KCNK3 encodes a two-pore domain K+ channel, TASK-1, which is inhibited by extracellular acidity and hypoxia. Expressed in a variety of tissues, including human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (hPASMCs), the central nervous system, pancreas, and adrenal glands, TASK-1 contributes to the resting membrane potential of cells in which it is expressed. Recently, our group reported mutations in KCNK3 underlying idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), resulting from loss of TASK-1 function, partially pharmacologically rescuable with ONO-RS-082. TASK-1 dimerizes in vivo, forming functional channels with another TASK-1 subunit or with the related TASK-3 channel. TASK-1 and TASK-3 often are expressed in the same cells, although it has been reported that TASK-1 alone is expressed in the lung. Our initial study examined mutant and wildtype (WT) homodimeric TASK-1 channels expressed heterologously in COS-7 cells. Here we further characterize PAH-linked TASK-1 mutations in physiologically relevant heterozygous conditions in COS-7 and hPASMC cell lines. We engineered heterodimeric channels consisting of one mutant and one WT subunit; compared this with co-expression of mutant and WT channels; and measured channel activity with whole cell patch clamp procedures. We found a mutation specific impact of heterozygosity on channel activity. One mutation, V221L, produces a shift in pH dependence accounting for loss of function at physiological pH 7.4, partially rescued by dimerization with a WT subunit, while another, G203D, produces near complete loss of function as a homo- or hetero-dimer. The presence of TASK-3 results in greater rescue of V221L TASK-1 activity at pH 7.4 than does WT TASK-1. Additionally, under current clamp we found that ONO-RS-082 hyperpolarizes the membrane potential in hPASMCs expressing WT or V221L TASK-1, reversible by selective block of TASK-1 with ML365. Together, our results suggest (a) TASK-1 mutant heterodimers exhibit loss of function with mutation specific severity; (b) TASK-3 may rescue mutant TASK-1 and underlie a tissue specific impact of the TASK-1 mutations observed clinically; and (c) PAH TASK-1 mutants can be pharmacologically modulated in hPASMCs and alter the critically important resting membrane potential.
Molecular and functional characterization of the BMPR2 gene in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
