Referenced in: none

Automatically associated channels: Kv11.1

Title: Regulation of HERG (KCNH2) potassium channel surface expression by diacylglycerol.

Authors: Cia Ramström, Hugh Chapman, Tero Viitanen, Emad Afrasiabi, Heli Fox, Johanna Kivelä, Sanna Soini, Laura Korhonen, Dan Lindholm, Michael Pasternack, Kid Törnquist

Journal, date & volume: Cell. Mol. Life Sci., 2010 Jan , 67, 157-69

PubMed link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19859662

Abstract
The HERG (KCNH2) channel is a voltage-sensitive potassium channel mainly expressed in cardiac tissue, but has also been identified in other tissues like neuronal and smooth muscle tissue, and in various tumours and tumour cell lines. The function of HERG has been extensively studied, but it is still not clear what mechanisms regulate the surface expression of the channel. In the present report, using human embryonic kidney cells stably expressing HERG, we show that diacylglycerol potently inhibits the HERG current. This is mediated by a protein kinase C-evoked endocytosis of the channel protein, and is dependent on the dynein-dynamin complex. The HERG protein was found to be located only in early endosomes and not lysosomes. Thus, diacylglycerol is an important lipid participating in the regulation of HERG surface expression and function.