Identification of new Na^<+->driven cation transporter and its functional and pathophysiological analyses

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Abnormal intracellular Na^+ metabolism is related to several diseases, such as hypertension, arteriosclerosis, ischemic injury, renal failure, and diabetes. Recently, we found that the role of vascular Na^+/Ca^<2+> exchanger in the pathogenesis of salt-dependent hypertension using specific exchange inhibitors and genetically engineered mice. In this study, we searched a new Na^<+->driven cation transporter, which may be involved in Na^+-dependent diseases, and identified the new transporter by gene analyses using specific motif sequences (α-repeat) of Na^+/Ca^<2+> exchanger superfamily. The identified gene was partially homologous to K^+-dependent Na^+/Ca^<2+> exchanger (NCKX). This new NCKX was abundantly expressed in heart, smooth muscle, and skeletal muscle. When this new NCKX cDNA was expressed in mammalian cells, we could detect Na^+-dependent Ca^<2+> transport activity. We are currently preparing genetically engineered mice for this new NCKX. In near future, we would like to examine the functional and pathophysiological importance of this new Nat^+-driven cation transporter using genetically engineered mice.