Sodium channels articles from across Nature Portfolio

A probe reports absolute sodium levels in acidic organelles with single-organelle resolution.

Cannabidiol (CBD), the nonpsychoactive component in cannabis, is an effective treatment for epilepsy and pain. Here, authors explored the mode of action of CBD on hNa_v1.7 channels through two distinct binding sites, suggesting a direct stabilization of the inactivated state of channels.

Voltage-gated sodium (Nav) channels are targeted by various clinically applied and investigational drugs. Here cryo-EM structures of Nav1.7 bound to 7 compounds with diverse chemical skeletons reveal the structural basis of action of these drugs and provide a 3D structural map for drug binding sites on Nav channels.

Stings of certain ant species can cause intense, long-lasting nociception. Here, authors show that the major contributors of these symptoms are vertebrate-selective defensive venom peptides which modulate the activity of voltage-gated sodium channels.

Voltage-gated sodium channels function as multiprotein signaling complexes. Here, authors show that the dispanin TMEM233 is essential for activity of stinging nettle toxins and that co-expression of TMEM233 modulates the gating properties of Na_V1.7.

Fibroblast growth factor homologous factors (FHFs) are an auxiliary subunit of the cardiac voltage-gated sodium channel. We found that FHFs can inhibit the arrhythmogenic late sodium current (I_Na,L) in an isoform-specific manner, and engineered an FHF-based cell-penetrating peptide that acts as an inhibitor of I_Na,L and opens avenues for developing future therapeutics.

mTOR regulates a Na⁺channel on endolysosomes; mTOR activity is regulated by DYRK3.