title: Expression and functional role of HERG1, K+ channels in leukemic cells and leukemic stem cells.
abstract: In order to investigate the expression and functional role of HERG1 K+ channels in leukemic cells and leukemic stem cells (LSCs), RT-PCR was used to detect the HERG1 K+ channels expression in leukemic cells and LSCs. The functional role of HERG1 K+ channels in leukemic cell proliferation was measured by MTT assay, and cell cycle and apoptosis were analyzed by flow cytometry. The results showed that herg mRNA was expressed in CD34+/CD38-, CD123+ LSCs but not in circulating CD34+ cells. Herg mRNA was also up-regulated in leukemia cell lines K562 and HL60 as well as almost all the primary leukemic cells while not in normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNCs) and the expression of herg mRNA was not associated with the clinical and cytogenetic features of leukemia. In addition, leukemic cell proliferation was dramatically inhibited by HERG K+ channel special inhibitor E-4031. Moreover, E-4031 suppressed the cell growth by inducing a specific block at the G1/S transition phase of the cell cycle but had no effect on apoptosis in leukemic cells. The results suggested that HERG1 K+ channels could regulate leukemic cells proliferation and were necessary for leukemic cells to proceed with the cell cycle. HERG1 K+ channels may also have oncogenic potential and may be a biomarker for diagnosis of leukemia and a novel potential pharmacological target for leukemia therapy.
authors.affiliation: Center for Stem Cell Research and Application, Institute of Hematology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China. huiyuli26@yahoo.com.cn
authors.forename: Huiyu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Liqiong
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Tiannan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Jiahua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xiaoqing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Wen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xiangjun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Shi'ang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D002453:Cell Cycle; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D051638:Ether-A-Go-Go Potassium Channels / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015870:Gene Expression; D018922:HL-60 Cells; D006801:Humans; D020014:K562 Cells; D007938:Leukemia / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D051638:Ether-A-Go-Go Potassium Channels; C496884:KCNH1 protein, human; D012333:RNA, Messenger