Referenced in: none

Automatically associated channels: Kv1.5

Title: Is there a functional correlate of Kv1.5 in the ventricle of canine heart and what would it mean for the use of I(Kur) blockers?

Authors: E Wettwer

Journal, date & volume: Br. J. Pharmacol., 2007 Nov , 152, 835-7

PubMed link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17876301

Abstract
The cardiac ultrarapid outward current I(Kur), encoded by KCNA5, is of special pharmacological interest, because it is considered to be atrium-specific. I(Kur) has therefore become a target in the therapy of atrial tachyarrhythmias. However, the concept of atrium specificity is only valid if a functional I(Kur) current is in fact absent from the ventricle. However, new work has detected a I(Kur)-like current in canine ventricular myocytes, sensitive to 4-aminopyridine and suppressed by the I(Kur) blocker DPO-1, findings that support the existence of a functional ventricular I(Kur). These indications are, however, indirect and more effort is needed to clarify unequivocally the putative role of an expectedly small I(Kur) component in the ventricle.