title: Use of FDSS/μCell imaging platform for preclinical cardiac electrophysiology safety screening of compounds in human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes.
abstract: FDSS/μCell is a high-speed acquisition imaging platform (Hamamatsu Ltd., Hamamatsu, Japan) that allows for simultaneous high-throughput reading under controlled conditions. We evaluated the Ca(2+) transients or optical membrane potential changes of human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) (iCells) in the presence or absence of 44 pharmacological agents known to interfere with cardiac ion channels (e.g., hERG, IKs, NaV1.5, CaV1.2). We tested two Ca(2+)-sensitive fluorescence dyes (Codex ACTOne® and EarlyTox®) and a membrane potential dye (FLIPR® membrane potential dye). We were able to quantify and report drug-induced early-after depolarizations (EAD)-like waveforms, cardiomyocyte ectopic beats and changes in beating rate from a subgroup of pharmacological agents acting acutely (within a 1-hour period). Cardiovascular drugs, such as dofetilide and d,l-sotalol, exhibited EAD-like signals at 3nM and 10μM, respectively. CNS drugs, such as haloperidol and sertindole, exhibited EAD-like signals and ectopic beats at 30nM and 1μM, respectively. Other drugs, such as astemizole, solifenacin, and moxifloxacin, exhibited similar arrhythmias at 30nM, 3μM and 300μM, respectively. Our data suggest that the membrane potential and intracellular Ca(2+) signal are tightly coupled, supporting the idea that the EAD-like signals reported are the accurate representation of an EAD signal of the cardiac action potential. Finally, the EAD-like Ca(2+) signal was well correlated to clinically-relevant concentrations where Torsade de Pointes (TdPs) arrhythmias were noted in healthy volunteers treated orally with some of the compounds we tested, as reported in PharmaPendium®.
authors.affiliation: SALAR, Safety & Exploratory Pharmacology Department, Merck Research Laboratories, West Point, PA 19486, USA. Electronic address: haoyu.zeng@merck.com.
authors.forename: Haoyu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.affiliation: SALAR, Safety & Exploratory Pharmacology Department, Merck Research Laboratories, West Point, PA 19486, USA.
authors.forename: Maria I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Roman
authors.affiliation: SALAR, Safety & Exploratory Pharmacology Department, Merck Research Laboratories, West Point, PA 19486, USA.
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lis
authors.affiliation: SALAR, Safety & Exploratory Pharmacology Department, Merck Research Laboratories, West Point, PA 19486, USA.
authors.forename: Armando
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lagrutta
authors.affiliation: SALAR, Safety & Exploratory Pharmacology Department, Merck Research Laboratories, West Point, PA 19486, USA.
authors.forename: Frederick
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sannajust
mesh_terms: D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000187:drug effects; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D002491:Central Nervous System Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical / Q000379:methods; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000187:drug effects; D055724:Electrophysiological Phenomena / Q000187:drug effects; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D057026:Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects*; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000187:drug effects; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000187:drug effects*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012449:Safety; D016171:Torsades de Pointes / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D015220:Calcium Channels; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents; D002491:Central Nervous System Agents; D007473:Ion Channels
keywords: Ca(2+)-transient; Preclinical cardiac safety; hiPSC-CM