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The inositol trisphosphate receptor antagonist 2-aminoethoxydiphenylborate (2-APB) blocks Ca2+ entry channels in human platelets: cautions for its use in studying Ca2+ influx.

It has been reported that store-mediated Ca2+ entry (SMCE) in human platelets is likely to be mediated by a secretion-like coupling mechanism. Recently, 2-aminoethoxydiphenylborate (2-APB) has been used in the investigation of SMCE. Here, the mechanism of action of 2-APB is investigated in human platelets. In a Ca2+-free medium (EGTA added), addition of 0.1 U/ml thrombin caused an elevation in [Ca2+]i. Preincubation with 100 microM 2-APB for 170s abolished the release of internal Ca2+. In platelets whose internal Ca2+ stores had been depleted by treatment with 200 nM thapsigargin, addition of extracellular Ca2+ caused an elevation in [Ca2+]i indicative of SMCE. Preincubation with 2-APB decreased SMCE by 95.5+/-1.1%. After activation of SMCE, addition of 2-APB rapidly decreased [Ca2+]i to basal levels; in contrast, the coupling between Trp1 and IP3RII, which has been shown to play an important role in SMCE in platelets, remained intact at the same time points. The rate of decrease of [Ca2+]i and the absence of measurable latency in the effect of 2-APB were comparable to the effects of La3+ (a cation channel blocker). These data suggest that 2-APB may act as a blocker of Ca2+ permeable plasma membrane channels. These data provide further information regarding the mechanism and site of action of 2-APB and highlight the necessity of careful interpretation of work performed using this molecule.

Biological Transport↗

Canonical transient receptor potential 1 plays a role in basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF)/FGF receptor-1-induced Ca2+ entry and embryonic rat neural stem cell proliferation.

Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and its major receptor FGF receptor-1 (FGFR-1) play an important role in the development of the cortex. The mechanisms underlying the mitogenic role of bFGF/FGFR-1 signaling have not been elucidated. Intracellular Ca2+ concentrations ([Ca2+]i) in proliferating cortical neuroepithelial cells are markedly dependent on Ca2+ entry (Maric et al., 2000a). The absence of voltage-dependent Ca2+ entry channels, which emerge later, indicates that other membrane mechanisms regulate [Ca2+]i during proliferation. Canonical transient receptor potential (TRPC) family channels are candidates because they are voltage independent and are expressed during CNS development (Strübing et al., 2003). Here, we investigated the involvement of TRPC1 in bFGF-mediated Ca2+ entry and proliferation of embryonic rat neural stem cells (NSCs). Both TRPC1 and FGFR-1 are expressed in the embryonic rat telencephalon and coimmunoprecipitate. Quantitative fluorescence-activated cell sorting analyses of phenotyped telencephalic dissociates show that approximately 80% of NSCs are TRPC1+, proliferating, and express FGFR-1. Like NSCs profiled ex vivo, NSC-derived progeny proliferating in vitro coexpress TRPC1 and FGFR1. Antisense knock-down of TRPC1 significantly decreases bFGF-mediated proliferation of NSC progeny, reduces the Ca2+ entry component of the Cai2+ response to bFGF without affecting Ca2+ release from intracellular stores or 1-oleoyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycerol-induced Ca2+ entry, and significantly blocks an inward cation current evoked by bFGF in proliferating NSCs. Both Ca2+ influx evoked by bFGF and NSC proliferation are attenuated by Gd3+ and SKF96365 two antagonists of agonist-stimulated Ca2+ entry. Together, these results show that TRPC1 contributes to bFGF/FGFR-1-induced Ca2+ influx, which is involved in self-renewal of embryonic rat NSCs.

Animals↗

Insulin potentiates TRPC3-mediated cation currents in normal but not in insulin-resistant mouse cardiomyocytes.

OBJECTIVE: Recent studies show that bioactive lipids alter intracellular Ca(2+) handling of cardiac cells differently in normal and insulin-resistant cardiomyocytes. In the present study we measured non-selective cation currents (NSCC) focusing on the interaction between insulin, the bioactive lipid diacylglycerol (DAG) and canonical transient receptor potential 3 (TRPC3) channels. METHODS: Whole cell patch-clamp was used to measure NSCC in ventricular cardiomyocytes isolated from adult wild-type (WT) and insulin resistant, obese ob/ob mice. Western blot, immunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence staining were used to study the concentration and cellular distribution of TRPC3 channels. RESULTS: Application of the membrane permeable DAG analogue (OAG, 30 microM) induced an NSCC, which was approximately 40% smaller in ob/ob than in WT cardiomyocytes. Insulin induced a small NSCC with similar amplitude in ob/ob and WT cells. Pretreatment with insulin (60 nM) increased the OAG-induced NSCC in WT (by approximately 50%) but not in ob/ob cells. OAG-induced currents were inhibited by adding anti-TRPC3 antibodies to the patch pipette solution. The expression of TRPC3 was lower in ob/ob than in WT cardiomyocytes. TRPC3 was detected in glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) immunoprecipitates. Insulin exposure resulted in a translocation of TRPC3 to the plasma membrane in WT but not in ob/ob cardiomyocytes. CONCLUSIONS: Insulin-resistant ob/ob cardiomyocytes showed decreases in DAG-mediated NSCC, which were accompanied by decreased TRPC3 expression and defective insulin-mediated trafficking of this protein.

