Pathophysiological Significance of T-type Ca²⁺ Channels:
Transcriptional Regulation of T-type Ca²⁺ Channel — Regulation of CACNA1H by Neuron-Restrictive Silencer Factor

Abstract

Expression of T-type Ca²⁺ current in the ventricle varies during development and in cardiac diseases. The alteration in quantity of two isoforms of T-type Ca²⁺ channel genes in the heart, CACNA1G and CACNA1H, contributes to the changes of T-type Ca²⁺ channel activity. However, the precise mechanisms governing the transcription of T-type Ca²⁺ channel genes remain largely unknown. In this review, we briefly describe our recent finding that a transcriptional repressor named neuron-restrictive silencer factor is a potent regulator of T-type Ca²⁺ channel gene expression.