Association of 14-3-3 Proteins to β1-Adrenergic Receptors Modulates Kv11.1 K+Channel Activity in Recombinant Systems

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
We identify a new mechanism for the β1-adrenergic receptor (β1AR)-mediated regulation of human ether-a-go-go–related gene (HERG) potassium channel (Kv11.1). We find that the previously reported modulatory interaction between Kv11.1 channels and 14-3-3ε proteins is competed by wild type β1AR by means of a novel interaction between this receptor and 14-3-3ε. The association between β1AR and 14-3-3ε is increased by agonist stimulation in both transfected cells and heart tissue and requires cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) activity. The β1AR/14-3-3ε association is direct, since it can be recapitulated using purified 14-3-3ε and β1AR fusion proteins and is abolished in cells expressing β1AR phosphorylation–deficient mutants. Biochemical and electrophysiological studies of the effects of isoproterenol on Kv11.1 currents recorded using the whole-cell patch clamp demonstrated that β1AR phosphorylation–deficient mutants do not recruit 14-3-3ε away from Kv11.1 and display a markedly altered agonist-mediated modulation of Kv11.1 currents compared with wild-type β1AR, increasing instead of inhibiting current amplitudes. Interestingly, such differential modulation is not observed in the presence of 14-3-3 inhibitors. Our results suggest that the dynamic association of 14-3-3 proteins to both β1AR and Kv11.1 channels is involved in the adrenergic modulation of this critical regulator of cardiac repolarization and refractoriness.