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1 Department of Medical Physiology, Cardiovascular Research Institute, Texas A&M University System Health Science Center, College Station, Texas 77845; and 2 Department of Human Biology, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University, Bundoora, Victoria 3083, Australia
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ABSTRACT |
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CHANNELS...
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Ion channels are regulated by protein phosphorylation and
dephosphorylation of serine, threonine, and tyrosine residues. Evidence for the latter process, tyrosine phosphorylation, has increased substantially since this topic was last reviewed. In this review, we
present a comprehensive summary and synthesis of the literature regarding the mechanism and function of ion channel regulation by
protein tyrosine kinases and phosphatases. Coverage includes the
majority of voltage-gated, ligand-gated, and second messenger-gated channels as well as several types of channels that have not yet been
cloned, including store-operated Ca2+ channels,
nonselective cation channels, and epithelial Na+ and
Cl
channels. Additionally, we discuss the critical roles
that channel-associated scaffolding proteins may play in localizing
protein tyrosine kinases and phosphatases to the vicinity of ion channels.
receptor tyrosine kinase; nonreceptor tyrosine kinase; protein
tyrosine phosphatase; integrins; cytoskeleton; K+ channel; Ca2+ channel; Cl
channel; ligand-gated
channel; Na+ channel; receptor-activated channel; calcium
release-activated current; focal adhesion; growth factors; scaffolding
proteins; Src; Fyn; Lck; Hck; A kinase-associated protein; PDZ; SH2; SH3; CFTR; MAGUK
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INTRODUCTION |
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CHANNELS...
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ION CHANNELS ARE TARGETS of many
intracellular signaling pathways, including protein phosphorylation and
dephosphorylation. These processes can modify channel activity and
dramatically alter the electrophysiological properties of both
excitable and nonexcitable cells. Two well-known examples of this type
of regulation are the L-type Ca2+ channel and the large
conductance Ca2+-dependent K+
(maxi-KCa) channel, proteins that often have opposing
physiological functions (157). The L-type Ca2+
channel is the primary voltage-dependent Ca2+-influx
pathway in many excitable cells. Its pore-forming subunit,
1C, contains NH2- and COOH-terminal
cytosolic domains that are potential targets for protein
phosphorylation. For example, in cardiac myocytes, activation of
1-adrenergic receptors leads to an increase in cytosolic
cAMP, which activates the serine-threonine kinase protein kinase A
(PKA). PKA phosphorylates Ser1928 of the
1C
COOH-terminus, shifting the voltage activation of the Ca2+
channel toward more negative potentials and producing an enhancement in
whole cell L-type Ca2+ current (62). The
resulting increase in Ca2+ influx contributes to the
chronotropy and inotropy induced by sympathetic activation of the heart
(140). L-type Ca2+ current is also potentiated
by agonists of endothelin,
1-adrenergic, and angiotensin
II receptors through an effect on another serine-threonine kinase,
protein kinase C (PKC). However, the exact phosphorylation mechanisms
and sites of PKC action are unclear (106). The
maxi-KCa channel is also regulated by serine
phosphorylation. This channel is composed of pore-forming
-subunits
and a regulatory
-subunit, with the COOH-termini of the
-subunits
being cytosolic. The maxi-KCa channel is regulated by
voltage in a Ca2+-dependent manner. Protein kinase G (PKG)
phosphorylates the
-subunit at Ser1072 near the
COOH-terminus (60), shifting the Ca2+
sensitivity of the channel and producing hyperpolarization (10, 23). Other putative PKG and PKC phosphorylation sites occur on
the
-subunit COOH-terminus in splice variants of the
maxi-KCa channel, which may account for the various
phenotypes of the channel observed in different tissues
(237).
In addition to the extensive information available about the regulation of ion channels by serine-threonine kinases (for a review, see Ref. 95), an emerging body of evidence suggests that channels are also regulated by phosphorylation on tyrosine residues (for reviews, see Refs. 104, 123, 124, 215, 240). Growth factors, which act through receptor tyrosine kinases, are known to regulate the function and expression of many proteins, including ion channels (14, 178). The literature also indicates that nonreceptor tyrosine kinases can regulate ion channels. Collectively, this evidence suggests a mechanism whereby by growth factors, cell-cell, and cell-substrate interactions acutely regulate cell function through ion channels.
The purpose of this review is to summarize the current state of this field. As will become evident, the majority of voltage-gated, ligand-gated, and second messenger-gated channels are regulated to some degree by tyrosine phosphorylation. We review the evidence to support this concept for most major classes of ion channels, making extensive use of tables to summarize the literature. We examine the probable roles of signaling pathways involving receptor and nonreceptor tyrosine kinases that would be expected to lead to channel regulation. We discuss the critical roles that channel-associated scaffolding proteins may play in localizing protein tyrosine kinases and phosphatases to the vicinity of ion channels. Finally, when possible, we speculate on the physiological significance of ion channel regulation by these processes.
