Structure of human NaV1.6 channel reveals Na ⁺ selectivity and pore blockade by 4,9-anhydro-tetrodotoxin

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The sodium channel Na V 1.6 is widely expressed in neurons of the central and peripheral nervous systems, which plays a critical role in regulating neuronal excitability. Dysfunction of Na V 1.6 has been linked to epileptic encephalopathy, intellectual disability and movement disorders. Here we present cryo-EM structures of human Na V 1.6/β1/β2 alone and complexed with a guanidinium neurotoxin 4,9-anhydro-tetrodotoxin (4,9-ah-TTX), revealing molecular mechanism of Na V 1.6 inhibition by the blocker. In the apo-form structure, two potential Na + binding sites were revealed in the selectivity filter, suggesting a possible mechanism for Na + selectivity and conductance. In the 4,9-ah-TTX-bound structure, 4,9-ah-TTX binds to a pocket similar to the tetrodotoxin (TTX) binding site, which occupies the Na + binding sites and completely blocks the channel. Molecular dynamics simulation results show that subtle conformational differences in the selectivity filter affect the affinity of TTX analogues. Taken together, our results provide important insights into Na V 1.6 structure, ion conductance, and inhibition.

The cryo-EM structure of human NaV1.6 provides molecular insights into sodium channel selectivity and its specific inhibition by 4,9-anhydro-tetrodotoxin, which may guide future drug design for neurological disorders.