Parallel analysis of voltage-gated sodium channel subunits reveals preferential colocalizations of beta-1/Nav1.1 and beta-2/Nav1.2

Voltage-gated sodium channels (VGSCs) are conventionally described as heterotrimers composed of one alpha and two beta subunits. However, the patterns of co-expression of alpha– and beta-subunits in neurons remain unclear. In the present study, we report that alpha– (Nav1.1, Nav1.2, and Nav1.6) and beta– (beta-1 and beta-2) subunits are densely expressed in axon initial segments (AISs) of neurons in the neocortex, hippocampus and cerebellum at postnatal days 14–15 (P14–15) and 8–9 weeks (8–9W). These distributions are largely unique and partially overlapping among brain regions. Notably, in the neocortex and hippocampus, AISs of presumptive parvalbumin-positive inhibitory neurons are positive for Nav1.1 and beta-1, whereas those of excitatory ones are positive for Nav1.2 and beta-2. Similarly, AISs of cerebellar basket cells, which are inhibitory neurons, are positive for Nav1.1 and beta-1, whereas those of granule cells, which are excitatory neurons, are positive for Nav1.2 and beta-2. Nav1.6 is expressed in many of these neurons. Some subunits exhibited distinct distribution patterns at the two postnatal stages analyzed, possibly because of their developmental changes of subcellular localizations. Taken together, these results indicate that combinations of VGSC subunits are largely unique among different neuronal subpopulations. These findings provide a useful reference for understanding the distribution and interactions of VGSC subunits in the brain.