The native ORAI channel trio underlies the diversity of Ca2+ signaling events

Nat Commun. 2020 May 15;11(1):2444. doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-16232-6.

Abstract

The essential role of ORAI1 channels in receptor-evoked Ca2+ signaling is well understood, yet little is known about the physiological activation of the ORAI channel trio natively expressed in all cells. The roles of ORAI2 and ORAI3 have remained obscure. We show that ORAI2 and ORAI3 channels play a critical role in mediating the regenerative Ca2+ oscillations induced by physiological receptor activation, yet ORAI1 is dispensable in generation of oscillations. We reveal that ORAI2 and ORAI3 channels multimerize with ORAI1 to expand the range of sensitivity of receptor-activated Ca2+ signals, reflecting their enhanced basal STIM1-binding and heightened Ca2+-dependent inactivation. This broadened bandwidth of Ca2+ influx is translated by cells into differential activation of NFAT1 and NFAT4 isoforms. Our results uncover a long-sought role for ORAI2 and ORAI3, revealing an intricate control mechanism whereby heteromerization of ORAI channels mediates graded Ca2+ signals that extend the agonist-sensitivity to fine-tune transcriptional control.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Calcium / metabolism
  • Calcium Channels / metabolism
  • Calcium Release Activated Calcium Channels / metabolism*
  • Calcium Signaling* / drug effects
  • Carbachol / pharmacology
  • Endoplasmic Reticulum / drug effects
  • Endoplasmic Reticulum / metabolism
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Humans
  • Models, Biological
  • NFATC Transcription Factors / metabolism
  • ORAI1 Protein / metabolism
  • Protein Binding / drug effects
  • Protein Isoforms / metabolism
  • Protein Multimerization / drug effects
  • Stromal Interaction Molecule 1 / metabolism
  • Time-Lapse Imaging

Substances

  • Calcium Channels
  • Calcium Release Activated Calcium Channels
  • NFATC Transcription Factors
  • ORAI1 Protein
  • Orai3 protein, human
  • Protein Isoforms
  • Stromal Interaction Molecule 1
  • Carbachol
  • Calcium