The KCNE2 potassium channel ancillary subunit is essential for gastric acid secretion

Abstract

Genes in the KCNE family encode single transmembrane domain ancillary subunits that co-assemble with voltage-gated potassium (Kv) channel α subunits to alter their function. KCNE2 (also known as MiRP1) is expressed in the heart, is associated with human cardiac arrhythmia, and modulates cardiac Kv α subunits hERG and KCNQ1 in vitro. KCNE2 and KCNQ1 are also expressed in parietal cells, leading to speculation they form a native channel complex there. Here, we disrupted the murine kcne2 gene and found that kcne2 (-/-) mice have a severe gastric phenotype with profoundly reduced parietal cell proton secretion, abnormal parietal cell morphology, achlorhydria, hypergastrinemia, and striking gastric glandular hyperplasia arising from an increase in the number of non-acid secretory cells. KCNQ1 exhibited abnormal distribution in gastric glands from kcne2 (-/-) mice, with increased expression in non-acid secretory cells. Parietal cells from kcne2 (+/-) mice exhibited normal architecture but reduced proton secretion, and kcne2 (+/-) mice were hypochlorhydric, indicating a gene-dose effect and a primary defect in gastric acid secretion. These data demonstrate that KCNE2 is essential for gastric acid secretion, the first genetic evidence that a member of the KCNE gene family is required for normal gastrointestinal function. © 2006 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.