The acrylamide (S)-1 differentially affects Kv7 (KCNQ) potassium channels

The family of Kv7 (KCNQ) potassium channels consists of five members. Kv7.2 and 3 are the primary molecular correlates of the M-current, but also Kv7.4 and Kv7.5 display M-current characteristics. M-channel modulators include blockers (e.g., linopirdine) for cognition enhancement and openers (e.g., retigabine) for treatment of epilepsy and neuropathic pain. We investigated the effect of a Bristol–Myers Squibb compound (S)-N-[1-(3-morpholin-4-yl-phenyl)-ethyl]-3-phenyl-acrylamide [(S)-1] on cloned human Kv7.1–5 potassium channels expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes. Using two-electrode voltage-clamp recordings we found that (S)-1 blocks Kv7.1 and Kv7.1/KCNE1 currents. In contrast, (S)-1 produced a hyperpolarizing shift of the activation curve for Kv7.2, Kv7.2/Kv7.3, Kv7.4 and Kv7.5. Further, the compound enhanced the maximal current amplitude at all potentials for Kv7.4 and Kv7.5 whereas the combined activation/block of Kv7.2 and Kv7.2/3 was strongly voltage-dependent. The tryptophan residue 242 in S5, known to be crucial for the effect of retigabine, was also shown to be critical for the enhancing effect of (S)-1 and BMS204352. Furthermore, no additive effect on Kv7.4 current amplitude was observed when both retigabine and (S)-1 or BMS204352 were applied simultaneously. In conclusion, (S)-1 differentially affects the Kv7 channel subtypes and is dependent on a single tryptophan for the current enhancing effect in Kv7.4.