Endogenous Mas-related G-protein-coupled receptor X1 activates and sensitizes TRPA1 in a human model of peripheral nerves

Abstract

Mas-related G-protein-coupled receptor X1 (MrgprX1) is a human-specific Mrgpr and its expression is restricted to primary sensory neurons. However, its role in nociception and pain signaling pathways is largely unknown. This study aims to investigate a role for MrgprX1 in nociception via interaction with the pain receptor, Transient Receptor Potential Ankyrin 1 (TRPA1), using in-vitro and in-vivo human neuronal models. MrgprX1 protein expression in human trigeminal nociceptors was investigated by the immunolabeling of the dental pulp and cultured peripheral neuronal equivalent (PNE) cells. MrgprX1 receptor signaling was monitored by Fura-2-based Ca2+ imaging using PNEs and membrane potential responses were measured using FluoVoltTM. Immunofluorescent staining revealed MrgprX1 expression in-vivo in dental afferents, which was more intense in inflamed compared to healthy dental pulps. Endogenous MrgprX1 protein expression was confirmed in the in-vitro human PNE model. MrgprX1 receptor signaling and the mechanisms through which it couples to TRPA1 were studied by Ca2+ imaging. Results showed that MrgprX1 activates TRPA1 and induces membrane depolarization in a TRPA1 dependent manner. In addition, MrgprX1 sensitizes TRPA1 to agonist stimulation via Protein Kinase C (PKC). The activation and sensitization of TRPA1 by MrgprX1 in a model of human nerves suggests an important role for this receptor in the modulation of nociception.

KEYWORDS
dental pulp, human, MrgprX1, nociception, peripheral neurons

Presenter: Hye In Kim

Blockade of TRPC Channels Limits Cholinergic-Driven Hyperexcitability and Seizure Susceptibility After Traumatic Brain Injury

Chase M. Carver, Haley R. DeWitt, Aiola P. Stoja and Mark S. Shapiro

Abstract

We investigated the contribution of excitatory transient receptor potential canonical (TRPC) cation channels to posttraumatic hyperexcitability in the brain 7 days following controlled cortical impact model of traumatic brain injury (TBI) to the parietal cortex in male adult mice. We investigated if TRPC1/TRPC4/TRPC5 channel expression is upregulated in excitatory neurons after TBI in contribution to epileptogenic hyperexcitability in key hippocampal and cortical circuits that have substantial cholinergic innervation. This was tested by measuring TRPC1/TRPC4/TRPC5 protein and messenger RNA (mRNA) expression, assays of cholinergic function, neuronal Ca2+ imaging in brain slices, and seizure susceptibility after TBI. We found region-specific increases in expression of TRPC1, TRPC4, and TRPC5 subunits in the hippocampus and cortex following TBI. The dentate gyrus, CA3 region, and cortex all exhibited robust upregulation of TRPC4 mRNA and protein. TBI increased cFos activity in dentate gyrus granule cells (DGGCs) and layer 5 pyramidal neurons both at the time of TBI and 7 days post-TBI. DGGCs displayed greater magnitude and duration of acetylcholineinduced rises in intracellular Ca2+ in brain slices from mice subjected to TBI. The TBI mice also exhibited greater seizure susceptibility in response to pentylenetetrazolinduced kindling. Blockade of TRPC4/TRPC5 channels with M084 reduced neuronal hyperexcitation and impeded epileptogenic progression of kindling. We observed that the time-dependent upregulation of TRPC4/TRPC5-containing channels alters cholinergic responses and activity of principal neurons acting to increase proexcitatory sensitivity. The underlying mechanism includes acutely decreased acetylcholinesterase function, resulting in greater Gq/11-coupled muscarinic receptor activation of TRPC channels. Overall, our evidence suggests that TBI-induced plasticity of TRPC channels strongly contributes to overt hyperexcitability and primes the hippocampus and cortex for seizures.

