Abstract
Voltage-gated Nav channels are required for normal electrical activity in neurons, skeletal muscle, and cardiomyocytes. In the heart, Na v1.5 is the predominant Nav channel, and Na v1.5-dependent activity regulates rapid upstroke of the cardiac action potential. Nav1.5 activity requires precise localization at specialized cardiomyocyte membrane domains. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying Nav channel trafficking in the heart are unknown. In this paper, we demonstrate that ankyrin-G is required for Nav1.5 targeting in the heart. Cardiomyocytes with reduced ankyrin-G display reduced Na v1.5 expression, abnormal Na v 1.5 membrane targeting, and reduced Na+ channel current density. We define the structural requirements on ankyrin-G for Nav1.5 interactions and demonstrate that loss of Nav1.5 targeting is caused by the loss of direct Na v1.5-ankyrin-G interaction. These data are the first report of a cellular pathway required for Nav channel trafficking in the heart and suggest that ankyrin-G is critical for cardiac depolarization and Na v channel organization in multiple excitable tissues.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 173-186 |
Number of pages | 14 |
Journal | Journal of Cell Biology |
Volume | 180 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jan 14 2008 |
Externally published | Yes |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Cell Biology