Stomatin Modulates Gating of Acid-sensing Ion Channels
2004; Elsevier BV; Volume: 279; Issue: 51 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1074/jbc.m407708200
ISSN1083-351X
AutoresMargaret P. Price, Robert J. Thompson, Jayasheel Eshcol, John A. Wemmie, Christopher J. Benson,
Tópico(s)Ion channel regulation and function
ResumoAcid-sensing ion channels (ASICs) are H+-gated members of the degenerin/epithelial Na+ channel (DEG/ENaC) family in vertebrate neurons. Several ASICs are expressed in sensory neurons, where they play a role in responses to nociceptive, taste, and mechanical stimuli; others are expressed in central neurons, where they participate in synaptic plasticity and some forms of learning. Stomatin is an integral membrane protein found in lipid/protein-rich microdomains, and it is believed to regulate the function of ion channels and transporters. In Caenorhabditis elegans, stomatin homologs interact with DEG/ENaC channels, which together are necessary for normal mechanosensation in the worm. Therefore, we asked whether stomatin interacts with and modulates the function of ASICs. We found that stomatin co-immunoprecipitated and co-localized with ASIC proteins in heterologous cells. Moreover, stomatin altered the function of ASIC channels. Stomatin potently reduced acid-evoked currents generated by ASIC3 without changing steady state protein levels or the amount of ASIC3 expressed at the cell surface. In contrast, stomatin accelerated the desensitization rate of ASIC2 and heteromeric ASICs, whereas current amplitude was unaffected. These data suggest that stomatin binds to and alters the gating of ASICs. Our findings indicate that modulation of DEG/ENaC channels by stomatin-like proteins is evolutionarily conserved and may have important implications for mammalian nociception and mechanosensation. Acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs) are H+-gated members of the degenerin/epithelial Na+ channel (DEG/ENaC) family in vertebrate neurons. Several ASICs are expressed in sensory neurons, where they play a role in responses to nociceptive, taste, and mechanical stimuli; others are expressed in central neurons, where they participate in synaptic plasticity and some forms of learning. Stomatin is an integral membrane protein found in lipid/protein-rich microdomains, and it is believed to regulate the function of ion channels and transporters. In Caenorhabditis elegans, stomatin homologs interact with DEG/ENaC channels, which together are necessary for normal mechanosensation in the worm. Therefore, we asked whether stomatin interacts with and modulates the function of ASICs. We found that stomatin co-immunoprecipitated and co-localized with ASIC proteins in heterologous cells. Moreover, stomatin altered the function of ASIC channels. Stomatin potently reduced acid-evoked currents generated by ASIC3 without changing steady state protein levels or the amount of ASIC3 expressed at the cell surface. In contrast, stomatin accelerated the desensitization rate of ASIC2 and heteromeric ASICs, whereas current amplitude was unaffected. These data suggest that stomatin binds to and alters the gating of ASICs. Our findings indicate that modulation of DEG/ENaC channels by stomatin-like proteins is evolutionarily conserved and may have important implications for mammalian nociception and mechanosensation. Acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs) 1The abbreviations used are: ASIC, acid-sensing ion channel; DEG, degenerin; ENaC, epithelial Na+ channel; m, mouse; h, human; r, rat; CFTR, cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator; CHO, Chinese hamster ovary; TBS, Tris-buffered saline; PBS, phosphate-buffered saline; MES, 4-morpholineethanesulfonic acid; PICK1, protein interacting with C kinase-1. are non-voltage gated Na+ channels found in the central and peripheral nervous systems of mammals (1Price M.P. Snyder P.M. Welsh M.J. J. Biol. Chem. 1996; 271: 7879-7882Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (293) Google Scholar, 2Waldmann R. Champigny G. Voilley N. Lauritzen I. Lazdunski M. J. Biol. 