Down-regulation of voltage-gated Ca2+ channels by neuronal calcium sensor-1 is beta subunit-specific

Neuronal Ca(2+) sensor protein-1 (NCS-1) is a member of the Ca(2+) binding protein family, with three functional Ca(2+) binding EF-hands and an N-terminal myristoylation site. NCS-1 is expressed in brain and heart during embryonic and postnatal development. In neurons, NCS-1 facilitates neurotransmitter release, but both inhibition and facilitation of the Ca(2+) current amplitude have been reported. In heart, NCS-1 co-immunoprecipitates with K(+) channels and modulates their activity, but the potential effects of NCS-1 on cardiac Ca(2+) channels have not been investigated. To directly assess the effect of NCS-1 on the various types of Ca(2+) channels we have co-expressed NCS-1 in Xenopus oocytes, with Ca(V)1.2, Ca(V)2.1, and Ca(V)2.2 Ca(2+) channels, using various subunit combinations. The major effect of NCS-1 was to decrease Ca(2+) current amplitude, recorded with the three different types of alpha(1) subunit. When expressed with Ca(V)2.1, the depression of Ca(2+) current amplitude induced by NCS-1 was dependent upon the identity of the beta subunit expressed, with no block recorded without beta subunit or with the beta(3) subunit. Current-voltage and inactivation curves were also slightly modified and displayed a different specificity toward the beta subunits. Taken together, these data suggest that NCS-1 is able to modulate cardiac and neuronal voltage-gated Ca(2+) channels in a beta subunit specific manner.