Rebecca Gutmann

Mutation in Glycerol-3-Phosphate Dehydrogenase 1–Like Gene (GPD1-L) Decreases Cardiac Na+ Current and Causes Inherited Arrhythmias

Background— Brugada syndrome is a rare, autosomal-dominant, male-predominant form of idiopathic ventricular fibrillation characterized by a right bundle-branch block and ST elevation in the right precordial leads of the surface ECG. Mutations in the cardiac Na+ channel SCN5A on chromosome 3p21 cause ≈20% of the cases of Brugada syndrome; most mutations decrease inward Na+ current, some by preventing trafficking of the channels to the surface membrane. We previously used positional cloning to identify a new locus on chromosome 3p24 in a large family with Brugada syndrome and excluded SCN5A as a candidate gene. Methods and Results— We used direct sequencing to identify a mutation (A280V) in a conserved amino acid of the glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase 1–like (GPD1-L) gene. The mutation was present in all affected individuals and absent in >500 control subjects. GPD1-L RNA and protein are abundant in the heart. Compared with wild-type GPD1-L, coexpression of A280V GPD1-L with SCN5A in HEK cells reduced inward Na+ currents by ≈50% (P<0.005). Wild-type GPD1-L localized near the cell surface to a greater extent than A280V GPD1-L. Coexpression of A280V GPD1-L with SCN5A reduced SCN5A cell surface expression by 31±5% (P=0.01). Conclusions— GPD1-L is a novel gene that may affect trafficking of the cardiac Na+ channel to the cell surface. A GPD1-L mutation decreases SCN5A surface membrane expression, reduces inward Na+ current, and causes Brugada syndrome.

Genetic variation in the alternative splicing regulator RBM20 is associated with dilated cardiomyopathy

BACKGROUND Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a leading cause of heart failure and death. The etiology of DCM is genetically heterogeneous. OBJECTIVES We sought to define the prevalence of mutations in the RNA splicing protein RBM20 in a large cohort with DCM and to determine whether genetic variation in RBM20 is associated with clinical outcomes. METHODS Subjects included in the Genetic Risk Assessment of Defibrillator Events (GRADE) study were aged at least 18 years, had an ejection fraction of ≤30%, and an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD). The coding region and splice junctions of RBM20 were screened in subjects with DCM; 2 common polymorphisms in RBM20, rs942077 and rs35141404, were genotyped in all GRADE subjects. RESULTS A total of 1465 subjects were enrolled in the GRADE study, and 283 with DCM were screened for RBM20 mutations. The mean age of subjects with DCM was 58 ± 13 years, 64% were males, and the mean follow-up time was 24.2 ± 17.1 months after ICD placement. RBM20 mutations were identified in 8 subjects with DCM (2.8%). Mutation carriers had a similar survival, transplantation rate, and frequency of ICD therapy compared with nonmutation carriers. Three of 8 subjects with RBM20 mutations (37.5%) had atrial fibrillation (AF), whereas 19 subjects without mutations (7.4%) had AF (P = .02). Among all GRADE subjects, rs35141404 was associated with AF (minor allele odds ratio = 0.62; 95% confidence interval = 0.44-0.86; P = .006). In the subset of GRADE subjects with DCM, rs35141404 was associated with AF (minor allele odds ratio = 0.58; P = .047). CONCLUSIONS Mutations in RBM20 were observed in approximately 3% of subjects with DCM. There were no differences in survival, transplantation rate, and frequency of ICD therapy in mutation carriers.

Statins Decrease Oxidative Stress and ICD Therapies

Recent studies demonstrate that statins decrease ventricular arrhythmias in internal cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) patients. The mechanism is unknown, but evidence links increased inflammatory and oxidative states with increased arrhythmias. We hypothesized that statin use decreases oxidation. Methods. 304 subjects with ICDs were surveyed for ventricular arrhythmia. Blood was analyzed for derivatives of reactive oxygen species (DROMs) and interleukin-6 (IL-6). Results. Subjects included 252 (83%) men, 58% on statins, 20% had ventricular arrhythmias. Average age was 63 years and ejection fraction (EF) 20%. ICD implant duration was 29 ± 27 months. Use of statins correlated with lower ICD events (r = 0.12, P = .02). Subjects on statins had lower hsCRP (5.2 versus 6.3; P = .05) and DROM levels (373 versus 397; P = .03). Other factors, including IL-6 and EF did not differ between statin and nonstatin use, nor did beta-blocker or antiarrhythmic use. Multivariate cross-correlation analysis demonstrated that DROMs, statins, IL-6 and EF were strongly associated with ICD events. Multivariate regression shows DROMs to be the dominant predictor. Conclusion. ICD event rate correlates with DROMs, a measure of lipid peroxides. Use of statins is associated with reduced DROMs and fewer ICD events, suggesting that statins exert their effect through reducing oxidation.

Left Ventricular Dilatation Increases the Risk of Ventricular Arrhythmias in Patients With Reduced Systolic Function

Background Reduced left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction increases the risk of ventricular arrhythmias; however, LV ejection fraction has a low sensitivity to predict ventricular arrhythmias. LV dilatation and mass may be useful to further risk-stratify for ventricular arrhythmias. Methods and Results Patients from the Genetic Risk of Assessment of Defibrillator Events (GRADE) study (N =930), a study of heart failure subjects with defibrillators, were assessed for appropriate implantable cardioverter-defibrillator shock and death, heart transplant, or ventricular assist device placement by LV diameter and mass. LV mass was divided into normal, mild, moderate, and severe classifications. Severe LV end-diastolic diameter had worse shock-free survival than normal and mild LV end-diastolic diameter (P =0.0002 and 0.0063, respectively; 2-year shock free, severe 74%, moderate 80%, mild 91%, normal 88%; 4-year shock free, severe 62%, moderate 69%, mild 72%, normal 81%) and freedom from death, transplant, or ventricular assist device compared with normal and moderate LV end-diastolic diameter (P<0.0001 and 0.0441, respectively; 2-year survival: severe 78%, moderate 85%, mild 82%, normal 89%; 4-year survival: severe 55%, moderate 64%, mild 63%, normal 74%). Severe LV mass had worse shock-free survival than normal and mild LV mass (P =0.0370 and 0.0280, respectively; 2-year shock free: severe 80%, moderate 81%, mild 91%, normal 87%; 4-year shock free: severe 68%, moderate 73%, mild 76%, normal 76%) but no association with death, transplant, or ventricular assist device (P =0.1319). In a multivariable Cox proportional hazards analysis adjusted for LV ejection fraction, LV end-diastolic diameter was associated with appropriate implantable cardioverter-defibrillator shocks (hazard ratio 1.22, P =0.020). LV end-diastolic diameter was associated with time to death, transplant, or ventricular assist device (hazard ratio 1.29, P =0.0009). Conclusions LV dilatation may complement ejection fraction to predict ventricular arrhythmias. Clinical Trial Registration URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT02045043.

A common variant alters SCN5A–miR-24 interaction and associates with heart failure mortality

SCN5A encodes the voltage-gated Na+ channel NaV1.5 that is responsible for depolarization of the cardiac action potential and rapid intercellular conduction. Mutations disrupting the SCN5A coding sequence cause inherited arrhythmias and cardiomyopathy, and single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) linked to SCN5A splicing, localization, and function associate with heart failure–related sudden cardiac death. However, the clinical relevance of SNPs that modulate SCN5A expression levels remains understudied. We recently generated a transcriptome-wide map of microRNA (miR) binding sites in human heart, evaluated their overlap with common SNPs, and identified a synonymous SNP (rs1805126) adjacent to a miR-24 site within the SCN5A coding sequence. This SNP was previously shown to reproducibly associate with cardiac electrophysiological parameters, but was not considered to be causal. Here, we show that miR-24 potently suppresses SCN5A expression and that rs1805126 modulates this regulation. We found that the rs1805126 minor allele associates with decreased cardiac SCN5A expression and that heart failure subjects homozygous for the minor allele have decreased ejection fraction and increased mortality, but not increased ventricular tachyarrhythmias. In mice, we identified a potential basis for this in discovering that decreased Scn5a expression leads to accumulation of myocardial reactive oxygen species. Together, these data reiterate the importance of considering the mechanistic significance of synonymous SNPs as they relate to miRs and disease, and highlight a surprising link between SCN5A expression and nonarrhythmic death in heart failure.

Serum amine-based metabolites and their association with outcomes in primary prevention implantable cardioverter-defibrillator patients

AIMS Heart failure patients are at increased risk of ventricular arrhythmias and all-cause mortality. However, existing clinical and serum markers only modestly predict these adverse events. We sought to use metabolic profiling to identify novel biomarkers in two independent prospective cohorts of patients with implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) for primary prevention of sudden cardiac death (SCD). METHODS AND RESULTS Baseline serum was quantitatively profiled for 42 known biologically relevant amine-based metabolites among 402 patients from the Prospective Observational Study of Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillators (PROSE-ICD) Study (derivation group) and 240 patients from the Genetic Risk Assessment of Defibrillator Events (GRADE) Study (validation group) for ventricular arrhythmia-induced ICD shocks and all-cause mortality. Three amines, N-methyl-l-histidine, symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA), and l-kynurenine, were derived and validated to be associated with all-cause mortality. The hazard ratios of mortality in PROSE-ICD and GRADE were 1.48 (95% confidence interval 1.14-1.92) and 1.67 (1.22-2.27) for N-methyl-l-histidine, 1.49 (1.17-1.91) and 1.77 (1.27-2.45) for SDMA, 1.31 (1.06-1.63) and 1.73 (1.32-2.27) for l-kynurenine, respectively. l-Histidine, SDMA, and l-kynurenine were associated with ventricular arrhythmia-induced ICD shocks in PROSE-ICD, but they did not reach statistical significance in the GRADE cohort. CONCLUSION Utilizing metabolic profiling in two independent prospective cohorts of patients undergoing ICD implantation for primary prevention of SCD, we identified several novel amine markers that were associated with appropriate shock and mortality. These findings shed insight into the potential biologic pathways leading to adverse events in ICD patients. Further studies are needed to confirm the prognostic value of these findings.

COMPOUND SCN5A MUTATION AND FGF12 VARIATION CAUSE BRUGADA SYNDROME

Background: Mutations in the voltage-gated sodium channel (SCN5A; Nav1.5) and its regulating genes, such as fibroblast growth factor 12 (FGF12), are linked to Brugada syndrome (BrS). The goal of this study is to identify additional FGF12 mutations and variants that may be linked to BrS. Methods: