ENaC at the Cutting Edge: Regulation of Epithelial Sodium Channels by Proteases

• Published in: The Journal of biological chemistry Vol. 284; no. 31; pp. 20447 - 20451
• Main Authors: Kleyman, Thomas R., Carattino, Marcelo D., Hughey, Rebecca P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 31-07-2009; American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
• Subjects: Animals; Epithelial Sodium Channels - chemistry; Epithelial Sodium Channels - metabolism; Evolution, Molecular; Humans; Ion Channel Gating; Peptide Hydrolases - metabolism; Protein Processing, Post-Translational; Protein Subunits - chemistry; Protein Subunits - metabolism; Thematic Minireview Series
• ISSN: 0021-9258; 1083-351X
• DOI: 10.1074/jbc.R800083200

Epithelial Na+ channels facilitate the transport of Na+ across high resistance epithelia. Proteolytic cleavage has an important role in regulating the activity of these channels by increasing their open probability. Specific proteases have been shown to activate epithelial Na+ channels by cleaving channel subunits at defined sites within their extracellular domains. This minireview addresses the mechanisms by which proteases activate this channel and the question of why proteolysis has evolved as a mechanism of channel activation.