ATP Release through Connexin Hemichannels in Peripheral Nerve

Abstract

The chloride channel calcium-activated (CLCA) family are secreted proteins that regulate both chloride transport and mucin expression, thus controlling the production of mucus in the respiratory system and the gastrointestinal tract. Accordingly, human CLCA1 is a critical mediator of hypersecretory diseases that manifest mucus obstruction, such as asthma, COPD, and cystic fibrosis. It has been reported that hCLCA1 modulates calcium-activated chloride channels (CaCCs) in mammalian cell lines (Hamann et al., J Physiol 587: 2255-74; 2009), and that CLCAs are proteolytically processed during secretion (Patel et al., Annu Rev Physiol 71: 425-49; 2009); however, the precise molecular mechanisms of CLCAs remain unclear. To address this, we used a combination of sequence analysis, structure prediction, proteomics, and biochemical, biophysical and electrophysiological assays in HEK293 cells expressing several human and murine CLCA isoforms. We found that CLCAs are metalloproteases capable of both self-cleavage and cross-cleavage of other family members. We identified a novel zincin metalloprotease domain in the N-terminus of CLCA itself that is responsible for the self-proteolysis, and defined a consensus cleavage motif unique to the CLCA family. The activating effect of hCLCA1 on endogenous CaCCs was abolished in cells transfected with mutations that disrupt the metalloprotease activity or the cleavage site, and was recovered in cells transfected with the N-terminal fragment of the proteolysis, but not with the C-terminal fragment. Together, our data indicate that this unique CLCA self-cleavage event is required to unmask the N-terminal fragment of the protein, which is then responsible for the modulation of CaCCs.Our study provides a functional basis for CLCA1 self-cleavage, and a novel mechanism for regulation of chloride channel activity.