Keywords: ion channels, TRPC channels, hippocampus, epilepsy, seizure, traumatic brain injury, epileptogenesis,
hyperexcitability

Inhibition of itch by neurokinin 1 receptor (Tacr1) -expressing ON cells in the rostral ventromedial medulla in mice

Taylor Follansbee1,2*, Dan Domocos3, Eileen Nguyen4, Amanda Nguyen1, Aristea Bountouvas1, Lauren Velasquez1, Mirela Iodi Carstens1, Keiko Takanami5, Sarah E Ross4, Earl Carstens1

Abstract

The rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM) is important in descending modulation of spinal nociceptive transmission, but it is unclear if the RVM also modulates spinal pruriceptive transmission. RVM ON cells are activated by noxious algesic and pruritic stimuli and are pronociceptive. Many RVM-spinal projection neurons express the neurokinin-1 receptor (Tacr1), and ON-cells are excited by local administration of substance P (SP). We hypothesized that Tacr1-expressing RVM ON cells exert an inhibitory effect on itch opposite to their pronociceptive action. Intramedullary microinjection of SP significantly potentiated RVM ON cells and reduced pruritogen-evoked scratching while producing mild mechanical sensitization. Chemogenetic activation of RVM Tacr1-expressing RVM neurons also reduced acute pruritogen-evoked scratching. Optotagging experiments confirmed RVM Tacr1-expressing neurons to be ON cells. We conclude that Tacr1-expressing ON cells in RVM play a significant role in the modulation of pruriceptive transmission.

Presenter: Gi Baek Lee

Patch-seq of mouse DRG neurons reveals candidate genes for specific mechanosensory functions

Thibaud Parpaite, Lucie Brosse, Nina Se´ journe´ , Amandine Laur, Yasmine Mechioukhi, Patrick Delmas, Bertrand Coste

Abstract

A variety of mechanosensory neurons are involved in touch, proprioception, and pain. Many molecular components of the mechanotransduction machinery subserving these sensory modalities remain to be discovered. Here, we combine recordings of mechanosensitive (MS) currents in mechanosensory neurons with single-cell RNA sequencing. Transcriptional profiles are mapped onto previously identified sensory neuron types to identify cell-type correlates between datasets. Correlation of current signatures with single-cell transcriptomes provides a one-to-one correspondence between mechanoelectric properties and transcriptomically defined neuronal populations. Moreover, a gene-expression differential comparison provides a set of candidate genes for mechanotransduction complexes. Piezo2 is expectedly found to be enriched in rapidly adapting MS current-expressing neurons, whereas Tmem120a and Tmem150c, thought to mediate slowtype MS currents, are uniformly expressed in all mechanosensory neuron subtypes. Further knockdown experiments disqualify them as mediating MS currents in sensory neurons. This dataset constitutes an open resource to explore further the cell-type-specific determinants of mechanosensory properties.

Presenter: Hye In Kim

TRPC Channels Mediate a Muscarinic Receptor-Induced Afterdepolarization in Cerebral Cortex

Hai-Dun Yan, Claudio Villalobos, and Rodrigo Andrade
Department of Pharmacology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan 48230

Abstract

Activation of muscarinic cholinergic receptors on pyramidal cells of the cerebral cortex induces the appearance of a slow afterdepolarization that can sustain autonomous spiking after a brief excitatory stimulus. Accordingly, this phenomenon has been hypothesized to allow for the transient storage of memory traces in neuronal networks. Here we investigated the molecular basis underlying the muscarinic receptor-induced afterdepolarization using molecular biological and electrophysiological strategies. We find that the ability of muscarinic receptors to induce the inward aftercurrent underlying the slow afterdepolarization is inhibited by expression of a Gq-11 dominant negative and is also markedly reduced in a phospholipase C 1 (PLC1) knock-out mouse. Furthermore, we show, using a genetically encoded biosensor,that activation ofmuscarinic receptorinducesthe breakdown of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphatein pyramidal cells. These results indicate that the Gq-11 /PLC1 cascade plays a key role in the ability of muscarinic receptors to signal the inward aftercurrent. We have shown previously that the muscarinic afterdepolarization is mediated by a calcium-activated nonselective cation current, suggestingthe possible involvement of TRPC channels.Wefindthat expression of a TRPC dominant negative inhibits, and overexpression of wild-type TRPC5 or TRPC6 enhances, the amplitude of the muscarinic receptor-induced inward aftercurrent. Furthermore, we find that coexpression of TRPC5 and T-type calcium channels is sufficient to reconstitute a muscarinic receptor-activated inward aftercurrent in human embryonic kidney HEK-293 cells. These results indicate that TRPC channels mediate the muscarinic receptor-induced slow afterdepolarization seen in pyramidal cells of the cerebral cortex and suggest a possible role for TRPC channels in mnemonic processes.

