The sulfonylurea receptor 1 (Sur1)-transient receptor potential melastatin 4 (Trpm4) channel

Abstract

The sulfonylurea receptor 1 (Sur1)-NCCa-ATP channel plays a central role in necrotic cell death in central nervous system (CNS) injury, including ischemic stroke, and traumatic brain and spinal cord injury. Here,we show that Sur1-NCCa-ATP channels are formed by co-assembly of Sur1 and transient receptor potential melastatin 4 (Trpm4). Co-expression of Sur1 and Trpm4 yielded Sur1-Trpm4 heteromers, as shown in experiments with Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) and coimmunoprecipitation. Co-expression of Sur1 and Trpm4 also yielded functional Sur1-Trpm4 channels with biophysical properties of Trpm4 and pharmacological properties of Sur1. Co-assembly with Sur1 doubled the affinity of Trpm4 for calmodulin and doubled its sensitivityto intracellular calcium. Experiments with FRET and co-immunoprecipitation showed de novo appearance of Sur1-Trpm4 heteromers after spinal cord injury in rats. Our findings depart from the long-held view of an exclusive association between Sur1 and KATP channels and reveal an unexpected molecular partnership with far-ranging implications for CNS injury. © 2013 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.