Science Signaling Podcast for 24 January 2017: Tissue-specific regulation of L-type calcium channels

This Podcast features an interview with Johannes Hell and Manuel Navedo, senior authors of two Research Articles that appear in the 24 January 2017 issue of Science Signaling, about tissue-specific regulation of the L-type calcium channel Ca_V1.2. This channel is present in many tissues, including the heart, vasculature, and brain, and allows calcium to flow into cells when it is activated. Signaling through the β-adrenergic receptor (βAR) stimulates Ca_V1.2 activity in heart cells and neurons to accelerate heart rate and increase neuronal excitability, respectively. Using mouse models, Qian et al found that βAR-mediated enhancement of Ca_V1.2 activity in the brain required phosphorylation of Ser¹⁹²⁸, whereas βAR-mediated enhancement of Ca_V1.2 activity in the heart did not require phosphorylation of this residue. In a related study, Nystoriak et al demonstrated that phosphorylation of Ser¹⁹²⁸ in arterial myocytes was required for vasoconstriction during acute hyperglycemia and in diabetic mice. These findings demonstrate tissue-specific differences in Ca_V1.2 regulation and suggest that it may be possible to design therapies to target this channel in specific tissues.Listen to Podcast.