The sodium channel β3-subunit, sodium channel clusters and cardiac arrhythmias
On the surface of each heart muscle cell are tiny pores, or ion channels. These open and close to let sodium, calcium and potassium ions flow in and out of the cells, and generate the electrical signal that causes the heart to contract and pump blood. Each sodium channel is made up of a number of sections called subunits. Mice that do not have the beta 3-subunit are prone to irregular heartbeats similar to people with the heart rhythm disorders long-QT syndrome or Brugada syndrome. Dr Antony Jackson from the University of Cambridge has been studying the beta 3-subunit in detail, and has discovered that three beta 3-subunits come together to link sodium channels together, which may be important in rhythm disorders. The BHF has now awarded the team a grant to study the effect of beta 3-subunits on sodium channel clustering by studying mice with and without the beta 3-subunits. The team will test exactly how beta 3-subunits link different types of ion channels together and how this affects their function. They will also test how a lack of beta 3-subunits affects the electrical behaviour of the whole heart. This research will provide new insights into the molecular and physiological changes that underpin abnormal heart rhythms.
Project details
| Grant amount | £225,969 |
|---|---|
| Grant type | Project Grants |
| Application type | Project Grant |
| Start Date | 01 July 2015 |
| Duration | 3 years |
| Reference | PG/14/79/31102 |
| Status | Complete |
