SURA2 targeting for cardioprotection?

SUR2A is an ATP-binding protein known to serve as a regulatory subunit of metabolic-sensing, cardioprotective sarcolemmal ATP-sensitive K+ (KATP) channels. It has been recently found that a moderate increase in expression of SUR2A protects the heart against different types of metabolic stresses, including ischaemia/reperfusion and hypoxia. Although the sarcolemmal KATP channel is a multiprotein complex composed of many proteins in vivo, it seems that an increase in SUR2A levels is sufficient to increase the number of sarcolemmal KATP channels. This effect of SUR2A could be due to SUR2A being the rate-limiting factor in generating fully composed sarcolemmal KATP channels. An increased number of sarcolemmal KATP channels seems to protect the heart by regulating action membrane potential, inhibiting Ca2+ influx and preventing Ca2+ overload, although an additional yet to be recognised mechanism independent of KATP channels activity cannot be excluded.