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Blood. 1992; 79: 1593-1601Crossref PubMed Google Scholar) and co-localizes with actin in epithelial cells (41Snyers L. Thines-Sempoux D. Prohaska R. Eur. J. Cell Biol. 1997; 73: 281-285PubMed Google Scholar). Stomatin has also been shown to bind to the glucose transporter GLUT-1 and decrease the rate of glucose uptake (42Zhang J.Z. Abbud W. Prohaska R. Ismail-Beigi F. Am. J. Physiol. 2001; 280: C1277-C1283Crossref PubMed Google Scholar). In addition, stomatin is also expressed in sensory neurons (43Mannsfeldt A.G. Carroll P. Stucky C.L. Lewin G.R. Mol. Cell Neurosci. 1999; 13: 391-404Crossref PubMed Scopus (59) Google Scholar), and it co-localizes with ASIC-related DEG/ENaC subunits in rat mechanosensory neurons of whisker follicles (44Fricke B. Lints R. Stewart G. Drummond H. Dodt G. Driscoll M. von During M. Cell Tissue Res. 2000; 299: 327-334PubMed Google Scholar). We therefore tested the hypothesis that stomatin modulates the activity of ASICs. cDNA Constructs—Mouse (m) ASIC1a (ASICα), ASIC2a (BNC1a), and ASIC3 (DRASIC), were cloned as described (45Askwith C.C. Cheng C. Ikuma M. Benson C. Price M.P. Welsh M.J. Neuron. 2000; 26: 133-141Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (196) Google Scholar, 46Benson C.J. Xie J. Wemmie J.A. Price M.P. Henss J.M. Welsh M.J. Snyder P.M. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 2002; 99: 2338-2343Crossref PubMed Scopus (314) Google Scholar). ASIC1 and -2 have alternative splice forms involving the amino termini. Human (h) and m-stomatin cDNAs were cloned by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction from brain RNA (Clontech) using the following primers: h-stomatin, 5′-ATG GCC GAG AAG CGG CAC ACA-3′ and 5′-CTA GCC TAG ATG GCT GTG TTT-3′; m-stomatin, 5′-ATG TCT GTC AAA CGG CAG TCC-3′ and 5′-TCA GTG ATT AGA ACC CAT GAT-3′. The constructs were cloned into unique EcoRI and XhoI sites of the mammalian expression vector pMT3 with a FLAG epitope (Asp-Tyr-Lys-Asp-Asp-Asp-Asp-Lys) at the carboxyl terminus (stomatin-FLAG). Introducing this epitope did not disrupt stomatin inhibition of the ASIC3 current (data not shown). Antibodies—Anti-m/r/hASIC1, -m/r/hASIC2, and -mASIC3 rabbit polyclonal antibodies have been described previously (10Wemmie J.A. Chen J. Askwith C.C. Hruska-Hageman A.M. Price M.P. Nolan B.C. Yoder P.G. Lamani E. Hoshi T. Freeman Jr., J.H. Welsh M.J. Neuron. 2002; 34: 463-477Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (559) Google Scholar, 16Price M.P. McIlwrath S.L. Xie J. Cheng C. Qiao J. Tarr D.E. Sluka K.A. Brennan T.J. Lewin G.R. Welsh M.J. Neuron. 2001; 32: 1071-1083Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (514) Google Scholar, 47Hruska-Hageman A.M. Wemmie J.A. Price M.P. Welsh M.J. Biochem. J. 2002; 361: 443-450Crossref PubMed Scopus (103) Google Scholar). Anti-FLAG M2 monoclonal antibody was purchased from Sigma. Anti-cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) antibody (13-1) was purchased from Genzyme (Cambridge, MA). Heterologous Expression of cDNA—For co-immunoprecipitation and co-localization studies, COS-7 cells were transfected by electroporation using 107 cells and 20 μg of plasmid DNA. mASIC1a, -2a, or -3 (10 μg) was transfected alone or with m-stomatin-FLAG or empty vector (10 μg). COS-7 cells were maintained in culture with Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium with 10% fetal calf serum in a humidified atmosphere of 5% CO2 in air at 37 °C. Cells were studied 24 to 72 h after transfection. For electrophysiological experiments, cDNAs were expressed using 6 μg/1.5 ml cationic lipid (TransFast; Promega) in CHO cells grown in 35-mm dishes. mASIC subunits were expressed alone or with m/h-stomatin at the described concentrations. DsRed was co-transfected to keep the total amount of cDNA constant. cDNA for green fluorescent protein (0.33 μg/0.4 ml) was also expressed to facilitate detection of transfected cells by epifluorescence. We have found that >90% of green cells and <5% of non-green cells have an acid-activated current. Cells were cultured in F12 medium with 10% fetal bovine serum and 1% penicillin-streptomycin at 37 °C and were studied 48–72 h after transfection. Immunoprecipitation and Immunoblotting—24 h after transfection, COS-7 cells were solubilized using a glass/Teflon motor-driven homogenizer in radioimmune precipitation assay lysis buffer (1% Nonidet P-40, 0.5% deoxycholate, 0.1% SDS, 10 mm Tris-Cl, pH 7.4, 150 mm NaCl) containing the protease inhibitors (10 μg/ml pepstatin A, 20 μg/ml leupeptin, 20 μg/ml aprotinin, and 0.4 mm phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride). Following ultracentrifugation (100,000 × g, 20 min, 4 °C), 500 μg of detergent-soluble protein was precleared and immunoprecipitated using anti-ASIC1 6.4 (10Wemmie J.A. Chen J. Askwith C.C. Hruska-Hageman A.M. Price M.P. Nolan B.C. Yoder P.G. Lamani E. Hoshi T. Freeman Jr., J.H. Welsh M.J. Neuron. 2002; 34: 463-477Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (559) Google Scholar), anti-ASIC2 5.3 (47Hruska-Hageman A.M. Wemmie J.A. Price M.P. Welsh M.J. Biochem. J. 2002; 361: 443-450Crossref PubMed Scopus (103) Google Scholar), anti-ASIC3 3.2 (16Price M.P. McIlwrath S.L. Xie J. Cheng C. Qiao J. Tarr D.E. Sluka K.A. Brennan T.J. Lewin G.R. Welsh M.J. Neuron. 2001; 32: 1071-1083Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (514) Google Scholar), or anti-FLAG antibodies and protein A-Sepharose and then washed two times in each of the following buffers: 1) 50 mm Tris-HCl, pH 7.5, 150 mm NaCl, 1% Nonidet P-40, 0.5% sodium deoxycholate; 2) 50 mm Tris-HCl, pH 7.5, 500 mm NaCl, 0.1% Nonidet P-40, 0.05% sodium deoxycholate; and 3) 10 mm Tris-HCl, pH 7.5, 0.1% Nonidet P-40, 0.05% sodium deoxycholate. Proteins were extracted from the beads with 40 μl of SDS sample buffer (2% SDS, 20 mm dithiothreitol, 10% sucrose, 125 mm Tris-HCl, pH 6.8) for 20 min at 60 °C and separated on SDS-PAGE. The proteins were transferred to polyvinylidene difluoride membrane and blocked by incubation with 5% bovine serum albumin in Tris-buffered saline (TBS), pH 7.4, containing 0.05% Tween 20 for 2 h. The immunoblots were incubated with anti-ASIC1 6.4, anti-ASIC2 5.3, anti-ASIC3 3.2, or anti-FLAG (1:1000) antibodies for 2 h. The blots were washed three times with TBS containing 0.05% Tween 20 and incubated with horseradish-peroxidase-labeled protein A (1:10,000) and washed five times with TBS containing 0.05% Tween 20. Bound antibody was detected by enhanced chemiluminescence (Pierce). Immunofluorescence—COS-7 cells were grown on collagen-coated slides for 72 h following electroporation. Cells were fixed with 4% formaldehyde in PBS, permeabilized with 0.1% Triton X-100 in PBS with 1% bovine serum albumin, and blocked with SuperBlock (Pierce). Cells were incubated with anti-ASIC1 6.4 (1:1000), anti-ASIC2 5.3 (1: 1000), anti-ASIC3 3.2 (1:1000), and/or anti-FLAG antibodies (1:300) followed by incubation with the secondary antibodies goat anti-rabbit Alexa 568 (1:1400) and/or goat anti-mouse Alexa 488 (1:1400) (Molecular Probes, Eugene, OR). Staining was visualized using a confocal microscope (Bio-Rad). Biotinylation of Cell Surface Proteins—48 h following transfection by electroporation, COS-7 cells were washed with cold PBS three times on ice, labeled with 0.25 mg/ml sulfo-N-hydroxysuccinimidobiotin (Pierce) in PBS for 20 min on ice, washed twice with TBS, and lysed as described above. Labeled cell surface proteins were isolated by incubating 500 μg of cell lysate with immobilized neutrAvidin beads (Pierce) for 2 h at 4 °C. In parallel, ASIC3 was immunoprecipitated from 500 μg of the same cell lysate by incubation with anti-ASIC3 3.2 antibodies at 4 °C for 2 h followed by incubation with protein A-Sepharose as described above. The bound proteins were eluted with sample buffer for 20 min at 60 °C, run on SDS-PAGE, and analyzed by Western blot with anti-ASIC2a or anti-ASIC3 antibodies as described above. Electrophysiology—Whole cell patch clamp recordings (at -70 mV) from CHO cells