를 테스트 셋으로 사용하여 검증하였다. 데이터의 불균형 문제를 해결하기 위하여 GA-GS-SVM 단일 모델에 의한 예측 정확도와 GA-GS-SVM 앙상블 모델 예측 정확도를 비교하였으며, 앙상블모델을 사용하여 예측의 정확도를 높일 수 있었다.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• 제34권3호
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• pp.153-159
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• 2010

The 34 potently pig pheromonal odorants (1-32, 5755 & 7113) through structure-based virtual screening and ligand-based virtual screening method were selected and their ADMET and pharmacokinetics characters were evaluated and discussed quantitatively. The pheromonal odorants were projected on the following pre-calculated models, Caco-2 cell permeability, blood-brain barrier permeation, hERG inhibition and volume-distribution. From the results of in silico study, it is found that an optimal compound (31) either penetrating or have a little ($P_{caco2}$=-8.143) for Caco-2 cell permeability, moderate penetrating ability ($P_{BBB}$=0.082) for blood-brain barrier permeation, the low QT prolongation ($P_{hERG}$=1.137) for the hERG $K^+$ channel inhibition, and low distribution into tissues ($P_{VD}$=-5.468) for volume-distribution. Therefore, it is predicted that the compound (31) a topical application may be preferable from these based foundings.