Ca(2+) entry is delicately controlled by inactivation of L-type calcium channel (LTCC) composed of the pore-forming subunit alpha1C and the auxiliary subunits beta1 and alpha2delta. Calmodulin is the key protein that interacts with the COOH-terminal motifs of alpha1C, leading to the fine control of LTCC inactivation. In this study we show evidence that a hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated channel, HCN2, can act as a nonchannel regulatory protein to narrow the L-type Ca(2+) channel current-voltage curve. In the absence of LTCC auxiliary subunits, HCN2 can induce alpha1C inactivation. Without alpha2delta, HCN2-induced fast inactivation of alpha1C requires calmodulin. With alpha2delta, the alpha1C/HCN2/alpha2delta channel inactivation does not require calmodulin. In contrast, beta1-subunit plays a relatively minor role in the interaction of alpha1C with HCN2. The NH(2) terminus of HCN2 and the IQ motif of alpha1C subunit are required for alpha1C/HCN2 channel interaction. Ca(2+) channel inactivation is significantly slowed in hippocampus neurons (HNs) overexpressing HCN2 mutant lacking NH(2) terminus and accelerated in HNs overexpressing the wild-type HCN2 compared with HN controls. Collectively, these results revealed a potentially novel protection mechanism for achieving the LTCC inactivation via interaction with HCN2.
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