Ca2+/calmodulin disrupts AKAP79/150 interactions with KCNQ (M-Type) K+ channels

Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate (DHEAS) Is an Endogenous Kv7 Channel Modulator That Reduces Kv7/M-Current Suppression and Inflammatory Pain

Neuronal Kv7 voltage-gated potassium channels generate the M-current and regulate neuronal excitability. Here, we report that dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) is an endogenous Kv7 channel modulator that attenuates Gq-coupled receptor-induced M-current suppression. DHEAS reduced muscarinic agonist-induced Kv7-current suppression of Kv7.1, Kv7.2, Kv7.4, or Kv7.5 homomeric currents and endogenous M-currents in rat sympathetic ganglion neurons. However, DHEAS per se did not alter the voltage dependence of these Kv7 homomeric channels or the m1 receptor-induced activation of phospholipase C or protein kinase C. DHEAS-treated Kv7.2 homomeric currents became resistant to depletion of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) induced by voltage-activated phosphatase, Ci-VSP or eVSP. Our computational models predicted a novel binding site for DHEAS in the cytoplasmic domain of Kv7 subunits. A single-point mutation of the predicted key histidine into cysteine in the rat Kv7.2 subunit, rKv7.2(H558C), resulted in a loss of effects of DHEAS on muscarinic Kv7 current suppression. Furthermore, in vivo administration of DHEAS in mice of both sexes reduced late phase pain responses in the formalin paw test. However, it did not have effects on early phase responses in the formalin paw test or responses in the hot plate test. Coadministration of a selective Kv7 inhibitor, XE991, and DHEAS eliminated analgesic effects of DHEAS in late phase responses in the formalin paw test. Collectively, these results suggest that DHEAS attenuates M-current suppression by stabilizing PIP2-Kv7 subunit interaction and can mitigate inflammatory pain.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT M-current suppression induced by stimulation of Gq-coupled receptors is a form of Kv7 current modulation that can reversibly increase neuronal excitability. This study demonstrates that DHEAS, an endogenous steroid hormone, is a novel Kv7 channel modulator that can attenuate M-current suppression without affecting basal Kv7 channel kinetics. Administration of DHEAS in vivo alleviated inflammatory pain in rodents. These results suggest that the degree of M-current suppression can be dynamically regulated by small molecules. Therefore, this novel form of Kv7 channel regulation holds promising potential as a therapeutic target for sensitized nervous activities, such as inflammatory pain.

Investigating Interactions Between Histone Modifying Enzymes and Transcription Factors in vivo by Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer

Epigenetic regulation of gene expression is commonly affected by histone modifying enzymes (HMEs) that generate heterochromatic or euchromatic histone marks for transcriptional repression or activation, respectively. HMEs are recruited to their target chromatin by transcription factors (TFs). Thus, detecting and characterizing direct interactions between HMEs and TFs are critical for understanding their function and specificity better. These studies would be more biologically relevant if performed in vivo within living tissues. Here, a protocol is described for visualizing interactions in plant leaves between a plant histone deubiquitinase and a plant transcription factor using fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET), which allows the detection of complexes between protein molecules that are within <10 nm from each other. Two variations of the FRET technique are presented: SE-FRET (sensitized emission) and AB-FRET (acceptor bleaching), in which the energy is transferred non-radiatively from the donor to the acceptor or emitted radiatively by the donor upon photobleaching of the acceptor. Both SE-FRET and AB-FRET approaches can be adapted easily to discover other interactions between other proteins in planta.

Kv Channel Ancillary Subunits: Where Do We Go from Here?

Voltage-gated potassium (Kv) channels each comprise four pore-forming α-subunits that orchestrate essential duties such as voltage sensing and K+ selectivity and conductance. In vivo, however, Kv channels also incorporate regulatory subunits-some Kv channel specific, others more general modifiers of protein folding, trafficking, and function. Understanding all the above is essential for a complete picture of the role of Kv channels in physiology and disease.

Calcineurin in the heart: New horizons for an old friend

Calcineurin, also known as PP2B or PPP3, is a member of the PPP family of protein phosphatases that also includes PP1 and PP2A. Together these three phosphatases carryout the majority of dephosphorylation events in the heart. Calcineurin is distinct in that it is activated by the binding of calcium/calmodulin (Ca2+/CaM) and therefore acts as a node for integrating Ca2+ signals with changes in phosphorylation, two fundamental intracellular signaling cascades. In the heart, calcineurin is primarily thought of in the context of pathological cardiac remodeling, acting through the Nuclear Factor of Activated T-cell (NFAT) family of transcription factors. However, calcineurin activity is also essential for normal heart development and homeostasis in the adult heart. Furthermore, it is clear that NFAT-driven changes in transcription are not the only relevant processes initiated by calcineurin in the setting of pathological remodeling. There is a growing appreciation for the diversity of calcineurin substrates that can impact cardiac function as well as the diversity of mechanisms for targeting calcineurin to specific sub-cellular domains in cardiomyocytes and other cardiac cell types. Here, we will review the basics of calcineurin structure, regulation, and function in the context of cardiac biology. Particular attention will be given to: the development of improved tools to identify and validate new calcineurin substrates; recent studies identifying new calcineurin isoforms with unique properties and targeting mechanisms; and the role of calcineurin in cardiac development and regeneration.

Nicotine enhances object recognition memory through inhibition of voltage-dependent potassium 7 channels in the medial prefrontal cortex of mice

Nicotine administration enhances object recognition memory. However, target brain regions and cellular mechanisms underlying the nicotine effects remain unclear. In mice, the novel object recognition test revealed that systemic nicotine administration before training enhanced object recognition memory. Moreover, this effect was inhibited by infusion of retigabine, a selective voltage-dependent potassium 7 (Kv7) channel opener, into the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) before nicotine administration. Additionally, infusion of XE-991, a selective Kv7 channel blocker, into the mPFC before training enhanced object recognition memory. Therefore, Kv7 channels in the mPFC may be at least partly involved in nicotine-induced enhancement of object recognition memory.

Nicotine Enhances Firing Activity of Layer 5 Pyramidal Neurons in the Medial Prefrontal Cortex through Inhibition of Kv7 Channels

Nicotine enhances attention, working memory and recognition. One of the brain regions associated with these effects of nicotine is the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). However, cellular mechanisms that induce the enhancing effects of nicotine remain unclear. To address this issue, we performed whole-cell patch-clamp recordings from mPFC layer 5 pyramidal neurons in slices of C57BL/6J mice. Shortly (approx. 2 min) after bath application of nicotine, the number of action potentials, which were elicited by depolarizing current injection, was increased, and this increase persisted for over 5 min. The effect of nicotine was blocked by the α4β2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) antagonist dihydro-β-erythroidine, α7 nAChR antagonist methyllycaconitine, or intracellular perfusion with the Ca²⁺ chelator 1,2-bis(2-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (BAPTA). Additionally, the voltage-dependent potassium 7 (Kv7) channel blocker, 10,10-bis(4-pyridinylmethyl)-9(10H)-anthracenone dihydrochloride (XE-991), as well as nicotine, shortened the spike threshold latency and increased the spike numbers. By contrast, the Kv7 channel opener, retigabine reduced the number of firings, and the addition of nicotine did not increase the spike numbers. These results indicate that nicotine induces long-lasting enhancement of firing activity in mPFC layer 5 pyramidal neurons, which is mediated by the stimulation of the α4β2 and α7 nAChRs and subsequent increase in intracellular Ca²⁺ levels followed by the suppression of the Kv7 channels. The novel effect of nicotine might underlie the nicotine-induced enhancement of attention, working memory and recognition.

