Proteolytic activation of protease-activated receptor 2 (PAR2) may represent a major mechanism of regulating the transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 (TRPV4) non-selective cation channel in pathophysiological conditions associated with protease activation (e.g. during inflammation). To provide electrophysiological evidence for PAR2-mediated TRPV4 regulation, we characterised the properties of human TRPV4 heterologously expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes in the presence and absence of co-expressed human PAR2. In outside-out patches from TRPV4 expressing oocytes, we detected single-channel activity typical for TRPV4 with a single-channel conductance of about 100 pS for outward and 55 pS for inward currents. The synthetic TRPV4 activator GSK1016790A stimulated TRPV4 mainly by converting previously silent channels into active channels with an open probability of nearly one. In oocytes co-expressing TRPV4 and PAR2, PAR2 activation by trypsin or by specific PAR2 agonist SLIGRL-NH2potentiated the GSK1016790A-stimulated TRPV4 whole-cell currents several fold, indicative of channel sensitisation. Pre-incubation of oocytes with the calcium chelator 1,2-bis(2-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N’,N’-tetraacetic acid (BAPTA)-AM did not reduce the stimulatory effect of PAR2 activation on TRPV4, which indicates that the effect is independent of intracellular calcium signalling. Neutrophil elastase, a biased agonist of PAR2 that does not induce intracellular calcium signalling, also caused a PAR2-dependent sensitisation of TRPV4. The Rho-kinase inhibitor Y27362 abolishedelastase-stimulated sensitisation of TRPV4, which indicates that Rho-kinase signalling plays a critical role in PAR2-mediated TRPV4 sensitisation by the biased agonist neutrophil elastase. During acute inflammation, neutrophil elastase may sensitise TRPV4 by a mechanism involving biasedagonism of PAR2 and activation of Rho-kinase.

Shampoo and cleansers containing anionic surfactants including sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) often causepruritus in humans. Daily application of 1-10% SDS for 4 days induced hind-paw scratching (an itch-related behaviour) in a concentration-dependent manner, and 10% SDS also caused dermatitis, skin dryness, barrier disruption, and an increase in skin surface pH in mice. SDS-induced scratching was inhibited by the opioid receptor antagonist naloxone and the H1 histamine receptor antagonist terfenadine. Mast-cell deficiency did not inhibit SDS-induced scratching, although it almost completely depleted histamine in the dermis. Treatment with SDS increased the histamine content of the epidermis, but not that of the dermis. SDS treatment increased the gene expression and post-translation processing of L-histidine decarboxylase in the epidermis. The present results suggest that repeated application of SDS induces itch through increased production of epidermal histamine, which results from an increase in the gene expression and post-translation processing of L-histidine decarboxylase.

PMID:

 

23962807

 

[PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

BACKGROUND:

Itch, chronic itch in particular, can have a significant negative impact on an individual’s quality of life. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying itch processing in the central nervous system remain largely unknown.

RESULTS:

We report here that activation of ERK signaling in the spinal cord is required for itch sensation. ERK activation, as revealed by anti-phosphorylated ERK1/2 immunostaining, is observed in the spinal dorsal horn of mice treated with intradermal injections of histamine and compound 48/80 but not chloroquine or SLIGRL-NH2, indicating that ERK activation only occurs in histamine-dependent acute itch. In addition, ERK activation is also observed in 2, 4-dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB)-induced itch. Consistently, intrathecal administration of the ERK phosphorylation inhibitor U0126 dramatically reduces the scratching behaviors induced by histamine and DNFB, but not by chloroquine. Furthermore, administration of the histamine receptor H1 antagonist chlorpheniramine decreases the scratching behaviors and ERK activation induced by histamine, but has no effect on DNFB-induced itch responses. Finally, the patch-clamp recording shows that in histamine-, chloroquine- and DNFB-treated mice the spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic current (sEPSC) of dorsal horn neurons is increased, and the decrease of action potential threshold is largely prevented by bathing of U0126 in histamine- and DNFB-treated mice but not those treated with chloroquine.

CONCLUSION:

Our results demonstrate a critical role for ERK activation in itch sensation at the spinal level.