Late Na+ current produced by human cardiac Na+ channel isoform Nav1.5 is modulated by its β1 subunit

Experimental data accumulated over the past decade show the emerging importance of the late sodium current (I (NaL)) for the function of both normal and, especially, failing myocardium, in which I (NaL) is reportedly increased. While recent molecular studies identified the cardiac Na+ channel (NaCh) alpha subunit isoform (Na(v)1.5) as a major contributor to I (NaL), the molecular mechanisms underlying alterations of I (NaL) in heart failure (HF) are still unknown. Here we tested the hypothesis that I (NaL) is modulated by the NaCh auxiliary beta subunits. tsA201 cells were transfected simultaneously with human Na(v)1.5 (former hH1a) and cardiac beta(1) or beta(2) subunits, and whole-cell patch-clamp experiments were performed. We found that I (NaL) decay kinetics were significantly slower in cells expressing alpha + beta(1) (time constant tau = 0.73 +/- A 0.16 s, n = 14, mean +/- A SEM, P < 0.05) but remained unchanged in cells expressing alpha + beta(2) (tau = 0.52 +/- A 0.09 s, n = 5), compared with cells expressing Na(v)1.5 alone (tau = 0.54 +/- A 0.09 s, n = 20). Also, beta(1), but not beta(2), dramatically increased I (NaL) relative to the maximum peak current, I (NaT) (2.3 +/- A 0.48%, n = 14 vs. 0.48 +/- A 0.07%, n = 6, P < 0.05, respectively) and produced a rightward shift of the steady-state availability curve. We conclude that the auxiliary beta(1) subunit modulates I (NaL), produced by the human cardiac Na+ channel Na(v)1.5 by slowing its decay and increasing I (NaL) amplitude relative to I (NaT). Because expression of Na(v)1.5 reportedly decreases but beta(1) remains unchanged in chronic HF, the relatively higher expression of beta(1) may contribute to the known I (NaL) increase in HF via the modulation mechanism found in this study.