Animals↗

The ordered visual transduction complex of the squid photoreceptor membrane.

The study of visual transduction has given invaluable insight into the mechanisms of signal transduction by heptahelical receptors that act via guanine nucleotide binding proteins (G-proteins). However, the cyclic-GMP second messenger system seen in vertebrate photoreceptor cells is not widely used in other cell types. In contrast, the retina of higher invertebrates, such as squid, offers an equally accessible transduction system, which uses the widespread second messenger chemistry of an increase in cytosolic calcium caused by the production of inositol-(1,4,5)-trisphosphate (InsP3) by the enzyme phospholipase C, and which may be a model for store-operated calcium influx. In this article, we highlight some key aspects of invertebrate visual transduction as elucidated from the combination of biochemical techniques applied to cephalopods, genetic techniques applied to flies, and electrophysiology applied to the horseshoe crab. We discuss the importance and applicability of ideas drawn from these model systems to the understanding of some general processes in signal transduction, such as the integration of the cytoskeleton into the signal transduction process and the possible modes of regulation of store-operated calcium influx.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Calcium store contents control the expression of TRPC1, TRPC3 and TRPV6 proteins in LNCaP prostate cancer cell line.

The mammalian homologues of the Drosophila transient receptor potential (TRP) represent a superfamily of ion channels involved in Ca(2+) homeostasis. Several members of this family are activated either by a depletion of the internal stores of Ca(2+) or by stimulation of G protein-coupled receptors. In androgen responsive prostate cancer cell line LNCaP, TRPC1, TRPC4 and/or TRPV6 have been reported to function as store-operated channels (SOCs) while TRPC3 might be involved in the response to agonist stimulation, possibly through the induction of diacylglycerol production by phospholipase C. However, the control of expression of these TRP proteins is largely unknown. In the present study, we have investigated if the expression of the TRP proteins possibly involved in the capacitative influx of calcium is influenced by the contents of Ca(2+) in the endoplasmic reticulum. Using real-time PCR and Western blot techniques, we show that the expression of TRPC1, TRPC3 and TRPV6 proteins increases after a prolonged (24-48 h) depletion of the stores with thapsigargin. The upregulation of TRPC1 and TRPC3 depends on the store contents level and involves the activation of the Ca(2+)/calmodulin/calcineurin/NFAT pathway. Functionally, cells overexpressing TRPC1, TRPC3 and TRPV6 channels after a prolonged depletion of the stores showed an increased [Ca(2+)](i) response to alpha-adrenergic stimulation. However, the store-operated entry of calcium was unchanged. The isolated overexpression of TRPV6 (without overexpression of TRPC1 and TRPC3) did not produce this increased response to agonists, therefore suggesting that TRPC1 and/or TRPC3 proteins are responsible for the response to alpha-adrenergic stimulation but that TRPC1, TPRC3 and TRPV6 proteins, expressed alone or concomitantly, are not sufficient for SOC formation.

Adrenergic alpha-Agonists↗

Alternative splicing and tissue specific expression of the 5' truncated bCCE 1 variant bCCE 1delta514.

In many non-excitable as well as electrically excitable cells, depletion of intracellular Ca2+ stores after stimulation of G protein coupled receptors or receptor tyrosine kinases is followed by Ca2+ entry across the plasma membrane, a mechanism referred to as capacitative calcium entry (CCE) [Putney, J.W., Cell Calcium 11 (1990) 611-624; Fasolato, C. et al., Trends Pharmacol Sci. 15 (1994) 77-83]. Recently, we reported that bCCE 1, a homologue of the Drosophila protein trp, exhibits the characteristics of CCE channels [Philipp, S. et al., EMBO J. 15 (1996) 6166-6171]. In this study, we report the cloning of a 5' truncated splice variant (bCCE 1delta514) of the full-length bCCE 1. The bCCE 1delta514 cDNA encodes a protein of 486 amino acids with the ATG triplet encoding M514 of bCCE 1 as translation initiation codon and, therefore, comprises two putative transmembrane segments corresponding to the predicted transmembrane segments 5 and 6 of bCCE 1. bCCE 1delta514 transcripts appear to be specifically expressed in the adrenal gland and genome analysis reveals an alternative splice site within an exon of the CCE 1 gene leading to the formation of bCCE 1delta514.

Adrenal Glands↗

cDNA cloning and characterization of an osmotically sensitive TRP channel from ascidian eggs.

