| Assay Method Information | |
| | Kv11.1 (hERG) ION CHANNEL ACTIVITY (Patch Clamp Assay) |
| Description: | Method for the detection and characterisation of test substances which interfere with the Kv11.1 (hERG) channel: Kv11.1 (hERG, human ether a-go-go related gene) is a potassium channel which plays a central role for repolarisation of the cells in the ventricular cardiomyocytes.The patch-clamp measurement was carried out at room temperature in whole-cell configuration on human embryonic kidney cells (HEK293) which have been transfected in a stable manner with the hERG gene.The whole-cell configurations were carried out using an automated patch clamp device (Patchliner, Nanion Technologies, Munich). This is a glass chip-based system with which automated whole-cell measurements on up to 8 cells simultaneously are possible. The glass chip has a hole of defined size to which the cell is transferred into the Gigaseal by application of a reduced pressure and brought into the whole-cell configuration. Buffer, cell suspension and test substances were added to microchannels of the chip using a Teflon-coated pipette. The cells were clamped to a holding potential of −80 mV. For measurement of substancepromoted inhibition of the Kv11.1 channel, the following voltage protocol was applied at 10-second intervals: 51 ms/−80 mV, 500 ms/+40 mV, 500 ms/−40 mV, 200 ms/−80 mV. The leakage current is subtracted by means of the P4 method. The cells were resuspended in extracellular buffer (EC) and applied to the chip. After the cell had been collected, the seal was improved by addition of a seal enhancer buffer. As soon as the whole-cell configuration had been reached, the seal enhancer buffer was washed out and replaced by extracellular buffer. The measurement started in EC for 1.5 min. DMSO (vehicle control, 0.1% of DMSO) was then applied, and the control current was recorded for 3 min. The test substance was subsequently added twice in the same concentration, and the potassium current was measured for 3.5 min in each case.If the measurement result of a test substance at an initial concentration of 10 μM was smaller than (−)50% effect (threshold value) (for example (−)60% effect), the test substance was, in order to determine a dose/action relationship, added cumulatively in increasing concentration, where each concentration was measured for 5 min.The reference substance used was the Kv11.1 (hERG) ion channel blocker quinidine. The effects of test substances and quinidine were standardised to the associated vehicle control. The effect on the Kv11.1 (hERG) channel activity was assessed from the potassium current at −40 mV. For the calculation, the current was evaluated for the respective final trace. A test-substance-induced inhibition of the Kv11.1(hERG) channel was standardised to the vehicle control (0.1% of DMSO).During the measurement, an aliquot of the test substance was taken for concentration determination. The sample was measured immediately by HPLC, and the final concentration was determined from a calibration curve. |
| Affinity data for this assay | |
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