title: Critical roles of a small conductance Ca²⁺-activated K⁺ channel (SK3) in the repolarization process of atrial myocytes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Small conductance Ca(2+)-activated K(+) channels (K(Ca)2 or SK channels) have been reported in excitable cells, where they aid in integrating changes in intracellular Ca(2+) (Ca(i)²⁺) with membrane potentials. We have recently reported the functional expression of SK channels in human and mouse cardiac myocytes. Additionally, we have found that the channel is highly expressed in atria compared with the ventricular myocytes. We demonstrated that human cardiac myocytes expressed all three members of SK channels (SK1, 2, and 3); moreover, the different members are capable of forming heteromultimers. Here, we directly tested the contribution of SK3 to the overall repolarization of atrial action potentials.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We took advantage of a mouse model with site-specific insertion of a tetracycline-based genetic switch in the 5' untranslated region of the KCNN3 (SK3 channel) gene (SK3(T/T)). The gene-targeted animals overexpress the SK3 channel without interfering with the normal profile of SK3 expression. Whole-cell, patch-clamp techniques show a significant shortening of the action potential duration mainly at 90% repolarization (APD90) in atrial myocytes from the homozygous SK3(T/T) animals. Conversely, treatment with dietary doxycycline results in a significant prolongation of APD90 in atrial myocytes from SK3(T/T) animals. We further demonstrate that the shortening of APDs in SK3 overexpression mice predisposes the animals to inducible atrial arrhythmias.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SK3 channel contributes importantly towards atrial action potential repolarization. Our data suggest the important role of the SK3 isoform in atrial myocytes.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, GBSF 6315, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
authors.forename: Xiao-Dong
authors.initials: XD
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Valeriy
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Timofeyev
authors.forename: Ning
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Richard E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Myers
authors.forename: Dai-Min
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Anil
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Singapuri
authors.forename: Victor C
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.forename: Chris T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Bond
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Adelman
authors.forename: Deborah K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Lieu
authors.forename: Nipavan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chiamvimonvat
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials; D000818:Animals; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016275:Atrial Function; D004562:Electrocardiography; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism; D006720:Homozygote; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009154:Mutation; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000378:metabolism*; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D010641:Phenotype; D011188:Potassium / Q000378:metabolism*; D051640:Small-Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium Channels / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013997:Time Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: C496900:Kcnn3 protein, mouse; D051640:Small-Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium Channels; D011188:Potassium
keywords: Action potential duration; Atrial arrhythmia; Atrial myocyte; Repolarization; Small conductance calcium-activated potassium channel