Twosplice variants of thePKP2gene have been identified. The first has a molecular weight of 97.4 kDa (881amino acids) and the second of molecular weight of 92.7 kDa (837amino acids).[7][8] A processed pseudogene with high similarity to this locus has been mapped to chromosome 12p13.[6]
Ablation ofPKP2 in mice severely disrupts normal heart morphogenesis. Mutant mice are embryonic lethal and exhibit deficits in the formation of adhering junctions incardiomyocytes, including the dissociation ofdesmoplakin and formation ofcytoplasmic granular aggregates around embryonic day 10.5-11. Additional malformation included reducedtrabeculation,cytoskeletal disarray and cardiac wall rupture.[16] Further studies demonstrated that plakophilin-2 coordinate withE-cadherin is required to properly localizeRhoA early inactincytoskeletal rearrangement in order to properly couple the assembly ofadherens junctions to the translocation ofdesmosome precursors in newly formed cell-cell junctions.[17]
Plakophilin-2 over time has shown to be more than components of cell-cell junctions; rather the plakophilins are emerging as versatile scaffolds for various signaling pathways that more globally modulate diverse cellular activities.[9] Plakophilin-2 has shown to localize to nuclei, in addition todesmosomal plaques in thecytoplasm. Studies have shown that plakkophillin-2 is found in the nucleoplasm, complexed in the RNA polymerase III holoenzyme with the largest subunit of RNA polymerase III, termedRPC155.[11]
There are data to support molecular crosstalk between plakophilin-2 and proteins involved in mechanical junctions incardiomyocytes, includingconnexin 43, the major component of cardiacgap junctions; the voltage-gated sodium channelNa(V)1.5 and its interacting subunit,ankyrin G; and theK(ATP). Decreased expression of plakophilin-2 viasiRNA leads to a decrease in and redistribution ofconnexin 43protein, as well as a decrease in coupling of adjacentcardiomyocytes. Studies also showed thatGJA1 and plakophilin-2 are components in the samebiomolecular complex.[18] Plakophilin-2 also associates withNa(V)1.5, and knockdown of plakophilin-2 incardiomyocytes alters sodium current properties as well as velocity ofaction potential propagation.[19] It has also been demonstrated that plakophilin-2 associates with an important component of theNa(V)1.5 complex,ankyrin G, and loss ofankyrin G viasiRNA downregulation mislocalized plakophilin-2 andconnexin 43 in cardiac cells, which was coordinate with decreased electrical coupling of cells and decreased adhesion strength.[20] These studies were further supported by an investigation in a mouse model harboring aPKP2-heterozygous null mutation, which showed decreasedNa(V)1.5 amplitude, as well as a shift in gating and kinetics; pharmacological challenge also inducedventriculararrhythmias. These findings further support the notion thatdesmosomes crosstalk with sodium channels in the heart, and suggest that the risk ofarrhythmias in patients withPKP2 mutations may be unveiled with pharmacological challenge.[21] Evidence has also shown that plakophilin-2 binds to theK(ATP) channel subunit,Kir6.2, and that incardiomyocytes from haploinsufficientPKP2 mice,K(ATP) channel current density was ~40% smaller and regional heterogeneity ofK(ATP) channels was altered, suggesting that plakophilin-2 interacts withK(ATP) and mediates crosstalk between intercellular junctions and membrane excitability.[22]
Additionally, plakophilin-2 was found inadherens junctions ofcardiac myxomata tumors analyzed, and absent in patients with noncardiacmyxomata, suggesting that plakophilin-2 may serve as a valuable marker in the clinical diagnosis ofcardiac myxomata.[48]
^abGroeneweg JA, Ummels A, Mulder M, Bikker H, van der Smagt JJ, van Mil AM, Homfray T, Post JG, Elvan A, van der Heijden JF, Houweling AC, Jongbloed JD, Wilde AA, van Tintelen JP, Hauer RN, Dooijes D (November 2014). "Functional assessment of potential splice site variants in arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia/cardiomyopathy".Heart Rhythm.11 (11):2010–7.doi:10.1016/j.hrthm.2014.07.041.PMID25087486.
^Zhou X, Chen M, Song H, Wang B, Chen H, Wang J, Wang W, Feng S, Zhang F, Ju W, Li M, Gu K, Cao K, Wang DW, Yang B (April 2015). "Comprehensive analysis of desmosomal gene mutations in Han Chinese patients with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy".European Journal of Medical Genetics.58 (4):258–65.doi:10.1016/j.ejmg.2015.02.009.PMID25765472.
^Kannankeril PJ, Bhuiyan ZA, Darbar D, Mannens MM, Wilde AA, Roden DM (August 2006). "Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy due to a novel plakophilin 2 mutation: wide spectrum of disease in mutation carriers within a family".Heart Rhythm.3 (8):939–44.doi:10.1016/j.hrthm.2006.04.028.PMID16876743.
^Lahtinen AM, Lehtonen A, Kaartinen M, Toivonen L, Swan H, Widén E, Lehtonen E, Lehto VP, Kontula K (May 2008). "Plakophilin-2 missense mutations in arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy".International Journal of Cardiology.126 (1):92–100.doi:10.1016/j.ijcard.2007.03.137.PMID17521752.
^van Tintelen JP, Hauer RN (July 2009). "Cardiomyopathies: New test for arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy".Nature Reviews. Cardiology.6 (7):450–1.doi:10.1038/nrcardio.2009.97.PMID19554004.S2CID20454940.
^Lahtinen AM, Lehtonen E, Marjamaa A, Kaartinen M, Heliö T, Porthan K, Oikarinen L, Toivonen L, Swan H, Jula A, Peltonen L, Palotie A, Salomaa V, Kontula K (August 2011). "Population-prevalent desmosomal mutations predisposing to arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy".Heart Rhythm.8 (8):1214–21.doi:10.1016/j.hrthm.2011.03.015.PMID21397041.
^Bauce B, Nava A, Beffagna G, Basso C, Lorenzon A, Smaniotto G, De Bortoli M, Rigato I, Mazzotti E, Steriotis A, Marra MP, Towbin JA, Thiene G, Danieli GA, Rampazzo A (January 2010). "Multiple mutations in desmosomal proteins encoding genes in arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy/dysplasia".Heart Rhythm.7 (1):22–9.doi:10.1016/j.hrthm.2009.09.070.PMID20129281.
Bonné S, van Hengel J, van Roy F (1998). "Chromosomal mapping of human armadillo genes belonging to the p120(ctn)/plakophilin subfamily".Genomics.51 (3):452–4.doi:10.1006/geno.1998.5398.PMID9721216.
Mertens C, Kuhn C, Moll R, Schwetlick I, Franke WW (1999). "Desmosomal plakophilin 2 as a differentiation marker in normal and malignant tissues".Differentiation.64 (5):277–90.doi:10.1046/j.1432-0436.1999.6450277.x.PMID10374264.
Bonné S, van Hengel J, van Roy F (2000). "Assignment of the plakophilin-2 gene (PKP2) and a plakophilin-2 pseudogene (PKP2P1) to human chromosome bands 12p11 and 12p13, respectively, by in situ hybridization".Cytogenet. Cell Genet.88 (3–4):286–7.doi:10.1159/000015540.PMID10828611.S2CID35411706.
Hofmann I, Mertens C, Brettel M, Nimmrich V, Schnölzer M, Herrmann H (2000). "Interaction of plakophilins with desmoplakin and intermediate filament proteins: an in vitro analysis".J. Cell Sci.113 (13):2471–83.doi:10.1242/jcs.113.13.2471.PMID10852826.