CACNB2: An Emerging Pharmacological Target for Hypertension, Heart Failure, Arrhythmia and Mental Disorders

Curr Mol Pharmacol. 2015;8(1):32-42. doi: 10.2174/1874467208666150507093258.

Abstract

The voltage-gated Cav1.2 calcium channels respond to membrane depolarization by increasing the membrane permeability to Ca(2+), a major signal for cardiac muscle contraction, regulation of vascular tone and CREB-dependent transcriptional activation. CACNB2 is one of the four homologous genes coding for the auxiliary Cavβ subunits, which are important modulators of the Ca(2+) channel activity. Five serious mental disorders - autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, and schizophrenia, - and three major cardiovascular diseases - hypertension, heart failure and sudden cardiac death, - have recently been linked to the CACNB2 gene coding for the Cavβ2 subunits. Here I will focus on the Cavβ2-specific molecular determinant β2-CED as an emerging pharmacological target.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Arrhythmias, Cardiac / drug therapy*
  • Calcium Channels, L-Type / drug effects*
  • Calcium Channels, L-Type / genetics
  • Heart Failure / drug therapy*
  • Humans
  • Hypertension / drug therapy*
  • Mental Disorders / drug therapy*

Substances

  • CACNB2 protein, human
  • Calcium Channels, L-Type