Modified Proteinase-Activated Receptor-1 and -2 Derived Peptides Inhibit Proteinase-Activated Receptor-2 Activation by Trypsin

BAHJAT AL-ANI, MAHMOUD SAIFEDDINE, SURANGA J. WIJESURIYA and MORLEY D. HOLLENBERG

ABSTRACT
Trypsin activates proteinase-activated receptor-2 (PAR2) by a mechanism that involves the release of a tethered receptor activating sequence. We have identified two peptides, FSLLRY-NH2 (FSY-NH2) and LSIGRL-NH2 (LS-NH2) that block the ability of trypsin to activate PAR2 either in PAR2-expressing Kirsten virus-transformed kidney (KNRK) cell lines or in a rat aorta ring preparation. The reverse PAR2 peptide, LRGILS-NH2(LRG-NH2) did not do so and FSY-NH2 failed to block thrombin activation of PAR1 in the aorta ring or in PAR1-expressing human embryonic kidney cells. Half-maximal inhibition (IC50) by FSY-NH2 and LS-NH2 of the activation of PAR2 by trypsin in a PAR2 KNRK calcium-signaling assay was observed at about 50 and 200 M, respectively. In contrast, the activation of PAR2 by the PAR2-activating peptide, SLIGRL-NH2 (SL-NH2) was not inhibited by FSY-NH2, LS-NH2, or LRG-NH2. In a casein proteolysis assay, neither FSY-NH2 nor LS-NH2 inhibited the proteolytic action of trypsin on its substrate. In addition, FSY-NH2
and LS-NH2 were unable to prevent trypsin from hydrolyzing a 20-amino acid peptide, GPNSKGR/SLIGRLDTPYGGC representing the trypsin cleavage/activation site of rat PAR2. Similarly, FSY-NH2 and LS-NH2 failed to block the ability of trypsin to release the PAR2 N-terminal epitope that is cleaved from the receptor upon proteolytic activation of receptor-expressing KNRK cells. We conclude that the peptides FSY-NH2 and LSNH2 block the ability of trypsin to activate PAR2 by a mechanism that does not involve a simple inhibition of trypsin proteolytic activity, but possibly by interacting with a tethered ligand receptor-docking site.

Presenter: Gi Baek Lee

Sphingomyelin Deacylase, the Enzyme Involved in the Pathogenesis of Atopic Dermatitis, Is Identical to the β-Subunit of Acid Ceramidase

Yasuhiro Teranishi 1,†,‡, Hiroshi Kuwahara 1,†,§, Masaru Ueda 1, Tadashi Takemura 1, Masanori Kusumoto 1,§, Keiji Nakamura 1, Jun Sakai 1, Toru Kimura 1, Yasuji Furutani 1, Makoto Kawashima 2, Genji Imokawa 3,* and Mari Nogami-Itoh 4,*

Abstract: A ceramide deficiency in the stratum corneum (SC) is an essential etiologic factor for the
dry and barrier-disrupted skin of patients with atopic dermatitis (AD). Previously, we reported that
sphingomyelin (SM) deacylase, which hydrolyzes SM and glucosylceramide at the acyl site to yield
their lysoforms sphingosylphosphorylcholine (SPC) and glucosylsphingosine, respectively, instead of
ceramide and/or acylceramide, is over-expressed in AD skin and results in a ceramide deficiency.
Although the enzymatic properties of SM deacylase have been clarified, the enzyme itself remains
unidentified. In this study, we purified and characterized SM deacylase from rat skin. The activities
of SM deacylase and acid ceramidase (aCDase) were measured using SM and ceramide as substrates
by tandem mass spectrometry by monitoring the production of SPC and sphingosine, respectively.
Levels of SM deacylase activity from various rat organs were higher in the order of skin > lung >
heart. By successive chromatography using Phenyl-5PW, Rotofor, SP-Sepharose, Superdex 200 and
Shodex RP18-415, SM deacylase was purified to homogeneity with a single band of an apparent
molecular mass of 43 kDa with an enrichment of > 14,000-fold. Analysis by MALDI-TOF MS/MS
using a protein spot with SM deacylase activity separated by 2D-SDS-PAGE allowed its amino acid
sequence to be determined and identified as the β-subunit of aCDase, which consists of α- and
β-subunits linked by amino bonds and a single S-S bond. Western blotting of samples treated with
2-mercaptoethanol revealed that, whereas recombinant human aCDase was recognized by antibodies
to the α-subunit at ~56 kDa and ~13 kDa and the β-subunit at ~43 kDa, the purified SM deacylase was
detectable only by the antibody to the β-subunit at ~43 kDa. Breaking the S-S bond of recombinant
human aCDase with dithiothreitol elicited the activity of SM deacylase with ~40 kDa upon gel chromatography. These results provide new insights into the essential role of SM deacylase expressed as an aCDase-degrading β-subunit that evokes the ceramide deficiency in AD skin.

