Northwestern Events Calendar

Oct
16
2017

KCNQ1 and Iks Channels: New Drug Targets for Treating Cardiac Arrhythmias

When: Monday, October 16, 2017
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM CT

Where: Ward Building, 5-230, 303 E. Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611 map it

Audience: Faculty/Staff - Student - Public - Post Docs/Docs - Graduate Students

Contact: Alexa Nash   (312) 503-4893

Group: Department of Pharmacology Seminars

Category: Lectures & Meetings

Description:

The Department of Pharmacology welcomes Dr. Jianmin Cui, Ph.D., Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis.

The following, is an overview of this seminar, as described by Dr. Cui:

The opening of Iks channels in the heart repolarizes cardiac action potentials and regulates heart rhythm. IKs is formed by the association of the voltage activated K+ channel alpha subunit KCNQ1 and the auxiliary beta subunit KCNE1. Voltage dependent opening of KCNQ1 and Iks channels involves three molecular processes: voltage sensor activation, propagation of voltage sensor movements to the pore, and pore opening. We have identified chemical compounds that enhance KCNQ1 and Iks channel opening by modifying either voltage sensor activation or propagation of voltage sensor movements to the pore. The enhanced IKs currents by these compounds reduce drug induced action potential prolongation in cardiac myocytes, suggesting that KCNQ1 and IKs channels may be new drug targets for treating cardiac arrhythmias.

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