Constitutively active Src tyrosine kinase changes gating of HCN4 channels through direct binding to the channel proteins

J Cardiovasc Pharmacol. 2006 Apr;47(4):578-86. doi: 10.1097/01.fjc.0000211740.47960.8b.

Abstract

Cardiac pacemaker current, if, is generated by hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN) channels. Our previous studies demonstrated that altered tyrosine phosphorylation can modulate the properties of both if and HCN channels. To assess a hypothesis that the intracellular tyrosine kinase Src may play a role in modulation by tyrosine phosphorylation of if, we cotransfected HEK293 cells with HCN4 and Src proteins. When HCN4 was cotransfected with a constitutively activated Src protein (Src529), the resultant voltage-dependent HCN4 activation was positively shifted (HCN4: V1/2 = -93 mV; Src529: V1/2 = -80 mV). The activation kinetics were accelerated at some potentials but not over the entire voltage range tested (eg, at -95 mV, tau_act(HCN4) = 3,243 ms; tau_act(Src529) = 1,113 ms). When HCN4 was cotransfected with a dominant negative Src protein (Src296), the HCN4 activation was shifted more negative to a smaller degree (HCN4: V1/2 = -93 mV; Src296: V1/2 = -98 mV; statistically insignificant) and the activation kinetics were slowed at most test potentials (eg, at -95 mV, tau_act(Src296) = 7,396 ms). Neither Src529 nor Src296 significantly altered HCN4 current density. Coimmunoprecipitation experiments revealed that Src forms a complex with HCN4 in HEK293 cells and in rat ventricular myocytes. Our data provide a novel mechanism of if regulation by Src tyrosine phosphorylation.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biological Clocks / physiology
  • Blotting, Western
  • Cell Line
  • Heart Ventricles / drug effects
  • Heart Ventricles / metabolism
  • Hyperpolarization-Activated Cyclic Nucleotide-Gated Channels
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • In Vitro Techniques
  • Ion Channel Gating / physiology*
  • Kinetics
  • Myocytes, Cardiac / metabolism
  • Myocytes, Cardiac / physiology
  • Patch-Clamp Techniques
  • Phosphorylation
  • Potassium Channels / metabolism
  • Potassium Channels / physiology*
  • Protein Binding
  • Rats
  • Tyrosine / metabolism
  • src-Family Kinases / metabolism
  • src-Family Kinases / physiology*

Substances

  • HCN4 protein, rat
  • Hyperpolarization-Activated Cyclic Nucleotide-Gated Channels
  • Potassium Channels
  • Tyrosine
  • src-Family Kinases