Voltage-gated sodium channels perform critical roles for electrical signaling in the nervous system by generating action potentials in axons and in dendrites. At least 10 genes encode sodium channels in mammals, but specific physiological roles that distinguish each of these isoforms are not known. One possibility is that each isoform is expressed in a restricted set of cell types or is targeted to a specific domain of a neuron or muscle cell. Using affinitypurified isoform-specific antibodies, we find that Na v1.6 is highly concentrated at nodes of Ranvier of both sensory and motor axons in the peripheral nervous system and at nodes in the central nervous system. The specificity of this antibody was also demonstrated with the Na v1.6-deficient mouse mutant strain med, whose nodes were negative for Nav1.6 immunostaining. Both the intensity of labeling and the failure of other isoform-specific antibodies to label nodes suggest that Na v1.6 is the predominant channel type in this structure. In the central nervous system, Nav1.6 is localized in unmyelinated axons in the retina and cerebellum and is strongly expressed in dendrites of cortical pyramidal cells and cerebellar Purkinje cells. Ultrastructural studies indicate that labeling in dendrites is both intracellular and on dendritic shaft membranes. Remarkably, Na v1.6 labeling was observed at both presynaptic and postsynaptic membranes in the cortex and cerebellum. Thus, a single sodium channel isoform is targeted to different neuronal domains and can influence both axonal conduction and synaptic responses.

A novel, voltage-gated sodium channel cDNA, designated NaCh6, has been isolated from the rat central and peripheral nervous systems. RNase protection assays showed that NaCh6 is highly expressed in the brain, and NaCh6 mRNA is as abundant or more abundant than the mRNAs for previously identified rat brain sodium channels. In situ hybridization demonstrated that a wide variety of neurons express NaCh6, including motor neurons in the brainstem and spinal cord, cerebellar granule cells, and pyramidal and granule cells of the hippocampus. RT-PCR and/or in situ hybridization showed that astrocytes and Schwann cells express NaCh6. Thus, this sodium channel is broadly distributed throughout the nervous system and is shown to be expressed in both neurons and glial cells.

Despite its key role in Alzheimer pathogenesis, the physiological function(s) of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) and its proteolytic fragments are still poorly understood. Previously, we generated APPsa knock-in (KI) mice expressing solely the secreted ectodomain APPsa. Here, we generated double mutants (APPsa-DM) by crossing APPsa-KI mice onto an APLP2-deficient background and show that APPsa rescues the postnatal lethality of the majority of APP/APLP2 double knockout mice. Surviving APPsa-DM mice exhibited impaired neuromuscular transmission, with reductions in quantal content, readily releasable pool, and ability to sustain vesicle release that resulted in muscular weakness. We show that these defects may be due to loss of an APP/Mint2/Munc18 complex. Moreover, APPsa-DM muscle showed fragmented postsynaptic specializations, suggesting impaired postnatal synaptic maturation and/or maintenance. Despite normal CNS morphology and unaltered basal synaptic transmission, young APPsa-DM mice already showed pronounced hippocampal dysfunction, impaired spatial learning and a deficit in LTP that could be rescued by GABA A receptor inhibition. Collectively, our data show that APLP2 and APP are synergistically required to mediate neuromuscular transmission, spatial learning and synaptic plasticity.