Kv7 Channels and Excitability Disorders

Kv7.1-Kv7.5 (KCNQ1-5) K⁺ channels are voltage-gated K⁺ channels with major roles in neurons, muscle cells and epithelia where they underlie physiologically important K⁺ currents, such as neuronal M current and cardiac I_Ks. Specific biophysical properties of Kv7 channels make them particularly well placed to control the activity of excitable cells. Indeed, these channels often work as 'excitability breaks' and are targeted by various hormones and modulators to regulate cellular activity outputs. Genetic deficiencies in all five KCNQ genes result in human excitability disorders, including epilepsy, arrhythmias, deafness and some others. Not surprisingly, this channel family attracts considerable attention as potential drug targets. Here we will review biophysical properties and tissue expression profile of Kv7 channels, discuss recent advances in the understanding of their structure as well as their role in various neurological, cardiovascular and other diseases and pathologies. We will also consider a scope for therapeutic targeting of Kv7 channels for treatment of the above health conditions.

Vascular Kv7 channels control intracellular Ca2+ dynamics in smooth muscle

Voltage-gated Kv7 (or KCNQ) channels control activity of excitable cells, including vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), by setting their resting membrane potential and controlling other excitability parameters. Excitation-contraction coupling in muscle cells is mediated by Ca2+ but until now, the exact role of Kv7 channels in cytosolic Ca2+ dynamics in VSMCs has not been fully elucidated. We utilised microfluorimetry to investigate the impact of Kv7 channel activity on intracellular Ca2+ levels and electrical activity of rat A7r5 VSMCs and primary human internal mammary artery (IMA) SMCs. Both, direct (XE991) and G protein coupled receptor mediated (vasopressin, AVP) Kv7 channel inhibition induced robust Ca2+ oscillations, which were significantly reduced in the presence of Kv7 channel activator, retigabine, L-type Ca2+ channel inhibitor, nifedipine, or T-type Ca2+ channel inhibitor, NNC 55-0396, in A7r5 cells. Membrane potential measured using FluoVolt exhibited a slow depolarisation followed by a burst of sharp spikes in response to XE991; spikes were temporally correlated with Ca2+ oscillations. Phospholipase C inhibitor (edelfosine) reduced AVP-induced, but not XE991-induced Ca2+ oscillations. AVP and XE991 induced a large increase of [Ca2+]i in human IMA, which was also attenuated with retigabine, nifedipine and NNC 55-0396. RT-PCR, immunohistochemistry and electrophysiology suggested that Kv7.5 was the predominant Kv7 subunit in both rat and human arterial SMCs; CACNA1C (Cav1.2; L-type) and CACNA1 G (Cav3.1; T-type) were the most abundant voltage-gated Ca2+ channel gene transcripts in both types of VSMCs. This study establishes Kv7 channels as key regulators of Ca2+ signalling in VSMCs with Kv7.5 playing a dominant role.

AKAP Signaling Islands: Venues for Precision Pharmacology

Regulatory enzymes often have different roles in distinct subcellular compartments. Yet, most drugs indiscriminately saturate the cell. Thus, subcellular drug-delivery holds promise as a means to reduce off-target pharmacological effects. A-kinase anchoring proteins (AKAPs) sequester combinations of signaling enzymes within subcellular microdomains. Targeting drugs to these 'signaling islands' offers an opportunity for more precise delivery of therapeutics. Here, we review mechanisms that bestow protein kinase A (PKA) versatility inside the cell, appraise recent advances in exploiting AKAPs as platforms for precision pharmacology, and explore the impact of methodological innovations on AKAP research.

Heteromeric Channels Formed From Alternating Kv7.4 and Kv7.5 α-Subunits Display Biophysical, Regulatory, and Pharmacological Characteristics of Smooth Muscle M-Currents

Smooth muscle cells of the vasculature, viscera, and lungs generally express multiple α-subunits of the Kv7 voltage-gated potassium channel family, with increasing evidence that both Kv7.4 and Kv7.5 can conduct “M-currents” that are functionally important for the regulation of smooth muscle contractility. Although expression systems demonstrate that functional channels can form as homomeric tetramers of either Kv7.4 or Kv7.5 α-subunits, there is evidence that heteromeric channel complexes, containing some combination of Kv7.4 and Kv7.5 α-subunits, may represent the predominant configuration natively expressed in some arterial myocytes, such as rat mesenteric artery smooth muscle cells (MASMCs). Our previous work has suggested that Kv7.4/Kv7.5 heteromers can be distinguished from Kv7.4 or Kv7.5 homomers based on their biophysical, regulatory, and pharmacological characteristics, but it remains to be determined how Kv7.4 and Kv7.5 α-subunits combine to produce these distinct characteristics. In the present study, we constructed concatenated dimers or tetramers of Kv7.4 and Kv7.5 α-subunits and expressed them in a smooth muscle cell line to determine if a particular α-subunit configuration can exhibit the features previously reported for natively expressed Kv7 currents in MASMCs. Several unique characteristics of native smooth muscle M-currents were reproduced under conditions that constrain channel formation to a Kv7.4:Kv7.5 stoichiometry of 2:2, with alternating Kv7.4 and Kv7.5 α-subunits within a tetrameric structure. Although other subunit arrangements/combinations are not ruled out, the findings provide new insights into the oligomerization of α-subunits and the ways in which Kv7.4/Kv7.5 subunit assembly can affect smooth muscle signal transduction and pharmacological responses to Kv7 channel modulating drugs.

Multiple Domains in the Kv7.3 C-Terminus Can Regulate Localization to the Axon Initial Segment

The voltage-gated Kv7.2/Kv7.3 potassium channel is a critical regulator of neuronal excitability. It is strategically positioned at the axon initial segment (AIS) of neurons, where it effectively inhibits repetitive action potential firing. While the selective accumulation of Kv7.2/Kv7.3 channels at the AIS requires binding to the adaptor protein ankyrin G, it is currently unknown if additional molecular mechanisms contribute to the localization and fine-tuning of channel numbers at the AIS. Here, we utilized a chimeric approach to pinpoint regions within the Kv7.3 C-terminal tail with an impact upon AIS localization. This strategy identified two domains with opposing effects upon the AIS localization of Kv7.3 chimeras expressed in cultured hippocampal neurons. While a membrane proximal domain reduced AIS localization of Kv7.3 chimeras, helix D increased and stabilized chimera AIS localization. None of the identified domains were required for AIS localization. However, the domains modulated the relative efficiency of the localization raising the possibility that the two domains contribute to the regulation of Kv7 channel numbers and nanoscale organization at the AIS.

