Modulation of human Kv1.5 channel kinetics by N-cadherin.

Kv1.5 is expressed in multiple tissues including heart, brain, macrophages, as well as vascular, airway, and intestinal smooth muscle cells. Kv1.5 currents contribute to cardiac repolarization. In cardiac myocytes Kv1.5 colocalizes with N-cadherin. As Kv1.5 expression increases following establishment of cell-cell contacts and N-cadherin influences the activity of other ion channels, we explored whether N-cadherin participates in the regulation of Kv1.5 activity. To this end, we expressed Kv1.5 in Xenopus oocytes with or without additional expression of N-cadherin. Coexpression of N-cadherin was followed by a approximately 2- to 3-fold increase of Kv1.5 induced current. The effect of N-cadherin was not paralleled by significant alterations of Kv1.5 channel abundance within the oocyte cell membrane but resulted primarily from accelerated recovery from inactivation. In conclusion, N-cadherin modifies Kv1.5 channel activity and is thus a novel candidate signaling molecule participating in the regulation of a variety of functions including cardiac action potential and vascular tone.