Epithelial Na+ channel (ENaCs) are expressed in the aldosterone-sensitive distal nephron where they serve as the final site of renal Na+ reabsorption and have a key role in the regulation of extracellular fluid volume and blood pressure. ENaCs are also expressed throughout the airway and in alveoli, where they mediate Na+ reabsorption and have a critical role in regulating the volume of airway and alveolar fluids. Channel assembly appears to be an inefficient process, and quality control mechanisms within the ER have an important role in preventing exit of misfolded channel subunits from the ER while promoting the exit of properly assembled oligomeric channels for delivery to the cell surface. Channel subunits undergo post-translational processing that includes cleavage by proteases. Proposed studies in Aim 1 will define quality control mechanisms within the ER that targets ENaC subunits for degradation. Proposed studies in Aim 2 will define the processing of ENaC subunits and regulation of channel activity by proteases. These studies should generate new information regarding the regulation of ENaC biogenesis and post-translational processing that provide additional levels of control of the cellular and surface pool of Na+ channels and of channel gating.
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