Gq-Coupled Muscarinic Receptor Enhancement of KCNQ2/3 Channels and Activation of TRPC Channels in Multimodal Control of Excitability in Dentate Gyrus Granule Cells

KCNQ (Kv7, "M-type") K⁺ channels and TRPC (transient receptor potential, "canonical") cation channels are coupled to neuronal discharge properties and are regulated via G_q/11-protein-mediated signals. Stimulation of G_q/11-coupled receptors both consumes phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP₂) via phosphalipase Cβ hydrolysis and stimulates PIP₂ synthesis via rises in Ca²⁺ _i and other signals. Using brain-slice electrophysiology and Ca²⁺ imaging from male and female mice, we characterized threshold K⁺ currents in dentate gyrus granule cells (DGGCs) and CA1 pyramidal cells, the effects of G_q/11-coupled muscarinic M₁ acetylcholine (M₁R) stimulation on M current and on neuronal discharge properties, and elucidated the intracellular signaling mechanisms involved. We observed disparate signaling cascades between DGGCs and CA1 neurons. DGGCs displayed M₁R enhancement of M-current, rather than suppression, due to stimulation of PIP₂ synthesis, which was paralleled by increased PIP₂-gated G-protein coupled inwardly rectifying K⁺ currents as well. Deficiency of KCNQ2-containing M-channels ablated the M₁R-induced enhancement of M-current in DGGCs. Simultaneously, M₁R stimulation in DGGCs induced robust increases in [Ca²⁺]_i, mostly due to TRPC currents, consistent with, and contributing to, neuronal depolarization and hyperexcitability. CA1 neurons did not display such multimodal signaling, but rather M current was suppressed by M₁R stimulation in these cells, similar to the previously described actions of M₁R stimulation on M-current in peripheral ganglia that mostly involves PIP₂ depletion. Therefore, these results point to a pleiotropic network of cholinergic signals that direct cell-type-specific, precise control of hippocampal function with strong implications for hyperexcitability and epilepsy.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT At the neuronal membrane, protein signaling cascades consisting of ion channels and metabotropic receptors govern the electrical properties and neurotransmission of neuronal networks. Muscarinic acetylcholine receptors are G-protein-coupled metabotropic receptors that control the excitability of neurons through regulating ion channels, intracellular Ca²⁺ signals, and other second-messenger cascades. We have illuminated previously unknown actions of muscarinic stimulation on the excitability of hippocampal principal neurons that include M channels, TRPC (transient receptor potential, "canonical") cation channels, and powerful regulation of lipid metabolism. Our results show that these signaling pathways, and mechanisms of excitability, are starkly distinct between peripheral ganglia and brain, and even between different principal neurons in the hippocampus.

Potential for therapeutic targeting of AKAP signaling complexes in nervous system disorders

A common feature of neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders is a breakdown in the integrity of intracellular signal transduction pathways. Dysregulation of ion channels and receptors in the cell membrane and the enzymatic mediators that link them to intracellular effectors can lead to synaptic dysfunction and neuronal death. However, therapeutic targeting of these ubiquitous signaling elements can lead to off-target side effects due to their widespread expression in multiple systems of the body. A-kinase anchoring proteins (AKAPs) are multivalent scaffolding proteins that compartmentalize a diverse range of receptor and effector proteins to streamline signaling within nanodomain signalosomes. A number of essential neurological processes are known to critically depend on AKAP-directed signaling and an understanding of the role AKAPs play in nervous system disorders has emerged in recent years. Selective targeting of AKAP protein-protein interactions may be a means to uncouple pathologically active signaling pathways in neurological disorders with a greater degree of specificity. In this review we will discuss the role of AKAPs in both regulating normal nervous system function and dysfunction associated with disease, and the potential for therapeutic targeting of AKAP signaling complexes.

Phosphorylation regulates the sensitivity of voltage-gated Kv7.2 channels towards phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate

Key points

Phosphatidylinositol‐4,5‐bisphosphate (PIP₂) is a key regulator of many membrane proteins, including voltage‐gated Kv7.2 channels.

In this study, we identified the residues in five phosphorylation sites and their corresponding protein kinases, the former being clustered within one of four putative PIP₂‐binding domains in Kv7.2.

Dephosphorylation of these residues reduced the sensitivity of Kv7.2 channels towards PIP₂.

Dephosphorylation of Kv7.2 affected channel inhibition via M₁ muscarinic receptors, but not via bradykinin receptors.

Our data indicated that phosphorylation of the Kv7.2 channel was necessary to maintain its low affinity for PIP₂, thereby ensuring the tight regulation of the channel via G protein‐coupled receptors.

Abstract

The function of numerous ion channels is tightly controlled by G protein‐coupled receptors (GPCRs). The underlying signalling mechanisms may involve phosphorylation of channel proteins and participation of phosphatidylinositol‐4,5‐bisphosphate (PIP₂). Although the roles of both mechanisms have been investigated extensively, thus far only little has been reported on their interaction in channel modulation. GPCRs govern Kv7 channels, the latter playing a major role in the regulation of neuronal excitability by determining the levels of PIP₂ and through phosphorylation. Using liquid chromatography‐coupled mass spectrometry for Kv7.2 immunoprecipitates of rat brain membranes and transfected cells, we mapped a cluster of five phosphorylation sites in one of the PIP2‐binding domains. To evaluate the effect of phosphorylation on PIP₂‐mediated Kv7.2 channel regulation, a quintuple alanine mutant of these serines (S427/S436/S438/S446/S455; A⁵ mutant) was generated to mimic the dephosphorylated state. Currents passing through these mutated channels were less sensitive towards PIP₂ depletion via the voltage‐sensitive phosphatase Dr‐VSP than were wild‐type channels. In vitro phosphorylation assays with the purified C‐terminus of Kv7.2 revealed that CDK5, p38 MAPK, CaMKIIα and PKA were able to phosphorylate the five serines. Inhibition of these protein kinases reduced the sensitivity of wild‐type but not mutant Kv7.2 channels towards PIP₂ depletion via Dr‐VSP. In superior cervical ganglion neurons, the protein kinase inhibitors attenuated Kv7 current regulation via M₁ receptors, but left unaltered the control by B2 receptors. Our results revealed that the phosphorylation status of serines located within a putative PIP₂‐binding domain determined the phospholipid sensitivity of Kv7.2 channels and supported GPCR‐mediated channel regulation.

Phosphatidylinositol‐4,5‐bisphosphate (PIP₂) is a key regulator of many membrane proteins, including voltage‐gated Kv7.2 channels.

In this study, we identified the residues in five phosphorylation sites and their corresponding protein kinases, the former being clustered within one of four putative PIP₂‐binding domains in Kv7.2.

Dephosphorylation of these residues reduced the sensitivity of Kv7.2 channels towards PIP₂.

Dephosphorylation of Kv7.2 affected channel inhibition via M₁ muscarinic receptors, but not via bradykinin receptors.

Our data indicated that phosphorylation of the Kv7.2 channel was necessary to maintain its low affinity for PIP₂, thereby ensuring the tight regulation of the channel via G protein‐coupled receptors.

Kv7 channels in the nucleus accumbens are altered by chronic drinking and are targets for reducing alcohol consumption

Alcohol use disorders (AUDs) are a major public health issue and produce enormous societal and economic burdens. Current Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved pharmacotherapies for treating AUDs suffer from deleterious side effects and are only effective in a subset of individuals. It is therefore essential to find improved medications for the management of AUDs. Emerging evidence suggests that anticonvulsants are a promising class of drugs for treating individuals with AUDs. In these studies, we used integrative functional genomics to demonstrate that genes that encode Kv7 channels (i.e. Kcnq2/3) are related to alcohol (ethanol) consumption, preference and acceptance in rodents. We then tested the ability of the FDA-approved anticonvulsant retigabine, a Kv7 channel opener, to reduce voluntary ethanol consumption of Wistar rats in a two-bottle choice intermittent alcohol access paradigm. Systemic administration and microinjections of retigabine into the nucleus accumbens significantly reduced alcohol drinking, and retigabine was more effective at reducing intake in high- versus low-drinking populations of Wistar rats. Prolonged voluntary drinking increased the sensitivity to the proconvulsant effects of pharmacological blockade of Kv7 channels and altered surface trafficking and SUMOylation patterns of Kv7.2 channels in the nucleus accumbens. These data implicate Kcnq2/3 in the regulation of ethanol drinking and demonstrate that long-term drinking produces neuroadaptations in Kv7 channels. In addition, these results have identified retigabine as a potential pharmacotherapy for treating AUDs and Kv7 channels as a novel therapeutic target for reducing heavy drinking.

