Two Nedd4-binding motifs underlie modulation of sodium channel Nav1.6 by p38 MAPK

J Biol Chem. 2010 Aug 20;285(34):26149-61. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M109.098681. Epub 2010 Jun 8.

Abstract

Sodium channel Na(v)1.6 is essential for neuronal excitability in central and peripheral nervous systems. Loss-of-function mutations in Na(v)1.6 underlie motor disorders, with homozygous-null mutations causing juvenile lethality. Phosphorylation of Na(v)1.6 by the stress-induced p38 MAPK at a Pro-Gly-Ser(553)-Pro motif in its intracellular loop L1 reduces Na(v)1.6 current density in a dorsal root ganglion-derived cell line, without changing its gating properties. Phosphorylated Pro-Gly-Ser(553)-Pro motif is a putative binding site to Nedd4 ubiquitin ligases, and we hypothesized that Nedd4-like ubiquitin ligases may contribute to channel ubiquitination and internalization. We report here that p38 activation in hippocampal neurons from wild-type mice, but not from Scn8a(medtg) mice that lack Na(v)1.6, reduces tetrodotoxin-S sodium currents, suggesting isoform-specific modulation of Na(v)1.6 by p38 in these neurons. Pharmacological block of endocytosis completely abolishes p38-mediated Na(v)1.6 current reduction, supporting our hypothesis that channel internalization underlies current reduction. We also report that the ubiquitin ligase Nedd4-2 interacts with Na(v)1.6 via a Pro-Ser-Tyr(1945) motif in the C terminus of the channel and reduces Na(v)1.6 current density, and we show that this regulation requires both the Pro-Gly-Ser-Pro motif in L1 and the Pro-Ser-Tyr motif in the C terminus. Similarly, both motifs are necessary for p38-mediated reduction of Na(v)1.6 current, whereas abrogating binding of the ubiquitin ligase Nedd4-2 to the Pro-Ser-Tyr motif results in stress-mediated increase in Na(v)1.6 current density. Thus, phosphorylation of the Pro-Gly-Ser-Pro motif within L1 of Na(v)1.6 is necessary for stress-induced current modulation, with positive or negative regulation depending upon the availability of the C-terminal Pro-Ser-Tyr motif to bind Nedd4-2.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Motifs
  • Animals
  • Binding Sites
  • Electrophysiology
  • Endosomal Sorting Complexes Required for Transport / metabolism*
  • Hippocampus / cytology
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • NAV1.6 Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel
  • Nedd4 Ubiquitin Protein Ligases
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / metabolism*
  • Neurons / physiology
  • Phosphorylation
  • Sodium Channels / metabolism*
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases / metabolism*
  • p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / metabolism*

Substances

  • Endosomal Sorting Complexes Required for Transport
  • NAV1.6 Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • Scn8a protein, mouse
  • Sodium Channels
  • Nedd4 Ubiquitin Protein Ligases
  • Nedd4 protein, human
  • Nedd4L protein, human
  • Nedd4l protein, mouse
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases
  • p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases