Two adjacent phosphorylation sites in the C-terminus of the channel's α-subunit have opposing effects on epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) activity.

How phosphorylation of the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) contributes to its regulation is incompletely understood. Previously, we demonstrated that in outside-out patches ENaC activation by serum- and glucocorticoid-inducible kinase isoform 1 (SGK1) was abolished by mutating a serine residue in a putative SGK1 consensus motif RXRXX(S/T) in the channel's α-subunit (S621 in rat). Interestingly, this serine residue is followed by a highly conserved proline residue rather than by a hydrophobic amino acid thought to be required for a functional SGK1 consensus motif according to in vitro data.

Transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2) proteolytically activates the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) by cleaving the channel's γ-subunit.

The epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) is a heterotrimer consisting of α-, β-, and γ-subunits. Channel activation requires proteolytic release of inhibitory tracts from the extracellular domains of α-ENaC and γ-ENaC; however, the proteases involved in the removal of the γ-inhibitory tract remain unclear. In several epithelial tissues, ENaC is coexpressed with the transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2).

Inhibition of the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) by connexin 30 involves stimulation of clathrin-mediated endocytosis.

Mice lacking connexin 30 (Cx30) display increased epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) activity in the distal nephron and develop salt-sensitive hypertension. This indicates a functional link between Cx30 and ENaC, which remains incompletely understood. Here, we explore the effect of Cx30 on ENaC function using the Xenopus laevis oocyte expression system.

The degenerin region of the human bile acid-sensitive ion channel (BASIC) is involved in channel inhibition by calcium and activation by bile acids.

The bile acid-sensitive ion channel (BASIC) is a member of the ENaC/degenerin family of ion channels. It is activated by bile acids and inhibited by extracellular Ca. The aim of this study was to explore the molecular mechanisms mediating these effects.

Bile acids potentiate proton-activated currents in oocytes expressing human acid-sensing ion channel (ASIC1a).

Acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs) are nonvoltage-gated sodium channels transiently activated by extracellular protons and belong to the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC)/Degenerin (DEG) family of ion channels. Bile acids have been shown to activate two members of this family, the bile acid-sensitive ion channel (BASIC) and ENaC. To investigate whether bile acids also modulate ASIC function, human ASIC1a was heterologously expressed in oocytes.

Activation of the Human Epithelial Sodium Channel (ENaC) by Bile Acids Involves the Degenerin Site.

The epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) is a member of the ENaC/degenerin ion channel family, which also includes the bile acid-sensitive ion channel (BASIC). So far little is known about the effects of bile acids on ENaC function. ENaC is probably a heterotrimer consisting of three well characterized subunits (αβγ).

Sensitisation of TRPV4 by PAR2 is independent of intracellular calcium signalling and can be mediated by the biased agonist neutrophil elastase.

Proteolytic activation of protease-activated receptor 2 (PAR2) may represent a major mechanism of regulating the transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 (TRPV4) non-selective cation channel in pathophysiological conditions associated with protease activation (e.g. during inflammation).

Pharmacological and electrophysiological characterization of the human bile acid-sensitive ion channel (hBASIC).

The human bile acid-sensitive ion channel (hBASIC) is a cation channel of the degenerin/epithelial Na(+) channel gene family that is expressed in the intestinal tract and can be activated by bile acids. Here, we show that in addition to its sensitivity for bile acids, hBASIC shares further key features with its rat ortholog: it is blocked by extracellular divalent cations, is inhibited by micromolar concentrations of the diarylamidine diminazene, and activated by millimolar concentrations of flufenamic acid. Furthermore, we demonstrate that two major bile acids present in human bile, chenodeoxycholic acid and deoxycholic acid, activate hBASIC in a synergistic manner.

A mutation in the β-subunit of ENaC identified in a patient with cystic fibrosis-like symptoms has a gain-of-function effect.

In some patients with atypical cystic fibrosis (CF), only one allele of the CF transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene is affected. Mutations of the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) may contribute to the pathophysiology of the disease in these patients. To functionally characterize a mutation in the β-subunit of ENaC (βV348M) recently identified in a patient with severe CF-like symptoms (Mutesa et al.