Kv7 Channel Activation Underpins EPAC-Dependent Relaxations of Rat Arteries

OBJECTIVE

To establish the role of Kv7 channels in EPAC (exchange protein directly activated by cAMP)-dependent relaxations of the rat vasculature and to investigate whether this contributes to β-adrenoceptor-mediated vasorelaxations.

APPROACH AND RESULTS

Isolated rat renal and mesenteric arteries (RA and MA, respectively) were used for isometric tension recording to study the relaxant effects of a specific EPAC activator and the β-adrenoceptor agonist isoproterenol in the presence of potassium channel inhibitors and cell signaling modulators. Isolated myocytes were used in proximity ligation assay studies to detect localization of signaling intermediaries with Kv7.4 before and after cell stimulation. Our studies showed that the EPAC activator (8-pCPT-2Me-cAMP-AM) produced relaxations and enhanced currents of MA and RA that were sensitive to linopirdine (Kv7 inhibitor). Linopirdine also inhibited isoproterenol-mediated relaxations in both RA and MA. In the MA, isoproterenol relaxations were sensitive to EPAC inhibition, but not protein kinase A inhibition. In contrast, isoproterenol relaxations in RA were attenuated by protein kinase A but not by EPAC inhibition. Proximity ligation assay showed a localization of Kv7.4 with A-kinase anchoring protein in both vessels in the basal state, which increased only in the RA with isoproterenol stimulation. In the MA, but not the RA, a localization of Kv7.4 with both Rap1a and Rap2 (downstream of EPAC) increased with isoproterenol stimulation.

CONCLUSIONS

EPAC-dependent vasorelaxations occur in part via activation of Kv7 channels. This contributes to the isoproterenol-mediated relaxation in mesenteric, but not renal, arteries.

Clustering and Functional Coupling of Diverse Ion Channels and Signaling Proteins Revealed by Super-resolution STORM Microscopy in Neurons

The fidelity of neuronal signaling requires organization of signaling molecules into macromolecular complexes, whose components are in intimate proximity. The intrinsic diffraction limit of light makes visualization of individual signaling complexes using visible light extremely difficult. However, using super-resolution stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (STORM), we observed intimate association of individual molecules within signaling complexes containing ion channels (M-type K⁺, L-type Ca²⁺, or TRPV1 channels) and G protein-coupled receptors coupled by the scaffolding protein A-kinase-anchoring protein (AKAP)79/150. Some channels assembled as multi-channel supercomplexes. Surprisingly, we identified novel layers of interplay within macromolecular complexes containing diverse channel types at the single-complex level in sensory neurons, dependent on AKAP79/150. Electrophysiological studies revealed that such ion channels are functionally coupled as well. Our findings illustrate the novel role of AKAP79/150 as a molecular coupler of different channels that conveys crosstalk between channel activities within single microdomains in tuning the physiological response of neurons.

Modulation of Kv7 channels and excitability in the brain

Neuronal Kv7 channels underlie a voltage-gated non-inactivating potassium current known as the M-current. Due to its particular characteristics, Kv7 channels show pronounced control over the excitability of neurons. We will discuss various factors that have been shown to drastically alter the activity of this channel such as protein and phospholipid interactions, phosphorylation, calcium, and numerous neurotransmitters. Kv7 channels locate to key areas for the control of action potential initiation and propagation. Moreover, we will explore the dynamic surface expression of the channel modulated by neurotransmitters and neural activity. We will also focus on known principle functions of neural Kv7 channels: control of resting membrane potential and spiking threshold, setting the firing frequency, afterhyperpolarization after burst firing, theta resonance, and transient hyperexcitability from neurotransmitter-induced suppression of the M-current. Finally, we will discuss the contribution of altered Kv7 activity to pathologies such as epilepsy and cognitive deficits.

Calcium's role as nuanced modulator of cellular physiology in the brain

Neuroscientists studying normal brain aging, spinal cord injury, Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative diseases have focused considerable effort on carefully characterizing intracellular perturbations in calcium dynamics or levels. At the cellular level, calcium is known for controlling life and death and orchestrating most events in between. For many years, intracellular calcium has been recognized as an essential ion associated with nearly all cellular functions from cell growth to degeneration. Often the emphasis is on the negative impact of calcium dysregulation and the typical worse-case-scenario leading inevitably to cell death. However, even high amplitude calcium transients, when executed acutely, can alter neuronal communication and synaptic strength in positive ways, without necessarily killing neurons. Here, we focus on the evidence that calcium has a subtle and distinctive role in shaping and controlling synaptic events that underpin neuronal communication and that these subtle changes in aging or AD may contribute to cognitive decline. We emphasize that calcium imaging in dendritic components is ultimately necessary to directly test for the presence of age- or disease-associated alterations during periods of synaptic activation.

Epilepsy-causing mutations in Kv7.2 C-terminus affect binding and functional modulation by calmodulin

Mutations in the KCNQ2 gene, encoding for voltage-gated Kv7.2K(+) channel subunits, are responsible for early-onset epileptic diseases with widely-diverging phenotypic presentation, ranging from Benign Familial Neonatal Seizures (BFNS) to epileptic encephalopathy. In the present study, Kv7.2 BFNS-causing mutations (W344R, L351F, L351V, Y362C, and R553Q) have been investigated for their ability to interfere with calmodulin (CaM) binding and CaM-induced channel regulation. To this aim, semi-quantitative (Far-Western blotting) and quantitative (Surface Plasmon Resonance and dansylated CaM fluorescence) biochemical assays have been performed to investigate the interaction of CaM with wild-type or mutant Kv7.2 C-terminal fragments encompassing the CaM-binding domain; in parallel, mutation-induced changes in CaM-dependent Kv7.2 or Kv7.2/Kv7.3 current regulation were investigated by patch-clamp recordings in Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells co-expressing Kv7.2 or Kv7.2/Kv7.3 channels and CaM or CaM1234 (a CaM isoform unable to bind Ca(2+)). The results obtained suggest that each BFNS-causing mutation prompts specific biochemical and/or functional consequences; these range from slight alterations in CaM affinity which did not translate into functional changes (L351V), to a significant reduction in the affinity and functional modulation by CaM (L351F, Y362C or R553Q), to a complete functional loss without significant alteration in CaM affinity (W344R). CaM overexpression increased Kv7.2 and Kv7.2/Kv7.3 current levels, and partially (R553Q) or fully (L351F) restored normal channel function, providing a rationale pathogenetic mechanism for mutation-induced channel dysfunction in BFNS, and highlighting the potentiation of CaM-dependent Kv7.2 modulation as a potential therapeutic approach for Kv7.2-related epilepsies.

