Single amino acid substitutions modulate the function of α9α10 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor

The α9α10 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChRs) is a potential therapeutic target for several diseases, including inner ear disorders, chronic pain, cancer, pemphigus vulgaris, and inflammatory disorders. However, the influence of key sites that modulate the receptor's pharmacological properties remains unclear. The crystal and cryo-electron microscopy structures of various nAChRs have helped elucidate functionally important residues. The X-ray crystal structure of the homomeric α9 subunit extracellular domain strongly implicates Thr147, unique to α9 and α10 subunits, and the invariant Arg210, but their specific roles require further elucidation. Here, the pharmacological properties of the α9α10 nAChRs were evaluated by receptor mutation. ACh sensitivity, desensitization, Ca²⁺ permeability, Ca²⁺ modulation, and rectification properties were examined. A unique Thr147-Thr203 interaction was previously proposed to be critical for α9α10 nAChRs functioning. Here we demonstrate that the T147A mutation reduces ACh potency 6-fold in α9α10 heteromeric receptors and 21-fold in α9 homomeric receptors. The α9[T147A] mutant also altered the Ca²⁺ dependence of receptor function. In wild-type α9α10 nAChRs, ACh-evoked currents were enhanced at low but blocked by high concentrations of Ca²⁺. In contrast, extracellular Ca²⁺ concentration-dependently enhanced current in the α9[T147A]α10 nAChRs. However, the potency of the selective α9α10 antagonist RgIA and nicotine was not affected. Together, these findings inform the roles of key amino acids in α9α10 nAChRs function, and provide important insights that may inform future drug design efforts targeting α9α10 nAChRs.