Expression of skeletal muscle NaV1.4 Na channel isoform in canine cardiac Purkinje myocytes

Background and AimThe action potential plateau of Purkinje fibers is particularly sensitive to tetrodotoxin (TTX) and this could be due to a TXX-sensitive Na+ current. The expression of TTX-sensitive neuronal NaV1.1 and NaV1.2 isoforms has been reported in canine Purkinje myocytes. Our aim was to investigate by means of biochemical and functional techniques whether the TTX-sensitive skeletal NaV1.4 isoform is also expressed in canine cardiac Purkinje myocytes.Methods and ResultsUsing NaV1.4 specific primers, a PCR product corresponding to NaV1.4 was amplified from canine Purkinje fibers RNA and confirmed by sequencing and megablast of the gene bank. Confocal indirect immunostaining using anti-NaV1.4 antibody demonstrates distinct sarcolemmal staining pattern compared to that of the cardiac isoform NaV1.5. Expression of NaV1.4 in tsA201 cells yielded a TTX-sensitive Na+ current with an IC50 of 10 nM.ConclusionsThese results demonstrate the expression of the TTX-sensitive NaV1.4 channel in canine cardiac Purkinje myocytes. This novel finding suggests a role of NaV1.4 channel in Purkinje myocytes and thus has important clinical implications for the mechanisms and management of ventricular arrhythmias originating in the Purkinje network.