A missense mutation of the Na ⁺ channel α _II subunit gene <i>Na</i> _v <i>1.2</i> in a patient with febrile and afebrile seizures causes channel dysfunction

Abstract

Generalized epilepsy with febrile seizures plus (GEFS+), a clinical subset of febrile seizures (FS), is characterized by frequent episodes beyond 6 years of age (FS+) and various types of subsequent epilepsy. Mutations in beta1 and alpha(I)-subunit genes of voltage-gated Na(+) channels have been associated with GEFS+1 and 2, respectively. Here, we report a mutation resulting in an amino acid exchange (R188W) [corrected] in the gene encoding the alpha-subunit of neuronal voltage-gated Na(+) channel type II (Na(v)1.2) in a patient with FS associated with afebrile seizures. The mutation R188W [corrected] occurring on Arg(187), a highly conserved residue among voltage-gated Na(+) channels, was not found in 224 alleles of unaffected individuals. Whole-cell patch clamp recordings on human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells expressing a rat wild-type (rNa(v)1.2) and the corresponding mutant channels showed that the mutant channel inactivated more slowly than wild-type whereas the Na(+) channel conductance was not affected. Prolonged residence in the open state of the R188W [corrected] mutant channel may augment Na(+) influx and thereby underlie the neuronal hyperexcitability that induces seizure activity. Even though a small pedigree could not show clear cosegregation with the disease phenotype, these findings strongly suggest the involvement of Na(v)1.2 in a human disease and propose the R188W [corrected] mutation as the genetic defect responsible for febrile seizures associated with afebrile seizures.