Liu Lihong, Zhou Yanruo, Liao Ping, Soong Tuck Wah, Hu Zhenyu
Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
Department of Physiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning Province, China.
Cell Commun Signal. 2025 Jul 14;23(1):337. doi: 10.1186/s12964-025-02347-0.
The degradation of voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCC), which are key determinants of neuronal excitability and muscle contraction, is crucial for regulating calcium homeostasis and can be targeted for analgesic drug discovery. Molecularly, both the ubiquitin-proteasomal system and lysosomal pathways play critical roles in VGCC turnover with the involvement of ubiquitin-conjugating E2 enzyme UBE2L3, multiple ubiquitin-ligating E3 ligases including Rfp2, Mdm2, Nedd4-1 and WWP1, and deubiquitinase USP5. Physiologically, a blocking peptide and small molecules interfering with the Ca3.2-USP5 protein interaction has been developed to treat neuroinflammation and neuropathic pain in mouse models. Moreover, two genetically encoded calcium channel blockers by using catalytic HECT domain of the E3 ubiquitin ligase Nedd4-2 and nanobodies to β subunit and Nedd4-2 have been shown to have exceptional potency to remove high voltage-gated calcium channels from the plasma membrane. These two blockers showed strong efficacy in reducing hyperalgesia response to nerve injury. Therefore, a deeper understanding of VGCC degradation offers new therapeutic strategies for diseases associated with calcium channel dysfunction, including neuroinflammation, Parkinson's disease, neuropathic pain and cardiovascular diseases.
电压门控钙通道(VGCC)是神经元兴奋性和肌肉收缩的关键决定因素,其降解对于调节钙稳态至关重要,并且可作为镇痛药研发的靶点。在分子层面,泛素 - 蛋白酶体系统和溶酶体途径在VGCC的周转中均发挥关键作用,涉及泛素结合E2酶UBE2L3、多种泛素连接E3 连接酶,包括Rfp2、Mdm2、Nedd4 - 1和WWP1,以及去泛素酶USP5。在生理层面,已开发出一种阻断肽和干扰Ca3.2 - USP5蛋白相互作用的小分子,用于治疗小鼠模型中的神经炎症和神经性疼痛。此外,通过使用E3泛素连接酶Nedd4 - 2的催化HECT结构域以及针对β亚基和Nedd4 - 2的纳米抗体,两种基因编码的钙通道阻滞剂已显示出从质膜上去除高电压门控钙通道的卓越效力。这两种阻滞剂在减轻对神经损伤的痛觉过敏反应方面显示出强大功效。因此,对VGCC降解的更深入理解为与钙通道功能障碍相关的疾病提供了新的治疗策略,这些疾病包括神经炎症、帕金森病、神经性疼痛和心血管疾病。