New light on ion channel imaging by total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy

Ion channels play pivotal roles in a wide variety of cellular functions; therefore, their physiological characteristics, pharmacological responses, and molecular structures have been extensively investigated. However, the mobility of an ion channel itself in the cell membrane has not been examined in as much detail. A total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscope allows fluorophores to be imaged in a restricted region within an evanescent field of less than 200 nm from the interface of the coverslip and plasma membrane in living cells. Thus the TIRF microscope is useful for selectively visualizing the plasmalemmal surface and subplasmalemmal zone. In this review, we focused on a single-molecule analysis of the dynamic movement of ion channels in the plasma membrane using TIRF microscopy. We also described two single-molecule imaging techniques under TIRF microscopy: fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) for the identification of molecules that interact with ion channels, and subunit counting for the determination of subunit stoichiometry in a functional channel. TIRF imaging can also be used to analyze spatiotemporal Ca(2+) events in the subplasmalemma. Single-molecule analyses of ion channels and localized Ca(2+) signals based on TIRF imaging provide beneficial pharmacological and physiological information concerning the functions of ion channels.

Mechanisms and dynamics of AKAP79/150-orchestrated multi-protein signalling complexes in brain and peripheral nerve

A-kinase anchoring proteins (AKAPs) have emerged as a converging point of diverse signals to achieve spatiotemporal resolution of directed cellular regulation. With the extensive studies of AKAP79/150 in regulation of ion channel activity, the major questions to be posed centre on the mechanism and functional role of synergistic regulation of ion channels by such signalling proteins. In this review, we summarize recent discoveries of AKAP79/150-mediated modulation of voltage-gated neuronal M-type (KCNQ, Kv7) K(+) channels and L-type CaV 1 Ca(2+) channels, on both short- and longer-term time scales, highlighting the dynamics of the macromolecular signalling complexes in brain and peripheral nerve We also discuss several models for the possible mechanisms of these multi-protein assemblies and how they serve the agenda of the neurons in which they occur.

Polarized axonal surface expression of neuronal KCNQ potassium channels is regulated by calmodulin interaction with KCNQ2 subunit

KCNQ potassium channels composed of KCNQ2 and KCNQ3 subunits give rise to the M-current, a slow-activating and non-inactivating voltage-dependent potassium current that limits repetitive firing of action potentials. KCNQ channels are enriched at the surface of axons and axonal initial segments, the sites for action potential generation and modulation. Their enrichment at the axonal surface is impaired by mutations in KCNQ2 carboxy-terminal tail that cause benign familial neonatal convulsion and myokymia, suggesting that their correct surface distribution and density at the axon is crucial for control of neuronal excitability. However, the molecular mechanisms responsible for regulating enrichment of KCNQ channels at the neuronal axon remain elusive. Here, we show that enrichment of KCNQ channels at the axonal surface of dissociated rat hippocampal cultured neurons is regulated by ubiquitous calcium sensor calmodulin. Using immunocytochemistry and the cluster of differentiation 4 (CD4) membrane protein as a trafficking reporter, we demonstrate that fusion of KCNQ2 carboxy-terminal tail is sufficient to target CD4 protein to the axonal surface whereas inhibition of calmodulin binding to KCNQ2 abolishes axonal surface expression of CD4 fusion proteins by retaining them in the endoplasmic reticulum. Disruption of calmodulin binding to KCNQ2 also impairs enrichment of heteromeric KCNQ2/KCNQ3 channels at the axonal surface by blocking their trafficking from the endoplasmic reticulum to the axon. Consistently, hippocampal neuronal excitability is dampened by transient expression of wild-type KCNQ2 but not mutant KCNQ2 deficient in calmodulin binding. Furthermore, coexpression of mutant calmodulin, which can interact with KCNQ2/KCNQ3 channels but not calcium, reduces but does not abolish their enrichment at the axonal surface, suggesting that apo calmodulin but not calcium-bound calmodulin is necessary for their preferential targeting to the axonal surface. These findings collectively reveal calmodulin as a critical player that modulates trafficking and enrichment of KCNQ channels at the neuronal axon.

How anchoring proteins shape pain

Cellular responsiveness to external stimuli can be altered by extracellular mediators which activate membrane receptors, in turn signalling to the intracellular space via calcium, cyclic nucleotides, membrane lipids or enzyme activity. These signalling events trigger a cascade leading to an effector which can be a channel, an enzyme or a transcription factor. The effectiveness of these intracellular events is enhanced when they are maintained in close proximity by anchoring proteins, which assemble complexes of signalling molecules such as kinases together with their targets, and in this way enhance both the speed and the precision of intracellular signalling. The A kinase anchoring protein (AKAP) family are adaptor proteins originally named for their ability to associate Protein Kinase A and its targets, but several other enzymes bound by AKAPs have now been found and a wide variety of target structures has been described. This review provides an overview of anchoring proteins involved in pain signalling. The key anchoring proteins and their ion channel targets in primary sensory neurons responding to painful stimuli (nociceptors) are discussed.

Quantitative properties and receptor reserve of the DAG and PKC branch of G(q)-coupled receptor signaling

G_q protein–coupled receptors (G_qPCRs) of the plasma membrane activate the phospholipase C (PLC) signaling cascade. PLC cleaves the membrane lipid phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP₂) into the second messengers diacylgycerol (DAG) and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP₃), leading to calcium release, protein kinase C (PKC) activation, and in some cases, PIP₂ depletion. We determine the kinetics of each of these downstream endpoints and also ask which is responsible for the inhibition of KCNQ2/3 (K_V7.2/7.3) potassium channels in single living tsA-201 cells. We measure DAG production and PKC activity by Förster resonance energy transfer–based sensors, and PIP₂ by KCNQ2/3 channels. Fully activating endogenous purinergic receptors by uridine 5′triphosphate (UTP) leads to calcium release, DAG production, and PKC activation, but no net PIP₂ depletion. Fully activating high-density transfected muscarinic receptors (M₁Rs) by oxotremorine-M (Oxo-M) leads to similar calcium, DAG, and PKC signals, but PIP₂ is depleted. KCNQ2/3 channels are inhibited by the Oxo-M treatment (85%) and not by UTP (<1%), indicating that depletion of PIP₂ is required to inhibit KCNQ2/3 in response to receptor activation. Overexpression of A kinase–anchoring protein (AKAP)79 or calmodulin (CaM) does not increase KCNQ2/3 inhibition by UTP. From these results and measurements of IP₃ and calcium presented in our companion paper (Dickson et al. 2013. J. Gen. Physiol.http://dx.doi.org/10.1085/jgp.201210886), we extend our kinetic model for signaling from M₁Rs to DAG/PKC and IP₃/calcium signaling. We conclude that calcium/CaM and PKC-mediated phosphorylation do not underlie dynamic KCNQ2/3 channel inhibition during G_qPCR activation in tsA-201 cells. Finally, our experimental data provide indirect evidence for cleavage of PI(4)P by PLC in living cells, and our modeling revisits/explains the concept of receptor reserve with measurements from all steps of G_qPCR signaling.

Genetically encoded fluorescent biosensors for live-cell visualization of protein phosphorylation

Fluorescence-based, genetically encodable biosensors are widely used tools for real-time analysis of biological processes. Over the last few decades, the number of available genetically encodable biosensors and the types of processes they can monitor have increased rapidly. Here, we aim to introduce the reader to general principles and practices in biosensor development and highlight ways in which biosensors can be used to illuminate outstanding questions of biological function. Specifically, we focus on sensors developed for monitoring kinase activity and use them to illustrate some common considerations for biosensor design. We describe several uses to which kinase and second-messenger biosensors have been put, and conclude with considerations for the use of biosensors once they are developed. Overall, as fluorescence-based biosensors continue to diversify and improve, we expect them to continue to be widely used as reliable and fruitful tools for gaining deeper insights into cellular and organismal function.