were performed with an Axopatch 200B amplifier (Axon Instruments, Foster City, CA) and acquired and analyzed with Pulse/Pulsefit 8.30 (HEKA Electronics, Lambrecht, Germany) and Igor Pro 4.04 (WaveMetrics, Lake Oswego, OR) software. Experiments were performed at room temperature. Currents were filtered at 5 kHz and sampled at 2 or 0.2 kHz. Series resistance was compensated by at least 50%. Capacitive currents were compensated for and recorded for normalization of peak current amplitudes (reported as current densities). Micropipettes (2–5 megaohms) were filled with an internal solution containing 100 mm KCl, 10 mm EGTA, 40 mm HEPES, and 5 mm MgCl2, pH 7.4, with KOH. External solution contained 120 mm NaCl, 5 mm KCl, 1 mm MgCl2, 2 mm CaCl2, 10 mm HEPES, and 10 mm MES. pH was adjusted with tetramethylammonium hydroxide, and osmolarity was adjusted with tetramethylammonium chloride. Extracellular solutions were changed within 20 ms using a computer-driven solenoid valve system (17Benson C.J. Eckert S.P. McCleskey E.W. Circ. Res. 1999; 84: 921-928Crossref PubMed Scopus (198) Google Scholar). Acidic pH solutions were applied to cells from a resting pH of 7.4. Data are means ± S.E. Kinetics of desensitization were fit with a single exponential equation, and time constants (τ) were reported. Statistical differences were assessed by two-tailed Student's t test. h-stomatin cDNA was used for the electrophysiological co-expression experiments with ASIC3. However, m-stomatin co-expressed at 0.0625 μg of cDNA/1 μg of ASIC3 cDNA (1:8 ratio) caused identical inhibition of the current (data not shown). Thus, m-stomatin was used for the other co-expression experiments. Stomatin Interacts with ASICs—We tested whether stomatin associates with ASICs using two strategies. First, we asked whether ASICs and stomatin co-immunoprecipitate. ASIC1a, ASIC2a, or ASIC3 was co-expressed with stomatin (containing a FLAG epitope on the carboxyl terminus) in COS-7 cells. When stomatin was immunoprecipitated, all three ASICs were detected by immunoblotting (Fig. 1). However, we did not detect ASIC protein when expressed without stomatin. Thus, stomatin co-immunoprecipitates with each of the ASIC subunits. Second, we tested whether stomatin and ASIC proteins colocalize by examining their immunostaining patterns. When transfected alone, stomatin localized in a punctate pattern around the nucleus and at the cell membrane (Fig. 2A) in agreement with previous studies (43Mannsfeldt A.G. Carroll P. Stucky C.L. Lewin G.R. Mol. Cell Neurosci. 1999; 13: 391-404Crossref PubMed Scopus (59) Google Scholar, 48Snyers L. Umlauf E. Prohaska R. J. Biol. Chem. 1998; 273: 17221-17226Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (114) Google Scholar). ASIC1a, ASIC2a, and ASIC3 expressed alone showed a predominantly reticular pattern of staining. Co-expressing stomatin with individual ASIC proteins altered its cellular localization so it co-localized with the ASICs, showing a less punctate and more reticular pattern of staining (Fig. 2B). On the other hand, stomatin did not change its expression pattern or co-localize when co-expressed with the unrelated ion channel CFTR. Together, the co-immunoprecipitation and co-localization results suggest that stomatin associates with all three ASIC subunits. Stomatin Modulates ASIC Current—The association of ASIC proteins with stomatin suggested that stomatin might alter ASIC channel function. To test this, we measured acid-evoked currents in CHO cells co-expressing stomatin with ASIC1a, ASIC2a, or ASIC3. When co-expressed with ASIC3, stomatin potently decreased current amplitude (Fig. 3, A and B). A 1:0.125 expression ratio (1 μg of ASIC3:0.125 μg of stomatin cDNA) eliminated the current, which was tested by applying pH 5 and 4 solutions. At a 1:0.0625 ratio (1 μg of ASIC3:0.0625 μg of stomatin), most cells produced small currents with properties that were otherwise similar to those from ASIC3 expressed alone. ASIC3 currents desensitized rapidly in the continued presence of acidic solution (see current returning