AIMS

Selective inhibition of cardiac late sodium current (INaL) is an emerging target in the treatment of ventricular arrhythmias. We investigated the electrophysiological effects of GS-458967 (GS967), a potent, selective inhibitor of INaL, in an overlap syndrome model of both gain and loss of sodium channel function, comprising cardiomyocytes derived from both human SCN5A-1795insD+/- induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC-CMs) and mice carrying the homologous mutation Scn5a-1798insD+/-.

METHODS AND RESULTS

On patch-clamp analysis, GS967 (300 nmol/l) reduced INaL and action potential (AP) duration in isolated ventricular myocytes from wild type and Scn5a-1798insD+/- mice, as well as in SCN5A-1795insD+/- hiPSC-CMs. GS967 did not affect the amplitude of peak INa, but slowed its recovery, and caused a negative shift in voltage-dependence of INa inactivation. GS967 reduced AP upstroke velocity in Scn5a-1798insD+/- myocytes and SCN5A-1795insD+/- hiPSC-CMs. However, the same concentration of GS967 did not affect conduction velocity in Scn5a-1798insD+/- mouse isolated hearts, as assessed by epicardial mapping. GS967 decreased the amplitude of delayed after depolarizations and prevented triggered activity in mouse Scn5a-1798insD+/- cardiomyocytes.

CONCLUSION

The INaL inhibitor GS967 decreases repolarization abnormalities and has anti-arrhythmic effects in the absence of deleterious effects on cardiac conduction. Thus, selective inhibition of INaL constitutes a promising pharmacological treatment of cardiac channelopathies associated with enhanced INaL. Our findings furthermore implement hiPSC-CMs as a valuable tool for assessment of novel pharmacological approaches in inherited sodium channelopathies.