Glossary
| AChR | Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor |
| AKAP | A kinase-associated protein |
| AMPA | -Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole proprionate
|
| BDNF | Brain-derived neurotrophic factor |
| BKCa channel | Large (big) conductance KCa channel |
| bRET | Bovine rod channel |
| [Ca2+]i | Intracellular Ca2+ concentration |
| CaM | Calmodulin |
| Cav channel | Voltage-activated Ca2+ channel |
| CFTR | Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator |
| ClC channel | Voltage-gated Cl channel family
|
| CNG channel | Cyclic nucleotide-gated channel |
| Csk | c-Src kinase |
| DEP | dsh/egl-10/pleckstrin domain |
| EGF | Epidermal growth factor |
| EGFR | EGF receptor |
| ENaC | Amiloride-sensitive Na+ channel |
| FAK | Focal adhesion kinase |
| FGF | Fibroblast growth factor |
| GABA | -Amino butyric acid
|
| GIRK channel | G protein-coupled inwardly rectifying K+ channel |
| GK | Guanylate cyclase |
| GKAP | G kinase-associated protein |
| GST | Glutathione-S-transferase |
| HEK | Human embryonic kidney (cell line) |
| ICRAC | Calcium release-activated current |
| IGF | Insulin-like growth factor |
| INAD | Inactivation-no-afterpotential D (protein) |
| Ins(1,4,5)P3 | D-myo-Inositol (1,4,5)-trisphosphate |
| JAK2 | Janus kinase 2 |
| KATP channel | ATP-sensitive K+ channel |
| KCa channel | Ca2+-dependent K+ channel |
| Kir channel | Inwardly rectifying K+ channel |
| Kv channel | Voltage-gated K+ channel |
| MAGUK | Membrane-associated GK |
| MAPK | Mitogen-activated protein kinase |
| MDCK | Madin-Darby canine kidney (cell line) |
| MuSK | Muscle-specific (tyrosine) kinase |
| NGF | Nerve growth factor |
| NGFR | NGF receptor |
| NMDA | N-methyl-D-aspartate |
| NT3 | Neurotrophin-3 |
| PC12 | Rat pheochromocytoma |
| PDGF | Platelet-derived growth factor |
| PDZ | PSD-95/SAPSO, Dlg, and 20-1 domain |
| PH | Pleckstrin homology |
| PKA | Protein kinase A |
| PKC | Protein kinase C |
| PKG | Protein kinase G |
| PLC | Phospholipase C |
| Po | Open probability |
| PTB | Phosphotyrosine binding |
| PTK | Protein tyrosine kinase |
| PTP | Protein tyrosine phosphatase |
| PX | Phox homology |
| PYK2 | Pyruvate kinase 2 |
| RACC | Receptor-activated Ca2+ channel |
| RPTP | Receptor PTP |
| RVD | Regulatory volume decrease |
| rOLF channel | Rat olfactory CNG channel |
| RPTP | Receptor PTP |
| SERCA | Sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase |
| SH2 | Src homology 2 |
| SH3 | Src homology 3 |
| Src | Sarcoma virus tyrosine kinase |
| STOC | Spontaneous transient outward current |
| Trp | Transient receptor potential |
| TTX | Tetrodotoxin |
| VEGF | Vascular endothelial growth factor |
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RECEPTOR AND NONRECEPTOR TYROSINE KINASES |
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To provide a context for understanding how ion channels are regulated by tyrosine phosphorylation, some brief discussion of PTKs and phosphatases seems appropriate.
PTKs were initially discovered as the products of oncogenes from transforming retroviruses (91). PTKs are responsible for transducing key extracellular signals that mediate events such as proliferation, cytoskeletal rearrangement, and coordination of physiological responses. Cellular PTKs can be divided into two primary groups: receptor and nonreceptor PTKs (117).
Members of the receptor PTK family include the insulin receptor and growth factor receptors such as EGF, PDGF, FGF, IGF, and VEGF receptors. Structurally, the receptor PTKs are characterized by an extracellular ligand-binding domain, a transmembrane domain, a kinase-catalytic domain, and cytoplasmic regions responsible for organizing signaling molecules. Signal transduction is initiated by a sequence of growth factor (ligand) binding to the extracellular domain, dimerization of the receptor proteins, and autophosphorylation of the receptor. Receptor autophosphorylation creates phosphorylated tyrosine residues on the cytoplasmic tail of the receptor. These phosphorylated tyrosine residues form docking sites for signaling molecules, and it is the combination of these signaling molecules that determines the specificity of individual receptor PTKs (51).
Nonreceptor PTKs are found in both the cytoplasm and nuclei of cells. The largest family of cytoplasmic PTKs is the Src family (for a review, see Ref. 1). The Src family consists of eight members: Src, Fyn, and Yes (which are ubiquitously expressed) and Lck, Hck, Fgr, Lyn, and Blk (which exhibit a more restricted expression pattern). Src family PTKs are characterized by NH2-terminal sequences that direct myristolation or pamitoylation, resulting in membrane localization. Other sequences include a nonconserved unique domain, an SH3 domain that directs binding to polyproline-rich sequences, an SH2 domain that binds phosphotyrosine, a catalytic domain, and a short COOH-terminal tail. Regulation of Src family members is highly conserved. In particular, there are two tyrosine residues: one in the kinase domain and one in the COOH-terminal tail, whose phosphorylation state is important for Src activation. Autophosphorylation of the kinase domain tyrosine leads to increased kinase activity, whereas phosphorylation of the COOH-terminal tail region by Csk represses activity (164). Hence, activation can occur by dephosphorylation of the COOH-terminal tyrosine by a phosphatase such as RPTP or phosphorylation of the kinase domain tyrosine (69). Many stimuli, including receptor PTKs, G protein-coupled receptors, and integrins, have been implicated in Src activation, making this family of kinases a key point of integration for many signal transduction pathways. It is now clear that autophosphorylation of receptor PTKs can form binding sites on the receptor for Src family members and that these nonreceptor PTKs are important for some of the downstream signaling events initiated by receptor binding (233).
The other class of nonreceptor PTKs that is important for this discussion includes FAK and Pyk2/RAFTK (for a review, see Ref. 12). pp125FAK is a 125-kDa PTK that is discretely localized to cellular focal adhesions and has been shown to colocalize with integrins. FAK is a major substrate for integrin-dependent tyrosine phosphorylation, and, upon phosphorylation, it becomes enzymatically active and serves as a scaffold for the binding and localization of other proteins to the focal adhesion (201). Pyk2/RAFTK is characterized by a more diffuse cytoplasmic localization and can be activated by stress signals (122) and by a variety of extracellular signals that elevate [Ca2+]i. FAK and Pyk2/RAFTK exhibit ~48% amino acid identity and have a similar organization: a unique NH2-terminal region, a centrally located PTK domain, and two proline-rich regions at the COOH-terminus. Neither kinase contains SH2 or SH3 domains.
Activation of the Src family members FAK and Pyk2/RAFTK serves as a central integration mechanism for a number of extracellular signaling pathways. For example, when integrins on the cell surface are engaged, signal transduction pathways are triggered. Because integrins lack intrinsic enzymatic activity, they rely on the activation of a number of cytoplasmic signaling molecules, including FAK and Src. The two proteins are colocalized, and their interaction leads to autophosphorylation of FAK, creation of a binding site for the Src SH2 domain, and ultimately to Src activation (198). Src then serves to phosphorylate additional sites on FAK, allowing binding of other signaling molecules and scaffolding proteins (179, 200). This process leads to the assembly of complex signaling molecules at the focal adhesion site and organizes signaling events further downstream. There is increasing evidence for synergy between receptor PTKs and integrin signaling pathways. The Src-FAK pathways are thought to be key sites for the integration of signals from integrin pathways (203), and evidence for this integration with respect to ion channel regulation will be apparent in subsequent sections of this review.
