Studying the hERG channel’s role in abnormal heart rhythm

Modulation of hERG potassium channel function by intracellular acidosis

Suffering from an abnormal heart rhythm (a condition called arrhythmia) is a frightening and potentially life-threatening condition. New treatments are needed to help prevent them. Professor Jules Hancox and his team at the University of Bristol have been awarded a 3-year grant to investigate what causes arrhythmia. Usually, our heartbeat is a coordinated electrical wave that spreads through the heart. Ion channels are needed for the contraction of the heart muscle, which makes the heartbeat. The team is looking at a particular ion channel called hERG, whose normal activity is important for heart function. Their previous research has suggested that increased acid in heart cells, which occurs when there is a lack of oxygen, may alter the function of hERG and disrupt electrical activity. Many antiarrhythmic drugs target hERG so it is really important to understand how the channels work.