Polycystin-1 Activates and Stabilizes the Polycystin-2 Channel

• Published in: The Journal of biological chemistry 2003-01, Vol.278 (3), p.1457-1462
• Main Authors: Xu, G. Mark, González-Perrett, Silvia, Essafi, Makram, Timpanaro, Gustavo A., Montalbetti, Nicolás, Arnaout, M. Amin, Cantiello, Horacio F.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Amino Acid Sequence; Base Sequence; DNA Primers; Membrane Proteins - physiology; Molecular Sequence Data; Protein Biosynthesis - physiology; Proteins - chemistry; Proteins - physiology; TRPP Cation Channels
• ISSN: 0021-9258; 1083-351X
• DOI: 10.1074/jbc.M209996200

Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is a prevalent genetic disorder largely caused by mutations in the PKD1 and PKD2 genes that encode the transmembrane proteins polycystin-1 and -2, respectively. Both proteins appear to be involved in the regulation of cell growth and maturation, but the precise mechanisms are not yet well defined. Polycystin-2 has recently been shown to function as a Ca2+-permeable, non-selective cation channel. Polycystin-2 interacts through its cytoplasmic carboxyl-terminal region with a coiled-coil motif in the cytoplasmic tail of polycystin-1 (P1CC). The functional consequences of this interaction on its channel activity, however, are unknown. In this report, we show that P1CC enhanced the channel activity of polycystin-2. R742X, a disease-causing polycystin-2 mutant lacking the polycystin-1 interacting region, fails to respond to P1CC. Also, P1CC containing a disease-causing mutation in its coiled-coil motif loses its stimulatory effect on wild-type polycystin-2 channel activity. The modulation of polycystin-2 channel activity by polycystin-1 may be important for the various biological processes mediated by this molecular complex.