PTPs are composed of two groups: one that recognizes phosphoserine, phosphothreonine, and phosphotyrosine residues and another that specifically recognizes phosphotyrosines (174, 249). The latter group can be subdivided into intracellular (nonreceptor) or receptor PTPs. PTPs have a conserved catalytic domain that recognizes the VIHCSAGXGRXG motif. Receptor PTPs contain extracellular domains with structural motifs similar to those found in cell adhesion molecules and two catalytic domains on their intracellular COOH-terminus. Nonreceptor PTPs contain only a single conserved phosphatase domain flanked by noncatalytic segments that mediate interactions with adapter molecules through specific protein-protein interaction domains (see THE CHANNEL-PROTEIN KINASE REGULATORY COMPLEX). Although much is known about the structure and function of PTPs (174), the evidence for involvement of specific PTPs in the regulation of ion channels is sparse.
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TYPES OF SUPPORTING EVIDENCE |
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Initial evidence that ion channels were regulated by tyrosine phosphorylation came largely from pharmacological studies using soluble inhibitors of PTKs. Electrophysiological and molecular biology methods have subsequently provided insight into the mechanisms of channel regulation. This progression of methodology can be traced using the L-type Ca2+ channel as an example and is detailed below.
In vascular smooth muscle, broad-spectrum PTK inhibitors such as genistein and herbimycin attenuate depolarization-induced tone (64, 236) as well as myogenic tone (135, 165). Genistein inhibits the rise in [Ca2+]i induced by KCl depolarization (64), suggesting that it acts on a Ca2+ entry mechanism. Electrophysiological studies confirm that soluble PTK inhibitors block whole cell Ca2+ current (265), including studies that utilize inhibitors such as PP1 and PP2, which more specifically target certain PTKs, e.g., Src (48, 270). Other studies have employed strategies involving intracellular dialysis with antibodies or peptides directed at specific kinases. For example, L-type Ca2+ current in smooth muscle is increased by intracellular dialysis with a pipette solution containing a c-Src-activating peptide (263) or constitutively active Src (270) but is inhibited by monoclonal antibodies against c-Src (84, 270). Studies combining electrophysiological and molecular biology strategies have provided the best evidence for specific channel-kinase interactions. Expression of recombinant L-type Ca2+ channels in a mammalian cell line, along with kinase-dead Src to compete with endogenous Src, results in blockade of the otherwise potentiating action of IGF-1 on Ca2+ current (16). Subsequently, these electrophysiological data have been supported by biochemical evidence for Src-Ca2+ channel association using immunoprecipitation and GST fusion protein assays (16, 84). In addition, kinase assays show that purified Src kinase can phosphorylate L-type Ca2+ channels in vitro (16). Collectively, this combination of methods provides convincing support for the idea that the L-type Ca2+ channel is regulated by tyrosine phosphorylation.
As noted in our data tables, the majority of evidence for regulation of ion channels by tyrosine phosphorylation is based primarily on the effects of soluble PTK inhibitors. A major flaw in this evidence is that these antagonists are reported to have nonspecific effects (3), including direct interactions with channels (85, 166, 216), inhibition of serine-threonine kinases (2), interactions with Ca2+ indicators (17), and other nonkinase actions (114, 278). Thus approaches that depend solely on the use of these inhibitors must be interpreted with caution. A stronger case for regulation by tyrosine phosphorylation can be made if multiple PTK inhibitors acting through different mechanisms produce the same effect on a channel or if structurally related inactive forms are used. However, because some soluble PTK inhibitors are relatively specific for certain kinase families (e.g., herbimycin A, PP1, and PP2), the lack of an effect on a given channel may simply indicate that a certain class of PTK is not involved in regulation of that channel. Ideally, supportive evidence would be provided by an opposite effect resulting from inhibition of PTPs. Unfortunately, few selective tools are available to selectively inhibit PTPs. The most commonly used phosphatase blockers, pervanadate and sodium orthovanadate, are also inhibitory for serine-threonine phosphatases (72). The purification and use of specific PTPs and their inhibitors will obviously allow more specific testing of the role of these enzymes in ion channel regulation.
Although molecular approaches can potentially be used to pinpoint the site and mechanism of action of a specific PTK, these approaches are not without their own limitations. Expression of specific channel subunits in Xenopus oocytes or in mammalian cell systems (e.g., HEK 293 and COS-7) can result in uncertainties about proper membrane targeting of the channel. In many cases, the complete array of functions for accessory subunits are unknown, so that it cannot be determined a priori which channel subunits need to be expressed. Some expression systems may not possess the adequate intracellular signaling machinery to reconstitute a specific PTK-ion channel regulatory pathway. Also, some channels may undergo posttranslational processing in native cells to alter associations between channel subunits (63), but this processing may not be possible in recombinant expression systems due to lack of the appropriate enzymatic machinery. These inherent difficulties can lead to substantial differences in the behavior and regulation of expressed versus endogenous channels. Therefore, it is necessary to keep these limitations in mind when interpreting such studies, and the conclusions must ultimately be confirmed using the endogenous channel and PTK(s) in the native cell system.
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REGULATION OF LIGAND-GATED CHANNELS BY PTKS |
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Ligand-gated ion channels are among the most precisely localized
of membrane proteins through their extensive associations with specific
scaffolding and cytoskeletal proteins at the postsynaptic density
(207, 208). PTKs are also highly localized in this region (227). It is therefore not surprising that several types
of ligand-gated channels are associated with, and/or regulated by,
PTKs. We will review the evidence for regulation of three distinct
types of ligand-gated channels by tyrosine phosphorylation. Other
ligand-gated channels, or their scaffolding protein partners, are also
known to be associated with PTKs (25), e.g., the AMPA
receptor is associated with the nonreceptor PTK Lyn (71).
However, this section will focus on those channels for which there is
the best functional evidence for this type of regulation (see Table
1).