to base line in Fig. 3A). This rate was unchanged by co-expression with stomatin at a 1:0.0625 ratio (Fig. 3C), and sensitivity to pH activation was not altered (Fig. 3D). However, given this low stomatin to ASIC3 cDNA expression ratio (1:16), these residual currents may reflect ASIC3 channels not bound to stomatin. As a negative control, we tested protein interacting with C kinase-1 (PICK1), a PDZ protein that binds to ASIC1a and ASIC2a but not ASIC3 (47Hruska-Hageman A.M. Wemmie J.A. Price M.P. Welsh M.J. Biochem. J. 2002; 361: 443-450Crossref PubMed Scopus (103) Google Scholar, 49Duggan A. Garcia-Anoveros J. Corey D.P. J. Biol. Chem. 2002; 277: 5203-5208Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (116) Google Scholar). At a 1:1 cDNA ratio, PICK1 had no effect on ASIC3 current amplitude (Fig. 3B). Thus, the data indicate that stomatin potently inhibits the ASIC3 acid-evoked current. Stomatin had a different effect upon ASIC2a. When co-expressed at a 1:1 cDNA ratio, stomatin did not decrease current amplitude; in fact, there was an insignificant trend toward increased current amplitude (Fig. 4, A and B). However, stomatin increased the rate of ASIC2a desensitization, which decreased the time constant (Fig. 4, A and C). Stomatin had little effect on pH sensitivity (Fig. 4D). In contrast to ASIC2a and ASIC3, stomatin did not alter the ASIC1a current. At a 1:1 or 1:10 cDNA ratio (ASIC1a:stomatin), stomatin did not change current amplitude (Fig. 5, A and B), desensitization kinetics (Fig. 5C), or pH sensitivity (Fig. 5D). Thus, although stomatin interacted with each of the ASIC subunits, it had differential effects on ASIC channel function, depending on the subunit composition. ASIC subunits can function as homomultimers or they can heteromultimerize with one another (5Lingueglia E. de Weille J.R. Bassilana F. Heurteaux C. Sakai H. Waldmann R. Lazdunski M. J. Biol. Chem. 1997; 272: 29778-29783Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (442) Google Scholar, 46Benson C.J. Xie J. Wemmie J.A. Price M.P. Henss J.M. Welsh M.J. Snyder P.M. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 2002; 99: 2338-2343Crossref PubMed Scopus (314) Google Scholar, 50Alvarez de la Rosa D. Zhang P. Shao D. White F. Canessa C.M. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 2002; 99: 2326-2331Crossref PubMed Scopus (212) Google Scholar, 51Xie J. Price M.P. Berger A.L. Welsh M.J. J. Neurophysiol. 2002; 87: 2835-2843Crossref PubMed Scopus (83) Google Scholar, 52Baron A. Waldmann R. Lazdunski M. J. Physiol. (Lond.). 2002; 539: 485-494Crossref Scopus (185) Google Scholar, 53Askwith C.C. Wemmie J.A. Price M.P. Rokhlina T. Welsh M.J. J. Biol. Chem. 2004; 279: 18296-18305Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (190) Google Scholar). Therefore, we asked whether stomatin alters currents generated by channels composed of more than one ASIC subunit. Because stomatin produced the most dramatic effect on ASIC3, we focused on combinations that included this subunit. The fast desensitization kinetics (Fig. 6, A and C) confirm that co-expression of ASIC subunits resulted in the formation of heteromultimeric channels because heteromeric channels desensitize at a faster rate than homomeric channels (46Benson C.J. Xie J. Wemmie J.A. Price M.P. Henss J.M. Welsh M.J. Snyder P.M. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 2002; 99: 2338-2343Crossref PubMed Scopus (314) Google Scholar, 53Askwith C.C. Wemmie J.A. Price M.P. Rokhlina T. Welsh M.J. J. Biol. Chem. 2004; 279: 18296-18305Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (190) Google Scholar, 54Hesselager M. Timmermann D.B. Ahring P.K. J. Biol. Chem. 2004; 279: 11006-11015Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (264) Google Scholar). When we co-expressed ASIC3 with ASIC1a or ASIC2a, stomatin did not alter current amplitude (Fig. 6, A and B) or pH sensitivity (Fig. 6D). However, stomatin produced small but significant increases in the desensitization rates of both heteromultimeric channels (Fig. 6C). Stomatin Does Not Alter