NS19504: a novel BK channel activator with relaxing effect on bladder smooth muscle spontaneous phasic contractions.

Large-conductance Ca(2+)-activated K(+) channels (BK, KCa1.1, MaxiK) are important regulators of urinary bladder function and may be an attractive therapeutic target in bladder disorders. In this study, we established a high-throughput fluorometric imaging plate reader-based screening assay for BK channel activators and identified a small-molecule positive modulator, NS19504 (5-[(4-bromophenyl)methyl]-1,3-thiazol-2-amine), which activated the BK channel with an EC50 value of 11.0 ± 1.4 µM. Hit validation was performed using high-throughput electrophysiology (QPatch), and further characterization was achieved in manual whole-cell and inside-out patch-clamp studies in human embryonic kidney 293 cells expressing hBK channels: NS19504 caused distinct activation from a concentration of 0.3 and 10 µM NS19504 left-shifted the voltage activation curve by 60 mV. Furthermore, whole-cell recording showed that NS19504 activated BK channels in native smooth muscle cells from guinea pig urinary bladder. In guinea pig urinary bladder strips, NS19504 (1 µM) reduced spontaneous phasic contractions, an effect that was significantly inhibited by the specific BK channel blocker iberiotoxin. In contrast, NS19504 (1 µM) only modestly inhibited nerve-evoked contractions and had no effect on contractions induced by a high K(+) concentration consistent with a K(+) channel-mediated action. Collectively, these results show that NS19504 is a positive modulator of BK channels and provide support for the role of BK channels in urinary bladder function. The pharmacologic profile of NS19504 indicates that this compound may have the potential to reduce nonvoiding contractions associated with spontaneous bladder overactivity while having a minimal effect on normal voiding.

Automated planar electrode electrophysiology in drug discovery: examples of the use of QPatch in basic characterization and high content screening on Na(v), K(Ca)2.3, and K(v)11.1 channels.

Planar chip technology has strongly facilitated the progress towards fully automated electrophysiological systems that, in contrast to the traditional patch clamp technology, have the capability of parallel compound testing. The throughput has been increased from testing below 10 compounds per day to a realized capacity approaching high throughput levels. Many pharmaceutical companies have implemented automated planar chip electrophysiology in their drug discovery process, particularly at the levels of lead optimization, secondary screening and safety testing, whereas primary screening is generally not performed. In this review, we briefly discuss the technology and give examples from selected NeuroSearch ion channel programs, where one of the systems, the QPatch, has been evaluated for use in lead optimization and primary screening campaigns, where high information content was a requirement.

Oxycodone is associated with dose-dependent QTc prolongation in patients and low-affinity inhibiting of hERG activity in vitro.

WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN: During recent years some opioids have been associated with prolonged QT and torsade de pointes (TdP). In vitro testing has shown that most opioids can block the cardiac potassium channels. This indicates that QT prolongation and TdP could be a more general problem associated with the use of these drugs. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: This study is the first to show that oxycodone dose is associated with QT prolongation and in vitro blockade of hERG channels expressed in HEK293. Neither morphine nor tramadol doses are associated with the QT interval length. AIMS: During recent years some opioids have been associated with prolonged QT interval and torsade de pointes (TdP). In vitro patch clamp testing has shown that most opioids can block human ether-a-go-go related gene (hERG) channels that are known to underlie cardiac repolarizing I(Kr) current. This indicates that QT prolongation and TdP could be a more general problem associated with the use of these drugs. The aims of this study were to evaluate the association between different opioids and the QTc among patients and measure hERG activity under influence by opioids in vitro. METHODS: One hundred chronic nonmalignant pain patients treated with methadone, oxycodone, morphine or tramadol were recruited in a cross-sectional study. The QTc was estimated from a 12-lead ECG. To examine hERG activity in the presence of oxycodone, electrophysiological testing was conducted using Xenopus laevis oocytes and HEK293 cells expressing hERG channels. RESULTS: There were no differences in gender distribution or age between the treatment groups. The known association between methadone dose and QTc was confirmed (R(2) = 0.09; P = 0.02). Higher oxycodone dose was also associated with longer QTc (R(2) = 0.21; P = 0.02). A 100 mg higher oxycodone dose was associated with a 10 ms(1/2) (95% CI 2-19) longer QTc. Neither morphine nor tramadol dose was associated with the QTc. Electrophysiological testing revealed low-affinity inhibition of the potassium current through hERG channels expressed in HEK293 cells (IC(50) = 171 microM oxycodone). CONCLUSIONS: Among patients treated with methadone or oxycodone, higher doses were associated with longer QTc. Oxycodone is capable of inhibiting hERG channels in vitro.

K(v)7 channels: function, pharmacology and channel modulators.

K(v)7 channels are unique among K(+) channels, since four out of the five channel subtypes have well-documented roles in the development of human diseases. They have distinct physiological functions in the heart and in the nervous system, which can be ascribed to their voltage-gating properties. The K(v)7 channels also lend themselves to pharmacological modulation, and synthetic openers as well as blockers of the channels, regulating neuronal excitability, have existed even before the K(v)7 channels were identified by cloning. In the present review we give an account on the focused efforts to develop selective modulators, openers as well as blockers, of the K(v)7 channel subtypes, which have been undertaken during recent years, along with a discussion of the K(v)7 ion channel physiology and therapeutic indications for modulators of the neuronal K(v)7 channels.

High throughput electrophysiology: new perspectives for ion channel drug discovery.

Proper function of ion channels is crucial for all living cells. Ion channel dysfunction may lead to a number of diseases, so-called channelopathies, and a number of common diseases, including epilepsy, arrhythmia, and type II diabetes, are primarily treated by drugs that modulate ion channels. A cornerstone in current drug discovery is high throughput screening assays which allow examination of the activity of specific ion channels though only to a limited extent. Conventional patch clamp remains the sole technique with sufficiently high time resolution and sensitivity required for precise and direct characterization of ion channel properties. However, patch clamp is a slow, labor-intensive, and thus expensive, technique. New techniques combining the reliability and high information content of patch clamping with the virtues of high throughput philosophy are emerging and predicted to make a number of ion channel targets accessible for drug screening. Specifically, genuine HTS parallel processing techniques based on arrays of planar silicon chips are being developed, but also lower throughput sequential techniques may be of value in compound screening, lead optimization, and safety screening. The introduction of new powerful HTS electrophysiological techniques is predicted to cause a revolution in ion channel drug discovery.

Upscaling and automation of electrophysiology: toward high throughput screening in ion channel drug discovery.

Effective screening of large compound libraries in ion channel drug discovery requires the development of new electrophysiological techniques with substantially increased throughputs compared to the conventional patch clamp technique. Sophion Bioscience is aiming to meet this challenge by developing two lines of automated patch clamp products, a traditional pipette-based system called Apatchi-1, and a silicon chip-based system QPatch. The degree of automation spans from semi-automation (Apatchi-1) where a trained technician interacts with the system in a limited way, to a complete automation (QPatch 96) where the system works continuously and unattended until screening of a full compound library is completed. The performance of the systems range from medium to high throughputs.