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AChR
AChR is a neurotransmitter-gated ion channel that mediates the response to acetylcholine at the postsynaptic membrane of nicotinic cholinergic synapses. This receptor was one of the earliest and best-characterized ligand-gated channels due to the capability of isolating large quantities from Torpedo californica. AChR is composed of a pentameric rosette of four different membrane-spanning subunits, with the stoichiometry
2

. Each
-subunit binds acetylcholine and is regulated by a number of
serine-threonine kinases, including PKA and PKC (89). As
early as 1984, it was demonstrated that AChR could be tyrosine
phosphorylated by an endogenous PTK (90). The
-,
-,
and
-subunits each contain a single tyrosine phosphorylation site on
the major intracellular loop between transmembrane domains three and
four. Tyrosine phosphorylation of one or more subunits increases the
rate of channel desensitization (81).
Regulation of AChR localization is coordinated by a number of accessory
proteins through tyrosine phosphorylation events. During
synaptogenesis, the neurally released factor agrin causes the
clustering of AChRs. Agrin is an extracellular heparin sulfate proteoglycan capable of binding growth factors (36) and,
along with at least one accessory protein, stimulates the
muscle-specific receptor PTK MuSK. The
-subunit of AChR is tyrosine
phosphorylated by MuSK or by an intermediate PTK, perhaps Fyn or Src
(59), through a process involving one or more scaffolding
proteins, including rapsyn (36). The
- and
-subunits
of AChR are also tyrosine phosphorylated (89). Fyn and Fyk
PTKs are known to associate through their SH2 domains with the YFNI
sequence of the
-subunit (228). Of note, tyrosine
phosphorylation of the
-subunit results in its association with the
adaptor protein Grb2 in the AChR complex (35). Grb2 is a
key upstream player in the Ras-MAPK signaling pathway, leaving open the
possibility that this pathway regulates the channel. However, the
extent to which these accessory proteins and PTKs play a role in
functional regulation of AChR, e.g., channel sensitization or
desensitization, is not known.
NMDA Receptor
NMDA receptors are a class of glutamate receptor, the major excitatory neurotransmitter receptor in the central nervous system. NMDA receptors are composed of NR1 and NR2 subunits arranged, presumably, in a tetramer. NR1 has only a short cytoplasmic tail, but its interaction with
-actinin and CaM
is necessary for Ca2+-dependent inactivation of the
receptor (272). Each NR2(A-D) subunit has
a long COOH-terminal cytoplasmic tail, at the end of which is a
conserved sequence that mediates binding to the first two PDZ domains
of the synaptic scaffolding protein PSD-95. This interaction appears to
be important for regulation by kinases. Physiological properties of the
NMDA receptor are modulated by the serine-threonine kinase PKC,
although the role of subunit phosphorylation in this process is
controversial (279). However, NR2A and
NR2B subunits can be tyrosine phosphorylated
(115), particularly NR2B (151).
NR2 subunits also coimmunoprecipitate with several Src
family kinases, including Src, Fyn, Yes, and Lyn (115, 232,
275). Fyn binds through its SH2 domain to the third PDZ domain
of PSD-95, and Fyn-deficient mice show greatly reduced levels of
NR2 phosphorylation. Heterologously expressed NMDA receptor
subunits can also be phosphorylated by Src and Fyn (112,
232).
NMDA receptor currents are potentiated by PTK activation and inhibited by PTP activation (112, 253). For example, the Src-activating peptide EPQ(pY)EEIPIA applied to the intracellular surface of the NMDA receptor increases Po of the native channel in cultured neurons from the rat spinal dorsal horn (128). Another peptide containing the amino acid sequence 40-58 of Src blocks the action of EPQ(pY)EEIPIA. Po is reduced by either of two Src antibodies but increased by recombinant pp60c-Src (128, 253). Importantly, the effects of these peptides are also evident on the NMDA component of miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (128). Further evidence for a physiological effect is the correlation between enhanced tyrosine phosphorylation of NMDA receptors and long-term potentiation (191, 192). Src and Fyn kinases lose their potentiating effect on recombinant NR1-NR2A channels if the COOH-terminus of NR2A is deleted (112). Coimmunoprecipitation of NR2 subunits and Src family kinases suggests a physical association between the receptor and the kinase (115), although intermediate kinase(s) may also be involved. Indeed, the inhibitory action of Src(40-58) peptide, which does not itself interact with the Src catalytic domain (128), points to additional protein-protein interactions required for tyrosine phosphorylation of the receptor.
GABA Receptor
GABA receptors are ligand-gated Cl
channels
concentrated in the postsynaptic membrane of GABAergic synapses. The
GABA receptor is a heteropentameric protein assembled from
-,
-,
-,
-, and
-subunits (250). Each subunit consists
of a 40- to 60-kDa polypeptide with four transmembrane regions and an
extracellular COOH-terminus. Regulation of channel subunits by
phosphorylation occurs at multiple sites on an intracellular loop
between transmembrane segments three and four (29).
Initial studies indicated that the GABAA receptor, the most
widely distributed subunit, is modulated by tyrosine phosphorylation of
the
2- and
1-subunits. GABAA
receptors expressed in oocytes are inhibited by genistein and
tyrphostin B-44, and this effect is associated with tyrosine
phosphorylation of
2- and
1-subunits by
the nonreceptor PTK pp60c-Src (243). If
1-,
1-, and
2-subunits are
expressed in HEK 293 cells along with a constitutively active form of
Src, v-Src, two tyrosine residues on
2 are
phosphorylated and whole cell GABA current is enhanced
(154). Mutation of residues Tyr365/367 to
Phe365/367 on
2 blocks Src-induced
phosphorylation and enhancement of current. Mutation of residues
Tyr384/386 to Phe384/386 on
1
blocks Src-induced phosphorylation without any obvious effect on
current, suggesting that tyrosine phosphorylation of
2
is critical to regulation (154). The function of
1 tyrosine phosphorylation remains to be determined. In
superior cervical ganglion neurons, native GABAA channels
are modulated by tyrosine kinase/phosphatase inhibitors and by dialysis
with c-Src in a way consistent with physiological potentiation of
GABAA current by tyrosine phosphorylation
(154).
