Kcnh7, also known as erg3 (ether-à-go-go-related gene 3), is a member of the voltage-gated K+ channel Kv11 family. Potassium channels are crucial for stabilizing the resting potential and neuronal excitability. Kcnh7 channels play a role in dampening spontaneous activity in cerebellar Purkinje cells (PCs) and hippocampal CA1 neurons, thus regulating neuronal excitability [5].

In a study on schizophrenia, SNPs in Kcnh7 were associated with patients' responses to risperidone treatment. Specifically, the rs77699177 (C > T) in the Kcnh7 gene intron and rs2241240 SNP were significantly associated with treatment responses, indicating its potential as a functional marker for predicting treatment efficacy in schizophrenia [1]. In bipolar spectrum disorder, a non-synonymous variant of Kcnh7 (c.1181G>A, p.Arg394His) was found to be associated with the disorder. The variant altered the steady-state voltage dependence and kinetics of activation in neuronal cells, suggesting its involvement in the pathophysiology of bipolar spectrum disorder [3]. Whole exome sequencing also identified Kcnh7 variants associated with epilepsy in children [4]. In glioblastoma, Kcnh7 was identified as a potential factor associated with the proliferation of malignant cells, indicating its role in this aggressive brain tumor [2].

In conclusion, Kcnh7 is an important voltage-gated potassium channel gene involved in regulating neuronal excitability. Studies using genetic association analysis in humans have revealed its potential roles in diseases such as schizophrenia, bipolar spectrum disorder, epilepsy, and glioblastoma. These findings contribute to understanding the pathophysiology of these diseases and may potentially lead to the development of novel therapeutic strategies targeting Kcnh7.

References:

1. Wang, Xueping, Su, Yi, Yan, Hao, Huang, Yu, Yue, Weihua. 2019. Association Study of KCNH7 Polymorphisms and Individual Responses to Risperidone Treatment in Schizophrenia. In Frontiers in psychiatry, 10, 633. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00633. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31543842/

2. Wang, Liping, Li, Xinyi, Xu, Chengshi, Li, Yirong, Li, Zhiqiang. 2024. Unveiling novel cell clusters and biomarkers in glioblastoma and its peritumoral microenvironment at the single-cell perspective. In Journal of translational medicine, 22, 551. doi:10.1186/s12967-024-05313-5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38851695/

3. Strauss, Kevin A, Markx, Sander, Georgi, Benjamin, Bucan, Maja, Puffenberger, Erik G. 2014. A population-based study of KCNH7 p.Arg394His and bipolar spectrum disorder. In Human molecular genetics, 23, 6395-406. doi:10.1093/hmg/ddu335. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24986916/

4. Wu, Fan, Ji, Xinna, Shen, Mengxiao, Zhang, Xue, Chen, Qian. 2024. Whole exome sequencing identifies KCNH7 variants associated with epilepsy in children. In Genes & diseases, 12, 101322. doi:10.1016/j.gendis.2024.101322. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39634124/

5. Schwarz, Jürgen R, Freitag, Sandra, Pechmann, Yvonne, Hornig, Sönke, Kneussel, Matthias. 2024. Purkinje cell hyperexcitability and depressive-like behavior in mice lacking erg3 (ether-à-go-go-related gene) K+ channel subunits. In Science advances, 10, eadn6836. doi:10.1126/sciadv.adn6836. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39365861/