A sodium channel variant in Aedes aegypti as a candidate pathogen sensor for viral-associated molecular patterns

Recent work demonstrated that a splice variant of a human macrophage voltage-gated sodium channel expressed on endosomes acts as an intracellular sensor for dsRNA, a viral-associated molecular pattern. Here our goal was to identify a candidate gene in a clinically relevant invertebrate model with related cellular and pattern recognition properties. The para gene in drosophila and other insects encodes voltage-gated sodium channels with similar electrophysiological properties to those found in vertebrate excitable membranes. A database search revealed that the AAEL006019 gene in Aedes aegypti, the yellow fever mosquito, encodes a voltage-gated sodium channel that is distinct from genes that encode para-like sodium channels. As compared to para-like channels, the protein products from this gene have deletions in the N-terminus and in the DII-DIII linker region. When over-expressed in an Aedes aegypti cell line, CCL-125, the AAEL006019 channel demonstrated cytoplasmic expression on vesicular-like organelles. Electrophysiologic analysis revealed that the channel mediates small inward currents that are enhanced by synthetic mimics of viral-derived ssRNA, R848 and ORN02, but not the dsRNA mimic, poly I:C. R848 treatment of CCL-125 cells that express high levels of the channels led to increased expression of RelA and Ago2, two mediators of insect innate immunity. These results suggest that the AAEL006019 channel acts as an intracellular pathogen sensor for ssRNA molecular patterns.

Human macrophage SCN5A activates an innate immune signaling pathway for antiviral host defense

Pattern recognition receptors contain a binding domain for pathogen-associated molecular patterns coupled to a signaling domain that regulates transcription of host immune response genes. Here, a novel mechanism that links pathogen recognition to channel activation and downstream signaling is proposed. We demonstrate that an intracellular sodium channel variant, human macrophage SCN5A, initiates signaling and transcription through a calcium-dependent isoform of adenylate cyclase, ADCY8, and the transcription factor, ATF2. Pharmacological stimulation with a channel agonist or treatment with cytoplasmic poly(I:C), a mimic of viral dsRNA, activates this pathway to regulate expression of SP100-related genes and interferon β. Electrophysiological analysis reveals that the SCN5A variant mediates nonselective outward currents and a small, but detectable, inward current. Intracellular poly(I:C) markedly augments an inward voltage-sensitive sodium current and inhibits the outward nonselective current. These results suggest human macrophage SCN5A initiates signaling in an innate immune pathway relevant to antiviral host defense. It is postulated that SCN5A is a novel pathogen sensor and that this pathway represents a channel activation-dependent mechanism of transcriptional regulation.