Transcriptional regulation of voltage-gated Ca²⁺ channels

The transcriptional regulation of voltage-gated Ca²⁺ (Ca_V ) channels is an emerging research area that promises to improve our understanding of how many relevant physiological events are shaped in the central nervous system, the skeletal muscle and other tissues. Interestingly, a picture of how transcription of Ca_V channel subunit genes is controlled is evolving with the identification of the promoter regions required for tissue-specific expression and the identification of transcription factors that control their expression. These promoters share several characteristics that include multiple transcriptional start sites, lack of a TATA box and the presence of elements conferring tissue-selective expression. Likewise, changes in Ca_V channel expression occur throughout development, following ischaemia, seizures or chronic drug administration. This review focuses on insights achieved regarding the control of Ca_V channel gene expression. To further understand the complexities of expression and to increase the possibilities of detecting Ca_V channel alterations causing human disease, a deeper knowledge on the structure of the 5' upstream regions of the genes encoding these remarkable proteins will be necessary.