DR-region of Na+/K+ ATPase is a target to treat excitotoxicity and stroke

Na+/K+ ATPase (NKA) is important in maintaining cellular functions. We found that loss of NKA activities in NKAα1+/− mice is associated with increased susceptibility to ischemic injuries following transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO). This is corroborated by the neuroprotective effects of an antibody raised against an extracellular DR region (897DVEDSYGQQWTYEQR911, sequence number as in rat) of NKAα subunit (DR-Ab) in both preventive and therapeutic settings. DR-Ab protects cortical neurons against glutamate-induced toxicity by stimulating activities of NKA and Na+/Ca2+ exchanger (NCX), which resulted in accelerated Ca2+ extrusion. DR-Ab also enhanced the association between NKA and GluR2 and therefore reduced the internalization of both proteins from membrane induced by glutamate toxicity. The mechanism appears to involve suppression of GluR2 phosphorylation through PKCα/PICK pathway. Our data indicate that DR-region of NKA may be a novel therapeutic target for drug development for the treatment of ischemic stroke.