A similar regulation of GABAA is observed in spinal dorsal
horn neurons. GABAA currents are reversibly inhibited by
genistein but potentiated by recombinant pp60c-Src
(250). Both
2/
3-subunits are
tyrosine phosphorylated by an endogenous PTK(s); however,
genistein appears to produce comparable inhibition of GABA current in
heterologously expressed
1
2-subunits compared with
1
2
2-subunits. This
suggests that
2, not
2, is required for
this regulation (250). The functional significance of
2 tyrosine phosphorylation is not yet known.
In contrast, tyrosine phosphorylation of frog melanotroph
2/
3-subunits inhibits GABA-evoked current
(29). Soluble PTK inhibitors potentiate GABA currents
in inside-out patches from these cells and reduce endogenous
phosphorylation of
2/
3-subunits. Furthermore, single channel currents are inhibited by recombinant pp60c-Src or the PTP inhibitor sodium orthovanadate. The
reasons for these disparate results (29, 250) are unknown,
but they possibly reflect the actions of multiple interacting tyrosine
phosphorylation events, different endogenous PTKs, phosphorylation of
different GABA subunits, or involvement of different channel-associated scaffolding proteins.
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REGULATION OF K+ CHANNELS BY PTKS |
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Kv Channels
Kv channels are composed of tetramers of transmembrane
-subunits associated with up to four
-subunits. There are over a dozen distinct Kv
-subunit genes and at least three Kv
-subunit genes with multiple alternative splice variants (43).
Differential assembly and association of
- and
-subunits into
homo- and heterotetramers confer functional diversity to the channel.
There are four main Kv subfamilies: Shaker (Kv1), Shab (Kv2), Shaw
(Kv3), and Shal (Kv4). In each family, the
-subunit contains six
membrane-spanning helices (S1-6) and a highly conserved short P
loop between S5 and S6 that forms the channel conduction pathway
(97). S4 is the presumed voltage sensor. S1 and S6 contain
the cytosolic sequences corresponding to the NH2- and
COOH-termini, respectively (42). The
NH2-terminal region of S1 (130 residues) is known as the T1 domain and is the site of protein-protein interactions. Kv channel
-subunits are intracellular proteins that play a critical role in
membrane targeting of the channel and possibly confer functional properties, e.g., causing fast inactivation of the intrinsically slow
inactivating
-subunit (101).
Initial evidence for Kv channel regulation by tyrosine phosphorylation
was based on the effects of pharmacological inhibitors of tyrosine
kinases and phosphatases. The evidence was obtained using a variety of
native cells as well as recombinant channels in heterologous expression
systems. The majority of these studies are summarized in Table
2. Our discussion
focuses primarily on combined electrophysiological and molecular
biology studies that provide the most compelling evidence.
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Regulation of Shaker family Kv channels by tyrosine phosphorylation is
firmly established. Coexpression of the M1 (muscarinic) AChR and the delayed rectifier K+ channel, Kv1.2, in
oocytes results in suppression of K+ current after
activation of the receptor (87). This inhibition is
mediated by tyrosine phosphorylation of the channel subsequent to
activation of PLC-
1 and PKC. Suppression of Kv current is relieved
by mutation of a single tyrosine residue, Tyr132 to
Phe132, on the NH2-terminus of the channel.
This mutation reduces both basal and carbachol-induced tyrosine
phosphorylation of the channel, as assessed from immunoprecipitation
protocols. In contrast, mutation of another NH2-terminus
site, Tyr76 to Phe76, or two potential serine
phosphorylation sites for MAPK on the COOH-terminus have no effect on
the inhibition caused by muscarinic agonists (87).
Coexpression of M1 AChR, Kv1.2, and EGFR in HEK 293 cells results in suppression of K+ current after receptor activation (87, 239). Application of EGF alone results in suppression of Kv1.2 current and phosphorylation of Kv1.2 by EGFR, but the "specific" EGFR kinase inhibitor tyrphostin AG1478 blocks carbachol-mediated inhibition of Kv1.2 current (239). Therefore, M1 AChR appears to transactivate EGFR to modulate the K+ channel. Because AG1478 blocks only ~50% of this response, it leaves open the possibility that other PTKs may also be involved. Indeed, in PC12 cells, another PTK responsible for phosphorylation of Kv1.2 is the nonreceptor tyrosine kinase PYK2 (122). PYK2 activity is stimulated by depolarization, by PKC, and by agonists of G protein-coupled receptors (e.g., bradykinin), all of which stimulate increases in [Ca2+]i and subsequently inhibit Kv1.2 current (122).
In T lymphocytes, Kv1.3 is tyrosine phosphorylated after stimulation of Fas (an apoptosis-related protein), which leads to apoptotic cell death. Phosphorylation appears to be mediated by the tyrosine kinase p56Lck because deficiency in that kinase abolishes inhibition of current by Fas, whereas reconstitution of p56Lck restores the effect (229). Whether Lck interacts directly with the channel has not been determined. When Kv1.3 is coexpressed in HEK 293 cells with EGFR or v-Src, the channel becomes tyrosine phosphorylated and current is suppressed by >95% (24, 78). PTK inhibitors relieve the current suppression by v-Src. The action of v-Src is not mediated by an effect on Kv1.3 expression but by modulation of channel activation and inactivation kinetics (78). On the basis of mutational analysis, regulation of Kv1.3 kinetics by Src is determined by multiple interacting phosphorylation sites, including Tyr137 on the Kv1.3 NH2-terminus and Tyr449 on the COOH-terminus (24). Interestingly, inhibition of Kv1.3 by EGF, which is predominantly through speeding of C-type inactivation, is mediated at a different site, Tyr479. Collectively, these observations imply that Kv1.3 can be differentially regulated by various PTKs.
The NH2-terminus of the human K+ channel, hKv1.5, contains a proline-rich SH3 domain known to interact with Src (79). The channel and enzyme colocalize in cell adhesion zones in the myocardium (138). Coexpression of Src and hKv1.5 in HEK 293 cells results in tyrosine phosphorylation of the channel and suppression of channel current (79). This is consistent with inhibition of Kv current by EGF in cardiac myocytes (24).