ASIC Cell Surface Expression— Stomatin could decrease ASIC3 current amplitude by altering its expression at the cell surface or altering its gating. To distinguish between these possibilities, we quantitated ASIC3 expressed at the cell surface by biotinylating cell surface proteins. Following biotinylation, we precipitated proteins with avidin and detected ASIC3 by Western blot analysis. Stomatin did not alter the amount of biotinylated ASIC3, indicating that stomatin did not change ASIC3 surface expression (Fig. 7). Moreover, stomatin co-expression did not alter the total amount of ASIC3 protein (Fig. 1). These results suggest that stomatin reduced ASIC3 current by altering its gating rather than its expression at the cell surface. The data indicate that stomatin binds to ASIC1a, -2a, and -3 subunits. Moreover, stomatin altered the function of specific ASIC channels. However, the functional effects of stomatin were strikingly different depending on the subunit. Stomatin had the most prominent effect on ASIC3, potently reducing acid-evoked current. In contrast, stomatin did not significantly decrease current amplitude generated by other ASIC channels; rather, it accelerated the rate of desensitization of ASIC2a homomeric channels as well as ASIC1a+3 and ASIC2a+3 heteromeric channels. Although stomatin interacted with ASIC1a protein, it did not alter ASIC1 current. Thus, binding alone is not sufficient to alter function. Our data provide important clues for understanding how stomatin modulates the function of ASICs. Stomatin reduced ASIC3 current but did not alter ASIC3 protein level or surface expression. Thus, the data suggest that stomatin inhibits ASIC3 by altering its gating. Also consistent with this mechanism, stomatin increased the desensitization rate of ASIC2a homomeric channels and ASIC1a+3 and ASIC2a+3 heteromeric channels. Thus, stomatin is an accessory subunit that interacts with ASIC channels at the cell surface to modulate gating. What is the mechanism whereby stomatin alters ASIC gating? The capacity of stomatin to bind to ASICs and accelerate channel desensitization is reminiscent of the role of accessory β subunits to facilitate inactivation of voltage-gated channels (55Hille B. Ion Channels of Excitable Membranes. Sinauer Associates, Inc., Sunderland, MA2001: 61-93Google Scholar). In a similar manner, stomatin may function as an accessory subunit that directly modulates gating. Alternatively, stomatin could alter ASIC gating indirectly through the interaction of other proteins. Stomatin is highly expressed in mammalian lipid rafts (detergent-resistant, cholesterol- and sphingomyelin-rich regions of the membrane), which are important for sequestering proteins into complexes and localizing signal transduction processes (41Snyers L. Thines-Sempoux D. Prohaska R. Eur. J. Cell Biol. 1997; 73: 281-285PubMed Google Scholar, 56Nebl T. Pestonjamasp K.N. Leszyk J.D. Crowley J.L. Oh S.W. Luna E.J. J. Biol. Chem. 2002; 277: 43399-43409Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (260) Google Scholar, 57Salzer U. Prohaska R. Blood. 2001; 97: 1141-1143Crossref PubMed Scopus (281) Google Scholar). Recent experiments in C. elegans demonstrate that the stomatin-related proteins UNC-1 and UNC-24, along with the DEG/ENaC subunit UNC-8, are located in lipid rafts. Moreover, genetic disruption of UNC-1 abolished UNC-8 expression in lipid rafts (58Sedensky M.M. Siefker J.M. Koh J.Y. Miller D.M. II I Morgan P.G. Am. J. Physiol. 2004; 287: C468-C474Crossref PubMed Scopus (32) Google Scholar). Stomatin might localize ASICs to specific membrane microdomains to facilitate interactions with other regulatory and signaling proteins. ASIC activity can be modulated by several endogenous ligands and signaling molecules (45Askwith C.C. Cheng C. Ikuma M. Benson C. Price M.P. Welsh M.J. Neuron. 2000; 26: 133-141Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (196) Google Scholar, 59Baron A. Schaefer L. Lingueglia E. Champigny G. Lazdunski M. J. Biol. Chem. 2001; 276: 35361-35367Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (173) Google Scholar, 60Immke D.C. McCleskey E.W. Nat. Neurosci. 