A permeant regulating its permeation pore: inhibition of pannexin 1 channels by ATP

Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. 2009 Feb;296(2):C250-5. doi: 10.1152/ajpcell.00433.2008. Epub 2008 Oct 22.

Abstract

Pannexin 1 forms a large membrane channel that, based on its biophysical properties and its expression pattern, is a prime candidate to represent an ATP release channel. Pannexin 1 channel activity is potentially deleterious for cells as indicated by its involvement in the P2X7 death complex. Here we describe a negative feedback loop controlling pannexin 1 channel activity. ATP, permeant to pannexin 1 channels, was found to inhibit its permeation pathway when applied extracellularly to oocytes expressing pannexin 1 exogenously. ATP analogues, including benzoylbenzoyl-ATP, suramin, and brilliant blue G were even more effective inhibitors of pannexin 1 currents than ATP. These compounds also attenuated the uptake of dyes by erythrocytes, which express pannexin 1. The rank order of the compounds in attenuation of pannexin 1 currents was similar to their binding affinities to the P2X7 receptor, except that receptor agonists and antagonists both were inhibitory to the channel. Mutational analysis identified R75 in pannexin 1 to be critical for ATP inhibition of pannexin 1 currents.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adenosine Triphosphate / analogs & derivatives
  • Adenosine Triphosphate / metabolism*
  • Adenosine Triphosphate / pharmacology
  • Alanine
  • Animals
  • Binding Sites
  • Cell Membrane / drug effects
  • Cell Membrane / metabolism*
  • Cell Membrane Permeability* / drug effects
  • Connexins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Connexins / genetics
  • Connexins / metabolism*
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Erythrocytes / drug effects
  • Erythrocytes / metabolism
  • Feedback, Physiological
  • Membrane Potentials
  • Mice
  • Mutagenesis, Site-Directed
  • Mutation
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / genetics
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / metabolism*
  • Oocytes
  • Patch-Clamp Techniques
  • Receptors, Purinergic P2 / genetics
  • Receptors, Purinergic P2 / metabolism
  • Receptors, Purinergic P2X7
  • Rosaniline Dyes / pharmacology
  • Suramin / pharmacology
  • Xenopus

Substances

  • Connexins
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • P2rx7 protein, mouse
  • Panx1 protein, mouse
  • Receptors, Purinergic P2
  • Receptors, Purinergic P2X7
  • Rosaniline Dyes
  • GJA3 protein, human
  • 3'-O-(4-benzoyl)benzoyladenosine 5'-triphosphate
  • Suramin
  • Adenosine Triphosphate
  • coomassie Brilliant Blue
  • Alanine