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?
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.
authors: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical Faculty, Dresden University of Technology, Dresden, Germany. wettwer@mail.zih.tu-dresden.de
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Wettwer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004285:Dogs; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000187:drug effects; D051666:Kv1.5 Potassium Channel / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D009928:Organ Specificity; D026902:Potassium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016276:Ventricular Function
chemical_list: D051666:Kv1.5 Potassium Channel; D026902:Potassium Channel Blockers