In contrast to the recombinant K+ channel studies cited
above, tyrosine phosphorylation of native Kv current in mouse Schwann cells leads to current activation (219). This action is
apparently mediated by the Src-family kinase p55Fyn because
cell dialysis with recombinant Fyn kinase results in potentiation of a
slowly inactivating K+ current component that is blocked by
herbimycin A. Both Kv1.5 and Kv2.1
-subunits are constitutively
tyrosine phosphorylated (219). Furthermore,
coimmunoprecipitation and double-labeling experiments suggest a direct
association between the p55Fyn and K+ channels
in these cells (219). Kv2.1 associates with Fyn through an
SH2 domain (219), in contrast to Kv1.5, which associates
with Src family kinases through its SH3 domain (79). The
effect of tyrosine phosphorylation on K+ current in this
study is noteworthy because nearly all other Kv channel studies suggest
that the end result of tyrosine phosphorylation is inactivation of the
channel. Sobko et al. (219) proposed that this discrepancy
may be related to the absence of regulatory channel subunits in some
heterologous expression systems or to the possibility that
heteromultimers formed with Kv2.1 subunits in native cells confer this
type of regulation by PTKs (219). In support of this idea,
at least two other studies presented indirect evidence for activation
of native K+ current after stimulation of receptor PTKs
(104, 173, 181). It is also possible that multiple
receptor and nonreceptor PTKs are involved in the normal regulation of
Kv channels, e.g., Src (49, 77, 125), EGFR
(239), PYK2 (122), and JAK2
(181). Resolution of these important issues may completely
alter conclusions about the physiological role of Kv channel tyrosine phosphorylation.
Kir Channels
Structurally, Kir channels are composed of four
-subunits, each
containing the S1-S6 K+ channel pore region. These subunits
are lined by two transmembrane segments with intracellular
NH2- and COOH-termini (194). Kir tetramers
show varying degrees of inward rectification, as assessed by the
current-voltage relationship of the channel. Kir1.x (ROMK) channels
control K+ secretion in epithelium. Kir3.x (GIRK) channels
are regulated by heterotrimeric G proteins. Kir6.x channels form
octomers with sulphonylurea receptors to compose channels
(KATP channels) that are regulated by intracellular ATP/ADP
in a variety of tissues, notably pancreatic
-cells. Several Kir
family members are regulated by PKA and PKC in different ways and with
different effects. For example, PKA-dependent phosphorylation inhibits
Kir2.1 but modulates pH sensitivity in Kir1.1 (194).
Kir channels are also regulated by tyrosine phosphorylation, as summarized in Table 2. Native and recombinant Kir2.1 currents are suppressed by perorthovanadate inhibition of PTPs, and inhibition is reversed by genistein (268). Both effects are prevented by mutation of Tyr242 to Phe242 in the Kir2.1 COOH-terminus (268). When Kir2.1 is coexpressed with NGFR or EGFR, application of the appropriate ligand leads to suppression of current. Other growth factors (NT3 or BDNF) similarly suppress current, either by crossreaction with NGFR or by interaction with endogenously expressed receptor PTKs (268). Additional potential tyrosine phosphorylation sites have been identified on Kir2.1 (171), but their role in regulating the channel is not known. Tyr242 is present in other members of Kir2 at the equivalent position, so receptor PTKs have the potential to regulate other Kir2 channels by this mechanism. The equivalent tyrosine site is not found in GIRK channels (Kir3.x subfamily), but mutation of either of two other tyrosine residues in Kir3.1 (Tyr12 or Tyr67) or in Kir3.4 (Tyr32 or Tyr53) blocks BDNF-induced inhibition of current (189). The sites more proximal to the NH2-terminus appear to play the more critical role in regulating the BDNF effect. Kir3.2 channels, which lack a tyrosine residue at this site, acquire BDNF sensitivity if an Asp41 to Tyr41 mutation is made in the proximal position (189). To achieve this effect, it is also necessary to add an additional basic charge near this site, apparently to complete the general motif characteristic of PTK phosphorylation sites, i.e., charged amino acids on the NH2 side of the tyrosine and a hydrophobic residue on the COOH side (220). The specific PTK involved in regulation of Kv3.x is not known, although Kv3.1 and Src do not coimmunoprecipitate (275).
Maxi-KCa Channels
Maxi-KCa (slo) channels comprise another K+ channel family. Each channel is composed of
- and
-subunits, with the
-subunit sharing sequence homology with Kv
channel regions S1-S6. Although they are gated by voltage,
maxi-KCa (BKCa) channels possess an additional
transmembrane (S0) region that renders the NH2-terminus extracellular (237). Interaction of the
NH2-terminus with the transmembrane maxi-KCa
-subunits confers [Ca2+]i sensitivity to
the channel. The maxi-KCa COOH-terminus may be
substantially longer than that in Kv channels and is the predicted site
for protein phosphorylation (237).
Maxi-KCa is also regulated by tyrosine phosphorylation
(Table 2). In smooth muscle, STOCs, which reflect the activity of maxi-KCa channels in that cell type, are activated by EGF
and inhibited by genistein (70). In neurons, NT3 and NGF
activate paxilline-sensitive BKCa channels
(76). When the pore-forming
-subunit of the
BKCa channel, mSlo (the mammalian homologue of slo), is
coexpressed with c-Src in HEK 293 cells, the channel undergoes tyrosine
phosphorylation (125). Src has no effect on channel gating
in the absence of Ca2+, but at free cytosolic
Ca2+ levels >4 µM, channel Po is
higher at any given voltage when active Src is coexpressed. In
contrast, expression of kinase-dead Src prevents tyrosine
phosphorylation of the channel and the enhancement in Ca2+
sensitivity (125). The site of regulation appears to be
Tyr766 on the COOH-terminus because a
Tyr766 to Phe766 mutation prevents
phosphorylation of the channel by Src and the subsequent shift in
Ca2+ sensitivity (125). These experimental
approaches show convincingly that Src is required for tyrosine
phosphorylation of the maxi-KCa channel but, as with other
studies, it is not certain if the channel is directly phosphorylated by
Src or by an intermediate PTK.
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REGULATION OF CA2+ CHANNELS BY PTK |
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CHANNELS...
