Ion Channels and Epilepsy
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American Journal of Medical Genetics (Semin. Med. Genet.) 106:146±159 (2001) ARTICLE Ion Channels and Epilepsy HOLGER LERCHE, KARIN JURKAT-ROTT, AND FRANK LEHMANN-HORN* Ion channels provide the basis for the regulation of excitability in the central nervous system and in other excitable tissues such as skeletal and heart muscle. Consequently, mutations in ion channel encoding genes are found in a variety of inherited diseases associated with hyper- or hypoexcitability of the affected tissue, the so-called `channelopathies.' An increasing number of epileptic syndromes belongs to this group of rare disorders: Autosomal dominant nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy is caused by mutations in a neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (affected genes: CHRNA4, CHRNB2), benign familial neonatal convulsions by mutations in potassium channels constituting the M-current (KCNQ2, KCNQ3), generalized epilepsy with febrile seizures plus by mutations in subunits of the voltage- gated sodium channel or the GABAA receptor (SCN1B, SCN1A, GABRG2), and episodic ataxia type 1Ðwhich is associated with epilepsy in a few patientsÐby mutations within another voltage-gated potassium channel (KCNA1). These rare disorders provide interesting models to study the etiology and pathophysiology of disturbed excitability in molecular detail. On the basis of genetic and electrophysiologic studies of the channelopathies, novel therapeutic strategies can be developed, as has been shown recently for the antiepileptic drug retigabine activating neuronal KCNQ potassium channels. ß 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc. KEY WORDS: ion channel; epilepsy; genetics; electrophysiology; patch clamp INTRODUCTION between neurons: Axonal conduction is mitters, such as acetylcholine (ACh). mediated by action potentials and signal With regard to these basic principles, Epileptic seizures are induced by abnor- transduction from cell to cell by synaptic two distinct and structurally conserved mal focal or generalized synchronized transmission. Since ion channels provide classes of ion channels emerged during electrical discharges within the central the basis for these processes, any muta- evolution, the voltage-gated and the nervous system (CNS). The equilibrium tion-induced channel malfunction may ligand-gated channels [Hille, 1992]. in communication between neurons is directly alter brain excitability and can regulated by a network of excitatory and induce epileptic seizures. inhibitory circuits. Both enhancement Ion channels are membrane-span- Ion channels are of excitatory and impairment of inhibi- ning proteins forming selective pores for membrane-spanning tory mechanisms will disturb this equili- Na,K,Cl,orCa2 ions. During brium, which may result in epileptic action potentials a precise control of ion proteins forming selective discharges. There are two basic mechan- channel gating is mediated by membrane pores for Na,K, isms underlying the electrophysiological voltage, during synaptic transmission Cl,orCa2 ions. excitability of and the communication by the binding of speci®c neurotrans- Since these two are the only channel Holger Lerche is a neurophysiologist and clinical neurologist in the Departments of Applied types that so far have been shown to Physiology and Neurology, University of Ulm, Germany. Main research interests are the genetics, be affected by mutations causing epi- pathophysiology, and therapy of inherited neurological diseases; in particular, inherited forms of lepsy, other classes of ionic channels, epilepsy and the relationship to molecular mechanisms of ion channel gating. Karin Jurkat-Rott is in the Department of Applied Physiology, University of Ulm, Germany. e.g., those regulated by intracellular ions Research focus: Physiology and pathophysiology of cellular excitation and muscle excitation- such as Ca2, by nucleotides, or by cell contraction coupling; genetics and pathogenesis of hereditary muscle and channel diseases with volume, will not be considered in this respect to skeletal muscle and the central nervous system; data bases on diagnostic criteria. Frank Lohmann-Horn is in the Department of Applied Physiology, University of Ulm, Germany. article. Research focus: Physio(patho)logy of cellular excitation, particularly structure±function relation- Over the last 10±15 years, the ships of ligand- and voltage-dependent ion channels, etiology and pathogenesis of hereditary ion combination of electrophysiological and channel diseases in neurology. Grant sponsor: the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft; Grant number: DFG Le1030/5-1; Grant genetic studies has revealed an increasing sponsor: the Bundesministerium fuÈ r Bildung und Forschung (BMBF) / InterdisziplinaÈ res Zentrum fuÈr number of inherited diseases associated Klinische Forschung (IZKF) Ulm, projects B1 and B8. with mutations in ion channel encoding *Correspondence to: Frank Lehmann-Horn, Department of Applied Physiology, University of Ulm, D-89069 Ulm, Germany. E-mail: [email protected] genes. The ®rst of these so-called ion DOI 10.1002/ajmg.1582 channel disorders or `channelopathies' ß 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc. ARTICLE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL GENETICS (SEMIN. MED. GENET.) 