Regulation of heartbeat by G protein-coupled ion channels

The coupling of ion channels to receptors by G proteins is the subject of this American Physiological Society Walter B. Cannon Memorial "Physiology in Perspective" Lecture. This subject is particularly appropriate because it includes a molecular explanation of a homeostatic mechanism involving the autonomic nervous system and the latter subject preoccupied Dr. Cannon during most of his career. With the use of reconstitution methods, we and others have shown that heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide-binding (G) proteins couple receptors to ion channels by both membrane-delimited, direct pathways and cytoplasmic second messenger pathways. Furthermore, one set of receptors may be coupled to as many as three different sets of ion channels to form networks. Dual G protein pathways lead to the prediction of biphasic ion current responses in cell signaling, and this prediction was confirmed. In sinoatrial pacemaker cells, the pacemaking hyperpolarization-activated inward current (If) is directly regulated by the G proteins Gs and Go, and the two can act simultaneously. This could explain the classical observation that vagal inhibition of heart rate is greater during sympathetic stimulation. Because deactivation of the muscarinic response occurs much faster than the G protein alpha-subunit hydrolyzes guanosine 5'-triphosphate, we looked for accessory cellular factors. A surprising result was that the small monomeric ras G protein blocked the muscarinic pathway. The significance of this observation is unknown, but it appears that small and large G proteins may interact in ion channel signaling pathways.