Oxygen (O(2)) is a prerequisite for cellular respiration in aerobic organisms but also elicits toxicity. To understand how animals cope with the ambivalent physiological nature of O(2), it is critical to elucidate the molecular mechanisms responsible for O(2) sensing. Here our systematic evaluation of transient receptor potential (TRP) cation channels using reactive disulfides with different redox potentials reveals the capability of TRPA1 to sense O(2). O(2) sensing is based upon disparate processes: whereas prolyl hydroxylases (PHDs) exert O(2)-dependent inhibition on TRPA1 activity in normoxia, direct O(2) action overrides the inhibition via the prominent sensitivity of TRPA1 to cysteine-mediated oxidation in hyperoxia. Unexpectedly, TRPA1 is activated through relief from the same PHD-mediated inhibition in hypoxia. In mice, disruption of the Trpa1 gene abolishes hyperoxia- and hypoxia-induced cationic currents in vagal and sensory neurons and thereby impedes enhancement of in vivo vagal discharges induced by hyperoxia and hypoxia. The results suggest a new O(2)-sensing mechanism mediated by TRPA1.
TRPA1 is a member of the transient receptor potential (TRP) cation channel family, and is predominantly expressed in nocicep-In TRPA1 responses to other cysteine-reactive inflammatory mediators, such as NO and H 2 O 2 , the extent of impairment by respective cysteine mutations differed from those in TRPA1 responses to 15d-PGJ 2 . Interestingly, the Cys421 mutation critically impaired the TRPA1 response to H + as well. Our findings suggest that TRPA1 channels are targeted by an array of inflammatory mediators to elicit inflammatory pain in the nervous system.
The following resources related to this article are available online at http://stke.sciencemag.org. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are involved in many physiological and pathophysiological cellular processes. We used lymphocytes, which are exposed to highly oxidizing environments during inflammation, to study the influence of ROS on cellular function. Calcium ion (Ca 2+ ) influx through Ca 2+ release-activated Ca 2+ (CRAC) channels composed of proteins of the ORAI family is essential for the activation, proliferation, and differentiation of T lymphocytes, but whether and how ROS affect ORAI channel function have been unclear. Here, we combined Ca 2+ imaging, patch-clamp recordings and measurements of cell proliferation and cytokine secretion to determine the effects of hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) on ORAI channel activity and human T helper lymphocyte (T H cell) function. ORAI1, but not ORAI3, channels were inhibited by oxidation by H 2 O 2 . The differential redox sensitivity of ORAI1 and ORAI3 channels depended mainly on an extracellularly located reactive cysteine, which is absent in ORAI3. T H cells became progressively less redox-sensitive after differentiation into effector cells, a shift that would allow them to proliferate, differentiate, and secrete cytokines in oxidizing environments. The decreased redox sensitivity of effector T H cells correlated with increased expression of Orai3 and increased abundance of several cytosolic antioxidants. Knockdown of ORAI3 with small-interfering RNA rendered effector T H cells more redox-sensitive. The differential expression of Orai isoforms between naïve and effector T H cells may tune cellular responses under oxidative stress. Article Toolshttp INTRODUCTION Intracellular Ca2+ is a second messenger involved in the regulation of a diverse range of functions (1). One of the major Ca 2+ entry pathways into nonexcitable cells, such as lymphocytes and epithelial cells, is through ubiquitously expressed Ca 2+ release-activated Ca 2+ (CRAC) channels that are localized in the plasma membrane. Ca 2+ influx through CRAC channels is activated when inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP 3 ) triggers Ca 2+ release from intracellular stores in the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) (2-4).The concomitant decrease in ER luminal Ca 2+ triggers accumulation of the ER Ca 2+ sensor protein stromal interaction molecule (STIM1) into puncta close to the plasma membrane (5, 6). These clustered STIM1 proteins directly activate Ca 2+ influx through CRAC channels, which are encoded by the Orai gene family (7-11). ORAI proteins contain four transmembrane domains with both N-and C-terminal intracellular domains (12, 13) that contain putative N-terminal calmodulinbinding domains and C-terminal coiled-coil motifs. Orai family members are highly homologous, and Orai1 and 3 are widely expressed at the messenger RNA (mRNA) level, with Orai2 showing a somewhat more restricted expression pattern (14, 15). ORAI1 proteins contain the longest intracellular N termini with two proline-rich regions an...
Redox sensitivity of TRP channels has been shown to mediate previously unexplained biological phenomena and is involved in various pathologies. Understanding the physiological significance and activation mechanisms of TRP channel regulation by reactive species may lead to TRP channels becoming viable pharmacological targets, and modulators of these channels may offer therapeutic options for previously untreatable diseases.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.