A change in configuration of the calmodulin-KCNQ channel complex underlies Ca2+-dependent modulation of KCNQ channel activity

All subtypes of KCNQ channel subunits (KCNQ1-5) require calmodulin as a co-factor for functional channels. It has been demonstrated that calmodulin plays a critical role in KCNQ channel trafficking as well as calcium-mediated current modulation. However, how calcium-bound calmodulin suppresses the M-current is not well understood. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanism of KCNQ2 current suppression mediated by calcium-bound calmodulin. We show that calcium induced slow calmodulin dissociation from the KCNQ2 channel subunit. In contrast, in homomeric KCNQ3 channels, calcium facilitated calmodulin binding. We demonstrate that this difference in calmodulin binding was due to the unique cysteine residue in the KCNQ2 subunit at aa 527 in Helix B, which corresponds to an arginine residue in other KCNQ subunits including KCNQ3. In addition, a KCNQ2 channel associated protein AKAP79/150 (79 for human, 150 for rodent orthologs) also preferentially bound calcium-bound calmodulin. Therefore, the KCNQ2 channel complex was able to retain calcium-bound calmodulin either through the AKPA79/150 or KCNQ3 subunit. Functionally, increasing intracellular calcium by ionomycin suppressed currents generated by KCNQ2, KCNQ2(C527R) or heteromeric KCNQ2/KCNQ3 channels to an equivalent extent. This suggests that a change in the binding configuration, rather than dissociation of calmodulin, is responsible for KCNQ current suppression. Furthermore, we demonstrate that KCNQ current suppression was accompanied by reduced KCNQ affinity toward phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) when assessed by a voltage-sensitive phosphatase, Ci-VSP. These results suggest that a rise in intracellular calcium induces a change in the configuration of CaM-KCNQ binding, which leads to the reduction of KCNQ affinity for PIP2 and subsequent current suppression.

Differential protein kinase C-dependent modulation of Kv7.4 and Kv7.5 subunits of vascular Kv7 channels

The Kv7 family (Kv7.1-7.5) of voltage-activated potassium channels contributes to the maintenance of resting membrane potential in excitable cells. Previously, we provided pharmacological and electrophysiological evidence that Kv7.4 and Kv7.5 form predominantly heteromeric channels and that Kv7 activity is regulated by protein kinase C (PKC) in response to vasoconstrictors in vascular smooth muscle cells. Direct evidence for Kv7.4/7.5 heteromer formation, however, is lacking. Furthermore, it remains to be determined whether both subunits are regulated by PKC. Utilizing proximity ligation assays to visualize single molecule interactions, we now show that Kv7.4/Kv.7.5 heteromers are endogenously expressed in vascular smooth muscle cells. Introduction of dominant-negative Kv7.4 and Kv7.5 subunits in mesenteric artery myocytes reduced endogenous Kv7 currents by 84 and 76%, respectively. Expression of an inducible protein kinase Cα (PKCα) translocation system revealed that PKCα activation is sufficient to suppress endogenous Kv7 currents in A7r5 rat aortic and mesenteric artery smooth muscle cells. Arginine vasopressin (100 and 500 pm) and the PKC activator phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (1 nm) each inhibited human (h) Kv7.5 and hKv7.4/7.5, but not hKv7.4 channels expressed in A7r5 cells. A decrease in hKv7.5 and hKv7.4/7.5 current densities was associated with an increase in PKC-dependent phosphorylation of the channel proteins. These findings provide further evidence for a differential regulation of Kv7.4 and Kv7.5 channel subunits by PKC-dependent phosphorylation and new mechanistic insights into the role of heteromeric subunit assembly for regulation of vascular Kv7 channels.

Annexin A1 complex mediates oxytocin vesicle transport

Oxytocin is a major neuropeptide that modulates the brain functions involved in social behaviour and interaction. Despite of the importance of oxytocin for the neural control of social behaviour, little is known about the molecular mechanism(s) by which oxytocin secretion in the brain is regulated. Pro-oxytocin is synthesised in the cell bodies of hypothalamic neurones in the supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei and processed to a 9-amino-acid mature form during post-Golgi transport to the secretion sites at the axon terminals and somatodendritic regions. Oxytocin secreted from the somatodendritic regions diffuses throughout the hypothalamus and its neighbouring brain regions. Some oxytocin-positive axons innervate and secrete oxytocin to the brain regions distal to the hypothalamus. Brain oxytocin binds to its receptors in the brain regions involved in social behaviour. Oxytocin is also secreted from the axon terminal at the posterior pituitary gland into the blood circulation. We have discovered a new molecular complex consisting of annexin A1 (ANXA1), A-kinase anchor protein 150 (AKAP150) and microtubule motor that controls the distribution of oxytocin vesicles between the axon and the cell body in a protein kinase A (PKA)- and protein kinase C (PKC)-sensitive manner. ANXA1 showed significant co-localisation with oxytocin vesicles. Activation of PKA enhanced the association of kinesin-2 with ANXA1, thus increasing the axon-localisation of oxytocin vesicles. Conversely, activation of PKC decreased the binding of kinesin-2 to ANXA1, thus attenuating the axon-localisation of oxytocin vesicles. The result of the present study suggest that ANXA1 complex coordinates the actions of PKA and PKC to control the distribution of oxytocin vesicles between the axon and the cell body.

Membrane channels as integrators of G-protein-mediated signaling

A variety of extracellular stimuli regulate cellular responses via membrane receptors. A well-known group of seven-transmembrane domain-containing proteins referred to as G protein-coupled receptors, directly couple with the intracellular GTP-binding proteins (G proteins) across cell membranes and trigger various cellular responses by regulating the activity of several enzymes as well as ion channels. Many specific populations of ion channels are directly controlled by G proteins; however, indirect modulation of some channels by G protein-dependent phosphorylation events and lipid metabolism is also observed. G protein-mediated diverse modifications affect the ion channel activities and spatio-temporally regulate membrane potentials as well as of intracellular Ca(2+) concentrations in both excitatory and non-excitatory cells. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Reciprocal influences between cell cytoskeleton and membrane channels, receptors and transporters. Guest Editor: Jean Claude Hervé.

Förster resonance energy transfer-based imaging at the cell surface of live cells

Understanding the molecular mechanisms of protein-protein interactions at the cell surface of living cells is fundamental to identifying the nature of cellular processes. Here, we discuss how fluorescence-based approaches have been successfully developed to visualize protein-protein interactions in living cells. Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) is unique in generating fluorescence signals between proteins that are highly spatially sensitive. Furthermore, total internal reflectance fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy combined with FRET is a robust technique used to assay protein/protein interactions and the functionality of proteins assembled at the cell surface membrane.

Suppression of KCNQ/M (Kv7) potassium channels in dorsal root ganglion neurons contributes to the development of bone cancer pain in a rat model

Bone cancer pain has a strong impact on the quality of life of patients, but is difficult to treat. Better understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms underlying bone cancer pain will likely lead to the development of more effective treatments. In the present study, we investigated whether inhibition of KCNQ/M channels contributed to the hyperexcitability of primary sensory neurons and to the pathogenesis of bone cancer pain. By using a rat model of bone cancer pain based on intratibial injection of MRMT-1 tumour cells, we documented a prominent decrease in expression of KCNQ2 and KCNQ3 proteins and a reduction of M-current density in small-sized dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons, which were associated with enhanced excitability of these DRG neurons and the hyperalgesic behaviours in bone cancer rats. Coincidently, we found that inhibition of KCNQ/M channels with XE-991 caused a robust increase in the excitability of small-sized DRG neurons and produced an obvious mechanical allodynia in normal rats. On the contrary, activation of the KCNQ/M channels with retigabine not only inhibited the hyperexcitability of these small DRG neurons, but also alleviated mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia in bone cancer rats, and all of these effects of retigabine could be blocked by KCNQ/M-channel antagonist XE-991. These results suggest that repression of KCNQ/M channels leads to the hyperexcitability of primary sensory neurons, which in turn causes bone cancer pain. Thus, suppression of KCNQ/M channels in primary DRG neurons plays a crucial role in the development of bone cancer pain.

Trafficking mechanisms underlying neuronal voltage-gated ion channel localization at the axon initial segment

Voltage-gated ion channels are diverse and fundamental determinants of neuronal intrinsic excitability. Voltage-gated K(+) (Kv) and Na(+) (Nav) channels play complex yet fundamentally important roles in determining intrinsic excitability. The Kv and Nav channels located at the axon initial segment (AIS) play a unique and especially important role in generating neuronal output in the form of anterograde axonal and backpropagating action potentials. Aberrant intrinsic excitability in individual neurons within networks contributes to synchronous neuronal activity leading to seizures. Mutations in ion channel genes give rise to a variety of seizure-related "channelopathies," and many of the ion channel subunits associated with epilepsy mutations are localized at the AIS, making this a hotspot for epileptogenesis. Here we review the cellular mechanisms that underlie the trafficking of Kv and Nav channels found at the AIS, and how Kv and Nav channel mutations associated with epilepsy can alter these processes.

Structural insights into neuronal K+ channel-calmodulin complexes

Calmodulin (CaM) is a ubiquitous intracellular calcium sensor that directly binds to and modulates a wide variety of ion channels. Despite the large repository of high-resolution structures of CaM bound to peptide fragments derived from ion channels, there is no structural information about CaM bound to a fully folded ion channel at the plasma membrane. To determine the location of CaM docked to a functioning KCNQ K(+) channel, we developed an intracellular tethered blocker approach to measure distances between CaM residues and the ion-conducting pathway. Combining these distance restraints with structural bioinformatics, we generated an archetypal quaternary structural model of an ion channel-CaM complex in the open state. These models place CaM close to the cytoplasmic gate, where it is well positioned to modulate channel function.

AKAP79/150 interacts with the neuronal calcium-binding protein caldendrin

The A kinase-anchoring protein AKAP79/150 is a postsynaptic scaffold molecule and a key regulator of signaling events. At the postsynapse it coordinates phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of receptors via anchoring kinases and phosphatases near their substrates. Interactions between AKAP79 and two Ca(2+) -binding proteins caldendrin and calmodulin have been investigated here. Calmodulin is a known interaction partner of AKAP79/150 that has been shown to regulate activity of the kinase PKC in a Ca(2+) -dependent manner. Pull-down experiments and surface plasmon resonance biosensor analyses have been used here to demonstrate that AKAP79 can also interact with caldendrin, a neuronal calcium-binding protein implicated in regulation of Ca(2+) -influx and release. We demonstrate that calmodulin and caldendrin compete for a partially overlapping binding site on AKAP79 and that their binding is differentially dependent on calcium. Therefore, this competition is regulated by calcium levels. Moreover, both proteins have different binding characteristics suggesting that the two proteins might play complementary roles. The postsynaptic enrichment, the complex binding mechanism, and the competition with calmodulin, makes caldendrin an interesting novel player in the signaling toolkit of the AKAP interactome.

Regulation of TRPC6 Channels by Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs

Family focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) is characterized by sclerosis and hyalinosis of particular loops of glomeruli and is one of the causes of the nephrotic syndrome. Certain mutations in the structure of TRPC6 channels are the genetic impetus for FSGS development resulting in podocytes functional abnormalities and various nephropathies. We have recently demonstrated that non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) ibuprofen and diclofenac decrease the activity of endogenous TRPC like cal cium channels in the podocytes of the freshly isolated rat glomeruli. It has also been shown that TRPC6 chan nels are expressed in the podocytes. In the current study we have functionally reconstituted TRPC6 channels in mammalian cells to investigate the effects of diclofenac on the activity of wild type TRPC6 channel and TRPC6^P112Q channel containing a mutation in the N-terminus that was described in FSGS patients. Intracellular calcium level measurements in transfected cells revealed a more intensive carbachol induced increase of calcium concentration in HEK 293 cells expressing TRPC6^P112Q versus the cells expressing wild-type TRPC6. We also performed patch-clamp experiments to study TRPC6 channels reconstituted in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell line and found that application of diclofenac (500 μM) acutely reduced single channel activity. Preincubation with diclofenac (100 μM) also decreased the whole cell current in CHO cells overexpressing TRPC6^P112Q. Therefore, our previously published data on the effects of NSAID on TRPC-like channels in the isolated rat glomeruli, along with this current investigation on the cultured overexpressed mammalian cells, allows hypothesizing that TRPC6 channels may be a target for NSAID that can be impor tant in the treatment of FSGS.

Coordinated signal integration at the M-type potassium channel upon muscarinic stimulation

Several neurotransmitters, including acetylcholine, regulate neuronal tone by suppressing a non-inactivating low-threshold voltage-gated potassium current generated by the M-channel. Agonist dependent control of the M-channel is mediated by calmodulin, activation of anchored protein kinase C (PKC), and depletion of the phospholipid messenger phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2). In this report, we show how this trio of second messenger responsive events acts synergistically and in a stepwise manner to suppress activity of the M-current. PKC phosphorylation of the KCNQ2 channel subunit induces dissociation of calmodulin from the M-channel complex. The calmodulin-deficient channel has a reduced affinity towards PIP2. This pathway enhances the effect of concomitant reduction of PIP2, which leads to disruption of the M-channel function. These findings clarify how a common lipid cofactor, such as PIP2, can selectively regulate ion channels.

Cytoplasmic domains and voltage-dependent potassium channel gating

The basic architecture of the voltage-dependent K⁺ channels (Kv channels) corresponds to a transmembrane protein core in which the permeation pore, the voltage-sensing components and the gating machinery (cytoplasmic facing gate and sensor–gate coupler) reside. Usually, large protein tails are attached to this core, hanging toward the inside of the cell. These cytoplasmic regions are essential for normal channel function and, due to their accessibility to the cytoplasmic environment, constitute obvious targets for cell-physiological control of channel behavior. Here we review the present knowledge about the molecular organization of these intracellular channel regions and their role in both setting and controlling Kv voltage-dependent gating properties. This includes the influence that they exert on Kv rapid/N-type inactivation and on activation/deactivation gating of Shaker-like and eag-type Kv channels. Some illustrative examples about the relevance of these cytoplasmic domains determining the possibilities for modulation of Kv channel gating by cellular components are also considered.

The afterhyperpolarizing potential following a train of action potentials is suppressed in an acute epilepsy model in the rat Cornu Ammonis 1 area

In hippocampal Cornu Ammonis 1 (CA1) neurons, a prolonged depolarization evokes a train of action potentials followed by a prominent afterhyperpolarizing potential (AHP), which critically dampens neuronal excitability. Because it is not known whether epileptiform activity alters the AHP and whether any alteration of the AHP is independent of inhibition, we acutely induced epileptiform activity by bath application of the GABA(A) receptor blocker gabazine (5 μM) in the rat hippocampal slice preparation and studied its impact on the AHP using intracellular recordings. Following 10 min of gabazine wash-in, slices started to develop spontaneous epileptiform discharges. This disinhibition was accompanied by a significant shift of the resting membrane potential of CA1 neurons to more depolarized values. Prolonged depolarizations (600 ms) elicited a train of action potentials, the number of which was not different between baseline and gabazine treatment. However, the AHP following the train of action potentials was significantly reduced after 20 min of gabazine treatment. When the induction of epileptiform activity was prevented by co-application of 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione disodium (CNQX, 10 μM) and D-(-)-2-amino-5-phosphonopentanoic acid (D-AP5, 50 μM) to block α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazolepropionate (AMPA) and N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors, respectively, the AHP was preserved despite of GABA(A) receptor inhibition suggesting that the epileptiform activity was required to suppress the AHP. Moreover, the AHP was also preserved when the slices were treated with the protein kinase blockers H-9 (100 μM) and H-89 (1 μM). These results demonstrate that the AHP following a train of action potentials is rapidly suppressed by acutely induced epileptiform activity due to a phosphorylation process-presumably involving protein kinase A.

Phosphoinositide sensitivity of ion channels, a functional perspective

Phosphoinositides, especially phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate [PtdIns(4,5)P(2)] are required for the activity of many different ion channels. This chapter will highlight various aspects of this paradigm, by discussing current knowledge on four different ion channel families: inwardly rectifying K(+) (Kir) channels, KCNQ voltage gated K(+) channels, voltage gated Ca(2+) (VGCC) channels and Transient Receptor Potential (TRP) channels. Our main focus is to discuss functional aspects of this regulation, i.e. how changes in the concentration of PtdIns(4,5)P(2) in the plasma membrane upon phospholipase C activation may modulate the activity of ion channels, and what are the major determinants of this regulation. We also discuss how channels act as coincidence detectors sensing phosphoinositide levels and other signalling molecules. We also briefly discuss the available methods to study phosphoinositide regulation of ion channels, and structural aspects of interaction of ion channel proteins with these phospholipids. Finally, in several cases the effect of PtdIns(4,5)P(2) is more complex than a simple dependence of ion channel activity on the lipid, and we will discuss some these complexities.

Driving With No Brakes: Molecular Pathophysiology of Kv7 Potassium Channels

Kv7 potassium channels regulate excitability in neuronal, sensory, and muscular cells. Here, we describe their molecular architecture, physiological roles, and involvement in genetically determined channelopathies highlighting their relevance as targets for pharmacological treatment of several human disorders.

Nucleotides control the excitability of sensory neurons via two P2Y receptors and a bifurcated signaling cascade

Nucleotides contribute to the sensation of acute and chronic pain, but it remained enigmatic which G protein-coupled nucleotide (P2Y) receptors and associated signaling cascades are involved. To resolve this issue, nucleotides were applied to dorsal root ganglion neurons under current- and voltage-clamp. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP), adenosine diphosphate (ADP), and uridine triphosphate (UTP), but not uridine diphosphate (UDP), depolarized the neurons and enhanced action potential firing in response to current injections. The P2Y(2) receptor preferring agonist 2-thio-UTP was equipotent to UTP in eliciting these effects. The selective P2Y(1) receptor antagonist MRS2179 largely attenuated the excitatory effects of ADP, but left those of 2-thio-UTP unaltered. Thus, the excitatory effects of the nucleotides were mediated by 2 different P2Y receptors, P2Y(1) and P2Y(2). Activation of each of these 2 receptors by either ADP or 2-thio-UTP inhibited currents through K(V)7 channels, on one hand, and facilitated currents through TRPV(1) channels, on the other hand. Both effects were abolished by inhibitors of phospholipase C or Ca(2+)-ATPase and by chelation of intracellular Ca(2+). The facilitation of TRPV(1), but not the inhibition K(V)7 channels, was prevented by a protein kinase C inhibitor. Simultaneous blockage of K(V)7 channels and of TRPV(1) channels prevented nucleotide-induced membrane depolarization and action potential firing. Thus, P2Y(1) and P2Y(2) receptors mediate an excitation of dorsal root ganglion neurons by nucleotides through the inhibition of K(V)7 channels and the facilitation of TRPV(1) channels via a common bifurcated signaling pathway relying on an increase in intracellular Ca(2+) and an activation of protein kinase C, respectively.

Palmitoylation targets AKAP79 protein to lipid rafts and promotes its regulation of calcium-sensitive adenylyl cyclase type 8

PKA anchoring proteins (AKAPs) optimize the efficiency of cAMP signaling by clustering interacting partners. Recently, AKAP79 has been reported to directly bind to adenylyl cyclase type 8 (AC8) and to regulate its responsiveness to store-operated Ca²⁺ entry (SOCE). Although AKAP79 is well targeted to the plasma membrane via phospholipid associations with three N-terminal polybasic regions, recent studies suggest that AKAP79 also has the potential to be palmitoylated, which may specifically allow it to target the lipid rafts where AC8 resides and is regulated by SOCE. In this study, we have addressed the role of palmitoylation of AKAP79 using a combination of pharmacological, mutagenesis, and cell biological approaches. We reveal that AKAP79 is palmitoylated via two cysteines in its N-terminal region. This palmitoylation plays a key role in targeting the AKAP to lipid rafts in HEK-293 cells. Mutation of the two critical cysteines results in exclusion of AKAP79 from lipid rafts and alterations in its membrane diffusion behavior. This is accompanied by a loss of the ability of AKAP79 to regulate SOCE-dependent AC8 activity in intact cells and decreased PKA-dependent phosphorylation of raft proteins, including AC8. We conclude that palmitoylation plays a key role in the targeting and action of AKAP79. This novel property of AKAP79 adds an unexpected regulatory and targeting option for AKAPs, which may be exploited in the cellular context.

AKAP signaling complexes in regulation of excitatory synaptic plasticity

Plasticity at excitatory glutamatergic synapses in the central nervous system is believed to be critical for neuronal circuits to process and encode information, allowing animals to perform complex behaviors such as learning and memory. In addition, alterations in synaptic plasticity are associated with human diseases, including Alzheimer disease, epilepsy, chronic pain, drug addiction, and schizophrenia. Long-term potentiation (LTP) and depression (LTD) in the hippocampal region of the brain are two forms of synaptic plasticity that increase or decrease, respectively, the strength of synaptic transmission by postsynaptic AMPA-type glutamate receptors. Both LTP and LTD are induced by activation of NMDA-type glutamate receptors but differ in the level and duration of Ca(2+) influx through the NMDA receptor and the subsequent engagement of downstream signaling by protein kinases, including PKA, PKC, and CaMKII, and phosphatases, including PP1 and calcineurin-PP2B (CaN). This review addresses the important emerging roles of the A-kinase anchoring protein family of scaffold proteins in regulating localization of PKA and other kinases and phosphatases to postsynaptic multiprotein complexes that control NMDA and AMPA receptor function during LTP and LTD.