Development of high-affinity nanobodies specific for Na_V1.4 and Na_V1.5 voltage-gated sodium channel isoforms

Voltage-gated sodium channels, Na_Vs, are responsible for the rapid rise of action potentials in excitable tissues. Na_V channel mutations have been implicated in several human genetic diseases, such as hypokalemic periodic paralysis, myotonia, and long-QT and Brugada syndromes. Here, we generated high-affinity anti-Na_V nanobodies (Nbs), Nb17 and Nb82, that recognize the Na_V1.4 (skeletal muscle) and Na_V1.5 (cardiac muscle) channel isoforms. These Nbs were raised in llama (Lama glama) and selected from a phage display library for high affinity to the C-terminal (CT) region of Na_V1.4. The Nbs were expressed in Escherichia coli, purified, and bio-physically characterized. Development of high-affinity Nbs specifically targeting a given human Na_V isoform has been challenging because they usually show undesired cross-reactivity for different Na_V isoforms. Our results show, however, that Nb17 and Nb82 recognize the CTNa_V1.4 or CTNa_V1.5 over other CTNav isoforms. Kinetic experiments by biolayer interferometry determined that Nb17 and Nb82 bind to the CTNa_V1.4 and CTNa_V1.5 with high affinity (K_D ~ 40-60 nM). In addition, as proof of concept, we show that Nb82 could detect Na_V1.4 and Na_V1.5 channels in mammalian cells and tissues by Western blot. Furthermore, human embryonic kidney cells expressing holo Na_V1.5 channels demonstrated a robust FRET-binding efficiency for Nb17 and Nb82. Our work lays the foundation for developing Nbs as anti-Na_V reagents to capture Na_Vs from cell lysates and as molecular visualization agents for Na_Vs.