Abstract
The number of intermediate-conductance, Ca(2+)-activated K(+) channels (KCa3.1) present at the plasma membrane is deterministic in any physiological response. However, the mechanisms by which KCa3.1 channels are removed from the plasma membrane and targeted for degradation are poorly understood. Recently, we demonstrated that KCa3.1 is rapidly internalized from the plasma membrane, having a short half-life in both human embryonic kidney cells (HEK293) and human microvascular endothelial cells (HMEC-1). In this study, we investigate the molecular mechanisms controlling the degradation of KCa3.1 heterologously expressed in HEK and HMEC-1 cells. Using immunofluorescence and electron microscopy, as well as quantitative biochemical analysis, we demonstrate that membrane KCa3.1 is targeted to the lysosomes for degradation. Furthermore, we demonstrate that either overexpressing a dominant negative Rab7 or short interfering RNA-mediated knockdown of Rab7 results in a significant inhibition of channel degradation rate. Coimmunoprecipitation confirmed a close association between Rab7 and KCa3.1. On the basis of these findings, we assessed the role of the ESCRT machinery in the degradation of heterologously expressed KCa3.1, including TSG101 [endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT)-I] and CHMP4 (ESCRT-III) as well as VPS4, a protein involved in the disassembly of the ESCRT machinery. We demonstrate that TSG101 is closely associated with KCa3.1 via coimmunoprecipitation and that a dominant negative TSG101 inhibits KCa3.1 degradation. In addition, both dominant negative CHMP4 and VPS4 significantly decrease the rate of membrane KCa3.1 degradation, compared with wild-type controls. These results are the first to demonstrate that plasma membrane-associated KCa3.1 is targeted for lysosomal degradation via a Rab7 and ESCRT-dependent pathway.