Keywords: atopic dermatitis; ceramide; ceramide deficiency; barrier function; water reservoir faction;
stratum corneum; sphingomyelin deacylase; sphingosylphosphorylcholine; acid ceramidase

Functional Interaction between Transient Receptor Potential V4 Channel and Neuronal Calcium Sensor 1 and the Effects of Paclitaxel

Julio C. Sanchez and Barbara E. Ehrlich

ABSTRACT
Neuronal calcium sensor 1 (NCS1), a calcium-binding protein, and transient receptor potential V4 (TRPV4), a plasma membrane calcium channel, are fundamental in the regulation of calcium homeostasis. The interactions of these proteins and their regulation by paclitaxel (PTX) were investigated using biochemical, pharmacological, and electrophysiological approaches in both a breast cancer epithelial cell model and a neuronal model. TRPV4 and NCS1 reciprocally immunoprecipitated each other, suggesting that they make up a signaling complex. The functional consequence of this physical association was that TRPV4 currents increased with increased NCS1 expression. Calcium fluxes through TRPV4 correlated with the magnitude of TRPV4 currents, and these calcium fluxes depended on NCS1
expression levels. Exposure to PTX amplified the acute effects of TRPV4 expression, currents, and calcium fluxes but decreased the expression of NCS1. These findings augment the understanding of the properties of TRPV4, the role of NCS1 in the regulation of TRPV4, and the cellular mechanisms of PTX-induced neuropathy.

Presenter: Ki Baek Lee

TRPV4 inhibition prevents paclitaxel-induced neurotoxicity in preclinicalmodels

Wolfgang Boehmerlea,b,c,⁎,1, Petra Huehnchena,b,c,1, Sabrina Lin Lin Leeb,d, Christoph Harmsa,b,c,d,1, Matthias Endresa,b,c,d,e,f,1

Paclitaxel is a cytotoxic drug which frequently causes sensory peripheral neuropathy in patients. Increasing
evidence suggests that altered intracellular calcium (Ca2+) signals play an important role in the pathogenesis of
this condition. In the present study, we examined the interplay between Ca2+ release channels in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and Ca2+ permeable channels in the plasma membrane in the context of paclitaxel
mediated neurotoxicity. We observed that in small to medium size dorsal root ganglia neurons (DRGN) the
inositol-trisphosphate receptor (InsP3R) type 1 was often concentrated in the periphery of cells, which is in
contrast to homogenous ER distribution. G protein-coupled designer receptors were used to further elucidate
phosphoinositide mediated Ca2+ signaling: This approach showed strong InsP3 mediated Ca2+ signals close to
the plasma membrane, which can be amplified by Ca2+ entry through TRPV4 channels. In addition, our results
support a physical interaction and partial colocalization of InsP3R1 and TRPV4 channels. In the context of
paclitaxel-induced neurotoxicity, blocking Ca2+ influx through TRPV4 channels reduced cell death in cultured
DRGN. Pretreatment of mice with the pharmacological TRPV4 inhibitor HC067047 prior to paclitaxel injections
prevented electrophysiological and behavioral changes associated with paclitaxel-induced neuropathy.
In summary, these results underline the relevance of TRPV4 signaling for the pathogenesis of paclitaxelinduced neuropathy and suggest novel preventive strategies

Keywords: Paclitaxel, Neuropathy, Calcium, TRPV4, Inositol-trisphosphate receptor

Presenter: Hye In Kim