A proton-inhibited DEG/ENaC ion channel maintains neuronal ionstasis and promotes neuronal survival under stress.

ABSTRACT: The nervous system participates in the initiation and modulation of systemic stress. Ionstasis is of utmost importance for neuronal function. Imbalance in neuronal sodium homeostasis is associated with pathologies of the nervous system. However, the effects of stress on neuronal Na⁺ homeostasis, excitability, and survival remain unclear. We report that the DEG/ENaC family member DEL-4 assembles into a proton-inactivated sodium channel. DEL-4 operates at the neuronal membrane and synapse to modulate Caenorhabditis elegans locomotion. Heat stress and starvation alter DEL-4 expression, which in turn alters the expression and activity of key stress-response transcription factors and triggers appropriate motor adaptations. Similar to heat stress and starvation, DEL-4 deficienc

SUBMITTER: Petratou D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10320524 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature