Knockdown of zebrafish Na_v1.6 sodium channel impairs embryonic locomotor activities

Although multiple subtypes of sodium channels are expressed in most neurons, the specific contributions of the individual sodium channels remain to be studied. The role of zebrafish Na_v1.6 sodium channels in the embryonic locomotor movements has been investigated by the antisense morpholino (MO) knockdown. MO1 and MO2 are targeted at the regions surrounding the translation start site of zebrafish Na_v1.6 mRNA. MO3 is targeted at the RNA splicing donor site of exon 2. The correctly spliced Na_v1.6 mRNA of MO3 morphants is 6% relative to that of the wild-type embryos. Na _v1.6-targeted MO1, MO2 and MO3 attenuate the spontaneous contraction, tactile sensitivity, and swimming in comparison with a scrambled morpholino and mutated MO3 morpholino. No significant defect is observed in the development of slow muscles, the axonal projection of primary motoneurons, and neuromuscular junctions. The movement impairments caused by MO1, MO2, and MO3 suggest that the function of Na_v1.6 sodium channels is essential on the normal early embryonic locomotor activities.