In order to understand the effects of sodium channels on synaptic signaling and response in the cerebellum, it is essential to know for each class of neuron what sodium channel isoforms are present, and the properties and distribution of each. Sodium channels are heteromultimeric membrane proteins, consisting of a large alpha subunit that forms the pore, and one or more beta subunits. Ten genes encode an alpha subunit in mammals, and of these, four are expressed in the cerebellum: Nav1.1, Nav1.2, Nav1.3 and Nav1.6. Three genes encode beta subunits (Nabeta1-3), and all three are expressed in the cerebellum. However, Nav1.3 and Nabeta3 have been found only in the developing cerebellum. All sodium channels recorded in the cerebellum are TTX-sensitive with similar kinetics, making it difficult to identify the isoforms electrically. Thus, most of the expression studies have relied on techniques that allow visualization of sodium channel subtypes at the level of mRNA and protein. In situ hybridization and immunolocalization studies demonstrated that granule cells predominantly express Nav1.2, Nav1.6, Nabeta1, and Nabeta2. Protein for Nav1.2 and Nav1.6 is localized primarily in granule cell parallel fibers. Purkinje cells express Nav1.1, Nav1.6, Nabeta1 and Nabeta2. The somato-dendritic localization of Nav1.1 and Nav1.6 in Purkinje cells suggests that these isoforms are involved in the integration of synaptic input. Deep cerebellar nuclei neurons expressed Nav1.1 and Nav1.6 as well as Nabeta1. Bergmann glia expressed Nav1.6, but not granule cell layer astrocytes. Some sodium channel isoforms that are not expressed normally in the adult cerebellum are expressed in animals with mutations or disease. Electrophysiological studies suggest that Nav1.6 is responsible for spontaneous firing and bursting features in Purkinje cells, but the specialized functions of the other subunits in the cerebellum remain unknown.

Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is an inflammatory disorder mediated by antibodies to aquaporin-4 (AQP4) with prominent blood-brain barrier (BBB) breakdown in the acute phase of the disease. Anti-AQP4 antibodies are produced mainly in the periphery, yet they target the astrocyte perivascular end feet behind the BBB. We reasoned that an endothelial cell–targeted autoantibody might promote BBB transit of AQP4 antibodies and facilitate NMO attacks. Using monoclonal recombinant antibodies (rAbs) from patients with NMO, we identified two that strongly bound to the brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMECs). Exposure of BMECs to these rAbs resulted in nuclear translocation of nuclear factor κB p65, decreased claudin-5 protein expression, and enhanced transit of macromolecules. Unbiased membrane proteomics identified glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78) as the rAb target. Using immobilized GRP78 to deplete GRP78 antibodies from pooled total immunoglobulin G (IgG) of 50 NMO patients (NMO-IgG) reduced the biological effect of NMO-IgG on BMECs. GRP78 was expressed on the surface of murine BMECs in vivo, and repeated administration of a GRP78-specific rAb caused extravasation of serum albumin, IgG, and fibrinogen into mouse brains. Our results identify GRP78 antibodies as a potential component of NMO pathogenesis and GRP78 as a candidate target for promoting central nervous system transit of therapeutic antibodies.

Sodium (Na) channel cDNAs were synthesized from RNA isolated from rat brain, cardiac muscle, and skeletal muscle. Partial cDNAs coding for the largest cytoplasmic loop of the Na channel were amplified with PCR. Sequence analysis of these cDNAs revealed that Na channel cDNAs originally described as brain genes were also expressed in both cardiac and skeletal muscle. Some of these cDNAs were isoforms that differed by insertions or deletions and can be explained by alternative choices of a 5' splice site. Southern blot analysis of genomic DNA confirmed the presence of introns in this region of the gene. Transcripts of multiple isoforms were detected with RNase protection in brain, heart, and skeletal muscle. Several conclusions can be drawn from the data. (1) Some rat sodium channel genes are transcribed in all excitable tissues studied here: brain, cardiac muscle, and skeletal muscle. (2) Each of these three tissues expresses multiple sodium channel genes. (3) Alternative splicing of sodium channel transcripts occurs in these tissues. (4) Expression of multiple genes and alternative splicing of the transcripts is responsible for at least seven different sodium channel mRNAs in skeletal muscle.

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The voltage-activated Na channel (NaCh) is an integral membrane protein that is enriched at the neuromuscular end plate. Using loose-patch voltage-clamp and immunofluorescence, we have found that the aggregation of NaChs occurs late, during maturation of the neuromuscular junction. A decline in expression of embryonic NaCh mRNA and increase in adult NaCh mRNA precedes the onset of aggregation, and the appearance of functional adult NaChs coincides with NaCh aggregation. We tested the possibility that only the adult NaCh subtype could aggregate during development and found that both the embryonic and adult isoforms become concentrated at the synapse. The NaCh is the first postsynaptic membrane protein shown to become clustered postnatally, and the mechanism producing this aggregation appears to be different from the process producing aggregation of other synaptic proteins.