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Voltage-gated Ca2+ channels are composed of
1 (190-250 kDa)-,
2
(125 kDa)-,
and
(52-62 kDa)-subunits (47). The
1-subunit forms the voltage-gated
Ca2+-selective pore, with some 2,000 amino acids organized
in four homologous domains. Each domain contains six transmembrane
segments with a membrane reentrant pore loop in each segment
(141). Members of the dihydropyridine class of
Ca2+ antagonists interact with the
1-subunit
(224).
and
2
channel subunits
increase functional expression and therefore are likely to play roles
in membrane targeting of the channel complex. These subunits also
acutely modulate channel function. The
-subunit is cytoplasmic and
contains a highly conserved domain that interacts with the I-II loop of
1. The
-subunit is an integral membrane protein,
whereas
2 is an extracellular glycolsylated protein (106). A
-subunit (25 kDa) is found in some tissues,
notably skeletal muscle, but its function is uncertain.
At each end of the
1 channel protein are large cytosolic
NH2-terminal and COOH-terminal domains that are potential
targets for protein phosphorylation. In cardiac and brain isoforms,
1C undergoes posttranslational proteolytic processing,
after which a 30- to 50-kDa fragment of the COOH-terminus becomes
colocalized with the body (190 kDa) of the
1C- and
-subunits (63). The COOH-terminus is involved in CaM
binding and Ca2+-dependent inactivation.
Ser1928 near the COOH-terminus is a major site of
PKA-mediated phosphorylation (38). The mechanism of
regulation of
1C by PKC is still unclear (106) but requires the NH2-terminus
(212). However, when recombinant channels are expressed in
HEK 293 cells, phosphorylation of Thr27 and
Thr31 by PKC results in inhibition (not activation, as
might be expected) of current (141). Because the
NH2- and COOH-terminal domains may constitutively serve as
partially independent but interacting inhibitory gates
(212), it is possible that PKC and other kinases, including PTKs, act by relieving this inhibition.
Several lines of evidence link PTKs to the regulation of the
pore-forming subunits of voltage-gated calcium channels, including
1C (132),
1D
(222), and
1E (11).
Much of this work is summarized in Table
3.
|
At least two isoforms of the L-type Ca2+ channel are
regulated by tyrosine phosphorylation. In vascular myocytes,
Ca2+ current (
1C-b, Cav1.2b) is reduced by
PTK inhibition (127, 260), whereas PTP inhibition
increases current (264). PDGF, which stimulates tyrosine
phosphorylation of multiple proteins, enhances L-type Ca2+
current (84, 261). A key role for Src kinase in this
process is supported by observations that Ca2+ current is
1) increased by intracellular application of constitutively active Src kinase (262), 2) increased by
c-Src-activating peptide (263), and 3)
inhibited by a monoclonal antibody for c-Src (84). In
visceral smooth muscle, PDGF potentiates L-type Ca2+
current and increases tyrosine phosphorylation of
1C
(84). Additionally,
1C coimmunoprecipitates
with c-Src, and PDGF regulation of current is inhibited by dialysis
with antibodies to FAK or Src (84).
Cav1.2b is also regulated by at least three integrins. Whole cell
recordings from single arteriolar myocytes show that soluble (nonclustering) ligands of
v
3-integrin, such as RGD
peptides, inhibit L-type Ca2+ current (271).
Interestingly, bound ligands of
v
3-integrin, which
lead to integrin clustering (146), produce a similar
inhibitory effect (271). In contrast, soluble ligands of
the laminin receptor,
4
1, enhance current
(248), whereas only clustered
5
1-integrin ligands enhance current
(271). Therefore, regulation of this channel in smooth
muscle occurs by multiple intracellular pathways downstream from
v
3-,
5
1-, and
4
1-integrins, and at least two of these
pathways do not appear to require integrin clustering. As for
PDGF-potentiated currents, targeting of FAK or Src in these vascular
smooth muscle cells with specific antibodies blocks potentiation of
current by
5
1-integrin ligands
(270). Antibodies to two integrin-associated cytoskeletal
protein targets, paxillin and vinculin, also block regulation of L-type
Ca2+ current by
5
1
ligands. The ability of vinculin and paxillin antibodies to do
this is likely due to their interference with the assembly of Src or
another PTK on an intracellular scaffold of focal adhesion proteins
rather than a direct interaction with the channel. SH2 and SH3 domains
in these proteins enable them to associate with PTKs
(247). As mentioned above, the COOH-terminus of Cav1.2b
contains a proline-rich domain that has been identified as a mediator
of membrane association. This region interacts with SH3 domains in Src,
Lyn, and Hck tyrosine kinases (63), and its deletion
results in increased channel current, suggesting that it is
constitutively involved in channel inhibition (258). It is
not yet known whether phosphorylation of the
1C
COOH-terminus by any of these PTKs alters this inhibitory property.
Depolarization recruits the neuronal L-type Ca2+ channel (Cav1.2c) and results in increased tyrosine phosphorylation of multiple cytoplasmic proteins, including FAK and vinculin. PP1 blocks calcium influx through the channel and reduces phosphorylation of these proteins. Conversely, the phosphatase inhibitor sodium orthovanadate mimics the depolarization effect and recruits the channel (48). In molluscan neurons, NGF acutely enhances high voltage-activated Ca2+ currents (266). Interestingly, the extracellular matrix protein fibronectin produces a similar effect and, in addition, enhances the frequency of action potential firing (W. Wildering, personal communication). Collectively, these observations suggest that Cav1.2c is functionally regulated by tyrosine phosphorylation.
Definitive evidence for regulation of Cav1.2c by the growth
factor IGF-1, through Src, was recently presented. In cerebellar granule neurons,
1C is tyrosine phosphorylated in
response to IGF-1, resulting in potentiation of L-type Ca2+
current (21, 204). This effect can be duplicated in
recombinant
1C-c channels expressed in SH-SY5Y cells.
Potentiation occurs primarily as a result of increasing the rate of
activation at hyperpolarized potentials and likely reflects altered
gating of the
1-subunit. c-Src mediates this response
because expression of kinase-dead Src, or application of the soluble
Src inhibitor PP2, blocks potentiation of current (16).
Kinase assays using lysates from neuroblastoma cells expressing
1C-c show that purified Src kinase phosphorylates
Tyr2122 of the
1C-c COOH-terminus.