2001; 4: 869-870Crossref PubMed Scopus (328) Google Scholar, 61Mamet J. Baron A. Lazdunski M. Voilley N. J. 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Salinas M. Lingueglia E. Voilley N. Lazdunski M. J. Biol. Chem. 2002; 277: 50463-50468Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (98) Google Scholar). Channel-interacting PDZ domain-containing protein (CIPP) binds to the COOH terminus of ASIC3 and increases current (65Anzai N. Deval E. Schaefer L. Friend V. Lazdunski M. Lingueglia E. J. Biol. Chem. 2002; 277: 16655-16661Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (67) Google Scholar). In addition, the ASIC1a and -2a heteromeric current is potentiated by co-expression of CFTR (66Ji H.L. Jovov B. Fu J. Bishop L.R. Mebane H.C. Fuller C.M. Stanton B.A. Benos D.J. J. Biol. Chem. 2002; 277: 8395-8405Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (18) Google Scholar). Earlier studies suggested that ASICs might share a conserved function with their homologs in C. elegans, the degenerins. Mutations of the genes encoding DEG channel subunits MEC-4 and MEC-10 disrupt light touch in specialized mechanosensory neurons (24Driscoll M. Chalfie M. Nature. 1991; 349: 588-593Crossref PubMed Scopus (461) Google Scholar, 25Chalfie M. Driscoll M. Huang M. Nature. 1993; 361: 504Crossref PubMed Scopus (54) Google Scholar, 26Huang M. Chalfie M. Nature. 1994; 367: 467-470Crossref PubMed Scopus (347) Google Scholar). Similarly, targeted deletion of ASIC2 and ASIC3 genes produced altered single fiber sensory nerve responses to cutaneous mechanical stimuli in mice (14Price M.P. Lewin G.R. McIlwrath S.L. Cheng C. Xie J. Heppenstall P.A. Stucky C.L. Mannsfeldt A.G. Brennan T.J. Drummond H.A. Qiao J. Benson C.J. Tarr D.E. Hrstka R.F. Yang B. Williamson R.A. Welsh M.J. Nature. 2000; 407: 1007-1011Crossref PubMed Scopus (431) Google Scholar, 16Price M.P. McIlwrath S.L. Xie J. Cheng C. Qiao J. Tarr D.E. Sluka K.A. Brennan T.J. Lewin G.R. Welsh M.J. Neuron. 2001; 32: 1071-1083Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (514) Google Scholar). Our data identifies another conserved feature; both DEG and ASIC channels are modulated by stomatin-related proteins. Similar to our data, the stomatin homolog MEC-2 co-immunoprecipitated with DEG channels, modulated current, and did not alter channel surface expression when coexpressed in Xenopus oocytes (27Goodman M.B. Ernstrom G.G. Chelur D.S. O'Hagan R. Yao C.A. Chalfie M. Nature. 2002; 415: 1039-1042Crossref PubMed Scopus (274) Google Scholar). However, it is interesting that MEC-2 and stomatin produced opposite effects on current. MEC-2 (and to a lesser extent stomatin) increased constitutive current generated by DEG channels (27Goodman M.B. Ernstrom G.G. Chelur D.S. O'Hagan R. Yao C.A. Chalfie M. Nature. 2002; 415: 1039-1042Crossref PubMed Scopus (274) Google Scholar), whereas stomatin inhibited ASIC3 such that H+ no longer activated the channel. Given the purported role of DEG channels and MEC-2 in mechanosensation in C. elegans, it is intriguing to speculate that the interaction of stomatin with ASIC3 changes the channel from a pH sensor to a mechanosensor. Modulation of ASICs has important implications. As H+-gated channels, they are poised to sense acidosis associated with such painful conditions as inflammation, ischemia, or malignancy; thus modulation of ASICs by stomatin might be an important means to regulate nociception. ASICs also function in sensation of mechanical stimuli. Thus, stomatin might play an important role in mammalian mechanosensation, analogous to the purported role of their homologs in C. elegans. We thank Jillian M. Henss, Kimberly S. Mittelholtz, and the University of Iowa Diabetes and Endocrinology Research Center and DNA Core Facility (supported by National Institutes of Health Grant DK25295) for technical assistance. We also thank Peter M. Snyder and Michael J. Welsh for comments.
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