147 were found in skeletal muscle, the therapy of the more common forms of four to eight positively charged residues myotonias and periodic paralyses, caused epilepsy. conferring voltage dependence to the by mutations in voltage-gated Na,Cl, channel protein and the S5±S6 loops or Ca2 channels. Subsequently, several form the major part of the ionic pore STRUCTURE AND disorders of the CNS, the episodic with the selectivity ®lter (Figs. 3, 5, 7). FUNCTION OF ataxias, familial hemiplegic migraine, VOLTAGE-GATED There are three main conforma- spinocerebellar ataxia type 6, startle CATION CHANNELS tional states of voltage-gated channels, a disease, and several epileptic syndromes, closed, an open, and an inactivated state. were identi®ed as belonging to the Voltage-gated K,Na, and Ca2 At the resting potential the channels are growing family of channelopathies channels consist of several subunits, a in the closed and activatable state. Upon [Lehmann-Horn and Jurkat-Rott, main a-subunit constituting both the membrane depolarization, the voltage 1999, 2000; Ptacek, 1999; Cannon, gating and permeation machinery of the sensors move outward opening the 2000]. The current review will channel and one or more smaller sub- `activation gate' of the channel on a focus on the pathophysiological mecha- units with modifying functions, called b, time-scale of milliseconds by a yet- nisms of the epileptic channelopathies g,ord. The a-subunits have a common unknown mechanism, and with sus- in man. We will start with a short tetrameric structure of homologous tained depolarization the channels inac- overview of the structure and function domains (I±IV) each with six transmem- tivate spontaneously by closing of a of voltage- and ligand-gated ion chan- brane segments (S1±S6). Whereas K different, `inactivation' gate. Upon nels, then summarize the clinical, channels are constituted by four identical membrane repolarization, inactivated genetic, and pathophysiological con- domains, the about fourfold longer channels remain refractory to further cepts of the known epileptic channel genes of Na- and Ca2-channel a- openings for a certain period deter- syndromes and ®nally discuss the impli- subunits encode four homologous but mined by the time needed for recovery cations of the general contribution of distinct domains. In all voltage-gated from inactivation (Fig. 1). Typical mod- mutated ion channels to the genetics and cation channels, the S4 segments contain ifying properties of the smaller b-, g-, or Figure 1. The three main conformational states of voltage-gated ion channels. From a closed state at the hyperpolarized resting membrane potential, channels open upon depolarization during an action potential via outward movement of the voltage sensors that open the activation gate. Some channels, such as the voltage-gated Na channel, inactivate spontaneously via closing of a different, inactivation gate, when depolarization is maintained. From the inactivated state they can only recover upon repolarization of the cell membrane before they are ready for another opening. 148 AMERICAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL GENETICS (SEMIN. MED. GENET.) ARTICLE d-subunits are the regulation of the neuronal voltage-gated Ca2 channels physiological properties is known amount of functional protein in the are the regulation of transmitter release [Chandy and Gutman, 1995; Leh- membrane or minor alterations of the in presynaptic nerve-terminals. mann-Horn and Jurkat-Rott, 1999]. kinetics or voltage dependence of chan- The different subunits, in particular For example, there are inactivating nel gating [Lehmann-Horn and Jurkat- the channel a-subunits, are expressed (e.g., KCNA1) and noninactivating Rott, 1999; Catterall, 2000; Siegelbaum tissue speci®cally. For example, there are (e.g., KCNQ1-5) K channels and large and Koester, 2000]. several genes encoding different Na differences in the kinetics of activation The time course of depolarization channel a-subunits (SCN1A-SCN11A) and inactivation have been described. and repolarization during an action that are expressed in skeletal muscle potential is conveyed by the gating of (SCN4A), heart muscle (SCN5A) or STRUCTURE AND voltage-dependent Na and K chan- neuronal tissue; four of these subunits FUNCTION OF LIGAND- nels: Activation of the Na inward (SCN1A, SCN2A, SCN3A, and GATED ION CHANNELS current mediates the steep depolarizing