Furthermore, point mutation of Tyr2122 to
Phe2122 (but not of a nearby Tyr residue) prevents tyrosine
phosphorylation and prevents IGF-1 potentiation of current
(16). Because Cav1.2b and Cav1.2c share identical
sequences in this region, it is likely that Tyr2122
[rather than other postulated sites (84, 111)] also
mediates PDGF potentiation of current in smooth muscle. In addition to this tyrosine phosphorylation site, the intracellular loop of
1C contains two SH3 domains that may be involved in
docking of Src. Upstream of Tyr2122 are several amino acid
residues that correspond to known sequences of Src substrates, but the
various docking, adaptor, or scaffolding proteins that may be required
for tyrosine phosphorylation of this channel are not yet known.
T-type Ca2+ current in spermatogenic cells is potentiated by 50% after strong depolarization (e.g., a prepulse to +60 mV) or high-frequency stimulation (11). Unlike voltage-dependent potentiation of current in other Ca2+ channel types, the phenomenon in this tissue is not consistent with a Ca2+- or G protein-mediated mechanism. The same degree of potentiation is produced by PTK inhibitors, whereas PTP inhibitors block prepulse potentiation of current (11). Therefore, tyrosine phosphorylation/dephosphorylation may play a role in acute modulation of this channel.
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REGULATION OF NA+ CHANNELS BY PTKS |
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CHANNELS...
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Evidence for the regulation of two major classes of
Na+ channels, voltage-gated and epithelial Na+
channels, is summarized in Table 4.
|
Voltage-Gated Na+ Channels
Voltage-gated Na+ (VGNa) channels are composed of three subunits: a large pore-forming
-subunit and two smaller
-subunits,
1 and
2. The
-subunit is
similar in structure to that of the voltage-gated Ca2+
channel, with four homologous domains, each containing six
transmembrane segments. The extracellular domains of the
-subunits
form Ig folds with substantial homology to the neural cell adhesion
protein contactin (96) and may therefore play an important
role in channel expression and localization. The Na+
channel
-subunit is negatively regulated by PKA phosphorylation on
Ser573 of the intracellular loop linking domains I and II
(28). The
-subunit is also regulated by PKC (184,
217). However, only a few studies have examined the possible
direct modulation of Na+ channels by phosphorylation on
tyrosine residues (Table 4).
In the rat PC12 neuronal cell line, the growth factors NGF, PDGF, EGF, and basic FGF acutely inhibit VGNa (75). Inhibition is achieved through a leftward shift of the Na+ channel inactivation curve, rendering the channel more inactivated at physiological potentials. Inhibition depends on tyrosine kinase activity of the associated growth factor receptors because the receptor PTK inhibitors tyrphostin AG9 and tyrphostin AG879 almost completely reverse this effect. Furthermore, the inhibition of Na+ current by NGF and PDGF is not additive, suggesting a common signaling pathway (but this conclusion may also depend on whether maximal doses of the growth factors were used). Although the specific PTKs involved have not been determined, the Src inhibitor PP1 decreases the response to PDGF in wild-type cells, and PDGF receptors with mutations in their Src-binding domains are less effective in mediating the PDGF response (75).
A recent study of neuronal Na+ channels is one of the few
to show a direct association of a PTP with an ion channel. Receptor PTP-
, a receptor PTP whose mRNA is highly expressed in the brain and
kidney (195), interacts with neuronal Na+
channel
- and
1-subunits through intracellular
domains of the proteins (187). In HEK 293 cells, the
recombinant
-subunit is tyrosine phosphorylated under basal
conditions, and the level of phosphorylation increases after treatment
with the phosphatase inhibitor sodium pervanadate. Coexpression of
-subunits with receptor PTP-
intracellular phosphatase domains
results in an increase in Na+ current due to a rightward
shift in voltage-dependent inactivation. Thus interaction of the
phosphatase and the channel leads to a reversal of the inhibition by
tyrosine phosphorylation (75, 187). The extent to which
the actions of endogenous tyrosine kinases and phosphatases
differentially modulate VGNa under basal conditions, or in response to
hormonal modulation, is not yet known.
Epithelial Na+ Channels
ENaC are important in fluid transport and osmoregulation in epithelia of the airway, colon, kidney, and exocrine glands. ENaCs are composed of three subunits:
,
, and
, with uncertain
stoichiometry; all three are necessary, however, for maximal channel
activity. The putative topology of each subunit is a protein containing two transmembrane domains with intracellular NH2- and
COOH-terminal regions (218). ENaCs are not voltage gated
in their unphosphorylated state, but gating becomes voltage dependent
after phosphorylation by PKA (95). Epithelial
Na+ channel activity is also regulated by PKC, arachidonic
acid metabolites, and possibly by the cytoskeleton, because the
-subunit can bind to spectrin and F-actin (282) and
various SH3 domain proteins (139).
Many studies have documented the effects of growth factors on enhancing expression of ion channels, including ENaC, in transporting epithelia. A few of these studies have also noted that PTK inhibitors have apparently acute effects on channels involved in osmoregulation (234). For example, in renal A6 cells, genistein and tyrphostin A23 abolish macroscopic ENaC currents that are elicited by hyposmotic swelling (159). However, this effect is mimicked by an inhibitor of protein translocation, brefeldin A, suggesting that a PTK might not be regulating the channel directly but regulating its insertion into the plasma membrane. It should be noted that interpretation of some of these studies is complicated by the fact that several types of channels interact to determine epithelial water and solute transport, and, in many cases, direct measurements from specific channels have not been made. For example, the RVD of epithelial cells in response to osmotic swelling is sensitive to PTK inhibition (234), but RVD depends on the summed interaction of multiple channels. In addition, these channels functionally interact with transporters, several of which are also known to be sensitive to PTK inhibitors (134, 158).
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REGULATION OF RACC AND CATION CHANNELS BY PTKS |
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CHANNELS...
|
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In many types of cells, Ca2+-permeable channels can be activated by agonist-receptor interaction, where the receptor protein is distinct from the channel protein. This broad group of channels varies widely in conductance, voltage sensitivity, ion selectivity (e.g., Ca2+ vs. monovalent cation permeability), mechanism of activation, and Ca2+