Selective silencing of NaV1.7 decreases excitability and conduction in vagal sensory neurons

Non-technical summary Sodium channels are obligatory for the conduction of action potentials along axons. There are several different sodium channel subtypes expressed in vagal sensory neurons, and it is difficult to pharmacologically block these subtypes selectively. We used virally delivered shRNA to selectively block the production of one of the sodium channel subtypes expressed in vagal sensory neurons, namely NaV1.7, and found that by selectively inhibiting the expression of this channel the conduction of action potentials was blocked in the majority of vagal sensory neurons. This study also shows that NaV1.7 is required for the elicitation of classical vagal reflexes such as cough.