Plasmin and chymotrypsin have distinct preferences for channel activating cleavage sites in the γ subunit of the human epithelial sodium channel.

Proteolytic activation of the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) involves cleavage of its γ subunit in a critical region targeted by several proteases. Our aim was to identify cleavage sites in this region that are functionally important for activation of human ENaC by plasmin and chymotrypsin. Sequence alignment revealed a putative plasmin cleavage site in human γENaC (K189) that corresponds to a plasmin cleavage site (K194) in mouse γENaC.

Atomic force microscopy reveals the architecture of the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC).

The epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) is a member of the ENaC/degenerin superfamily. ENaC is a heteromultimer containing three homologous subunits (α, β, and γ); however, the subunit stoichiometry is still controversial. Here, we addressed this issue using atomic force microscopy imaging of complexes between isolated ENaC and antibodies/Fab fragments directed against specific epitope tags on the α-, β- and γ-subunits.

Protein kinase B alpha (PKBα) stimulates the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) heterologously expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes by two distinct mechanisms.

Kinases contribute to the regulation of the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) in a complex manner. For example, SGK1 (serum- and glucocorticoid-inducible kinase type 1) enhances ENaC surface expression by phosphorylating Nedd4-2, thereby preventing ENaC retrieval and degradation. An additional mechanism of ENaC activation by SGK1 involves an SGK consensus motif ((616)RSRYWS(621)) in the C-terminus of the channel's α-subunit.

A mutation of the epithelial sodium channel associated with atypical cystic fibrosis increases channel open probability and reduces Na+ self inhibition.

Increased activity of the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) in the respiratory airways contributes to the pathophysiology of cystic fibrosis (CF), a genetic disease caused by mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene. In some patients suffering from atypical CF a mutation can be identified in only one CFTR allele. We recently identified in this group of CF patients a heterozygous mutation (W493R) in the alpha-subunit of ENaC.

Functional characterization of a partial loss-of-function mutation of the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) associated with atypical cystic fibrosis.

Loss-of-function mutations of the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) may contribute to pulmonary symptoms resembling those of patients with atypical cystic fibrosis (CF). Recently, we identified a loss-of-function mutation in the alpha-subunit of ENaC (alphaF61L) in an atypical CF patient without mutations in CFTR. To investigate the functional effect of this mutation, we expressed human wild-type alpha beta gamma-ENaC or mutant alpha(F61L) beta gamma-ENaC in Xenopus laevis oocytes.

Cholesterol depletion of the plasma membrane prevents activation of the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) by SGK1.

The lipid environment of the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) and its possible association with so-called lipid rafts may be relevant to its function. The aim of our study was to confirm the association of ENaC with lipid rafts and to analyze the effect of cholesterol depletion of the plasma membrane by methyl-beta-cyclodextrin (MbetaCD) on channel function and regulation. Using sucrose density gradient centrifugation we demonstrated that a significant portion of ENaC protein distributes to low density fractions thought to be typical lipid raft fractions.

Cleavage in the {gamma}-subunit of the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) plays an important role in the proteolytic activation of near-silent channels.

The mechanisms by which proteases activate the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) are not yet fully understood. We investigated the effect of extracellular proteases on rat ENaC heterologously expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes. Application of trypsin increased ENaC whole-oocyte currents by about 8-fold without a concomitant increase in channel surface expression.

A novel pathway of epithelial sodium channel activation involves a serum- and glucocorticoid-inducible kinase consensus motif in the C terminus of the channel's alpha-subunit.

Aldosterone-induced serum- and glucocorticoid-inducible kinase isoform 1 (SGK1) contributes to the regulation of the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC), the activity of which is critical for long term blood pressure control. Aldosterone-induced SGK1 is thought to enhance ENaC surface expression by phosphorylating Nedd4-2 and thereby preventing ENaC retrieval and degradation. In outside-out membrane patches of Xenopus laevis oocytes heterologously expressing ENaC, amiloride-sensitive ENaC currents were enhanced by phosphatase inhibitors and were dependent on cytosolic Mg(2+).