Transgenic LQT2, LQT5, and LQT2‐5 rabbit models with decreased repolarisation reserve for prediction of drug‐induced ventricular arrhythmias

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Reliable prediction of pro‐arrhythmic side effects of novel drug candidates is still a major challenge. Although drug‐induced pro‐arrhythmia occurs primarily in patients with pre‐existing repolarisation disturbances, healthy animals are employed for pro‐arrhythmia testing. To improve current safety screening, transgenic long QT (LQTS) rabbit models with impaired repolarisation reserve were generated by overexpressing loss‐of‐function mutations of human HERG (HERG‐G628S, loss of I(Kr); LQT2), KCNE1 (KCNE1‐G52R, decreased I(Ks); LQT5), or both transgenes (LQT2‐5) in the heart. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: Effects of K(+) channel blockers on cardiac repolarisation and arrhythmia susceptibility were assessed in healthy wild‐type (WT) and LQTS rabbits using in vivo ECG and ex vivo monophasic action potential and ECG recordings in Langendorff‐perfused hearts. KEY RESULTS: LQTS models reflect patients with clinically “silent” (LQT5) or “manifest” (LQT2 and LQT2‐5) impairment in cardiac repolarisation reserve: they were more sensitive in detecting I(Kr)‐blocking (LQT5) or I(K1)/I(Ks)‐blocking (LQT2 and LQT2‐5) properties of drugs compared to healthy WT animals. Impaired QT‐shortening capacity at fast heart rates was observed due to disturbed I(Ks) function in LQT5 and LQT2‐5. Importantly, LQTS models exhibited higher incidence, longer duration, and more malignant types of ex vivo arrhythmias than WT. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS: LQTS models represent patients with reduced repolarisation reserve due to different pathomechanisms. As they demonstrate increased sensitivity to different specific ion channel blockers (I(Kr) blockade in LQT5 and I(K1) and I(Ks) blockade in LQT2 and LQT2‐5), their combined use could provide more reliable and more thorough prediction of (multichannel‐based) pro‐arrhythmic potential of novel drug candidates.