Computational analysis of arrhythmogenesis in KCNH2 T618I mutation-associated short QT syndrome and the pharmacological effects of quinidine and sotalol

Abstract

Short QT syndrome (SQTS) is a rare but dangerous genetic disease. In this research, we conducted a comprehensive in silico investigation into the arrhythmogenesis in KCNH2 T618I-associated SQTS using a multi-scale human ventricle model. A Markov chain model of IKr was developed firstly to reproduce the experimental observations. It was then incorporated into cell, tissue, and organ models to explore how the mutation provided substrates for ventricular arrhythmias. Using this T618I Markov model, we explicitly revealed the subcellular level functional alterations by T618I mutation, particularly the changes of ion channel states that are difficult to demonstrate in wet experiments. The following tissue and organ models also successfully reproduced the changed dynamics of reentrant spiral waves and impaired rate adaptions in hearts of T618I mutation. In terms of pharmacotherapy, we replicated the different effects of a drug under various conditions using identical mathematical descriptions for drugs. This study not only simulated the actions of an effective drug (quinidine) at various physiological levels, but also elucidated why the IKr inhibitor sotalol failed in SQT1 patients through profoundly analyzing its mutation-dependent actions.