The transient receptor potential (TRP) ion channels are thought to be involved in the entry of calcium ion into cells. In this study, we isolated a cDNA clone, HrTRPV, that shows high homology to Caenorhabditis elegans OSM-9, a TRPV subfamily member of the TRP family, from a Halocynthia roretzi fertilized egg cDNA library. We analyzed its properties using HrTRPV-transfected cells. Upon reduction of extracellular osmolarity, the intracellular calcium concentration was found to increase in HrTRPV-transfected cells. This increase in intracellular calcium concentration was dependent on the presence of extracellular calcium ion and was inhibited by treatment with gadolinium ion, a stretch-activated calcium channel blocker. Thus, these results indicate that ascidian egg HrTRPV is an osmotically sensitive TRP channel.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

The mechanism of RNA binding to TRAP: initiation and cooperative interactions.

The trp RNA-binding Attenuation Protein (TRAP) from Bacillus subtilis is an 11-subunit protein that binds a series of 11 GAG and UAG repeats separated by two to three-spacer nucleosides in trp leader mRNA. The structure of TRAP bound to an RNA containing 11 GAG repeats shows that the RNA wraps around the outside of the protein ring with each GAG interacting with the protein in nearly identical fashion. The only direct hydrogen bond interactions between the protein and the RNA backbone are to the 2'-hydroxyl groups on the third G of each repeat. Replacing all 11 of these guanosines with deoxyriboguanosine eliminates measurable binding to TRAP. In contrast, a single riboguanosine in an otherwise entirely DNA oligonucleotide dramatically stabilizes TRAP binding, and facilitates the interaction of the remaining all-DNA portion with the protein. Studies of TRAP binding to RNAs with between 2 and 11 GAGs, UAGs, AAGs, or CAGs showed that the stability of a TRAP-RNA complex is not directly proportional to the number of repeats in the RNA. These studies also showed that the effect of the identity of the residue in the first position of the triplet, with regard to binding to TRAP, is dependent on the number of repeats in the RNA. Together these data support a model in which TRAP binds to RNA by first forming an initial complex with a small subset of the repeats followed by a cooperative interaction with the remaining triplets.

5' Untranslated Regions↗

Enhanced expression of transient receptor potential channels in idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Pulmonary vascular medial hypertrophy caused by excessive pulmonary artery smooth muscle cell (PASMC) proliferation is a major cause for the elevated pulmonary vascular resistance in patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH). Increased Ca(2+) influx is an important stimulus for PASMC proliferation. Transient receptor potential (TRP) channel genes encode Ca(2+) channels that are responsible for Ca(2+) entry during cell proliferation. Normal human PASMC expressed multiple canonical TRP (TRPC) isoforms; TRPC6 was highly expressed and TRPC3 was minimally expressed. The protein expression of TRPC6 in normal PASMC closely correlated with the expression of Ki67, suggesting that TRPC6 expression is involved in the transition of PASMC from quiescent phase to mitosis. In lung tissues and PASMC from IPAH patients, the mRNA and protein expression of TRPC3 and -6 were much higher than in those from normotensive or secondary pulmonary hypertension patients. Inhibition of TRPC6 expression with TRPC6 small interfering RNA markedly attenuated IPAH-PASMC proliferation. These results demonstrate that expression of TRPC channels correlates with the progression of the cell cycle in PASMC. TRPC channel overexpression may be partially responsible for the increased PASMC proliferation and pulmonary vascular medial hypertrophy in IPAH patients.

Adult↗

Intracellular calcium handling in ventricular myocytes from mdx mice.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a lethal degenerative disease of skeletal muscle, characterized by the absence of the cytoskeletal protein dystrophin. Some DMD patients show a dilated cardiomyopathy leading to heart failure. This study explores the possibility that dystrophin is involved in the regulation of a stretch-activated channel (SAC), which in the absence of dystrophin has increased activity and allows greater Ca(2+) into cardiomyocytes. Because cardiac failure only appears late in the progression of DMD, we examined age-related effects in the mdx mouse, an animal model of DMD. Ca(2+) measurements using a fluorescent Ca(2+)-sensitive dye fluo-4 were performed on single ventricular myocytes from mdx and wild-type mice. Immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry were performed on whole hearts to determine expression levels of key proteins involved in excitation-contraction coupling. Old mdx mice had raised resting intracellular Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)). Isolated ventricular myocytes from young and old mdx mice displayed abnormal Ca(2+) transients, increased protein expression of the ryanodine receptor, and decreased protein expression of serine-16-phosphorylated phospholamban. Caffeine-induced Ca(2+) transients showed that the Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchanger function was increased in old mdx mice. Two SAC inhibitors streptomycin and GsMTx-4 both reduced resting [Ca(2+)](i) in old mdx mice, suggesting that SACs may be involved in the Ca(2+)-handling abnormalities in these animals. This finding was supported by immunoblotting data, which demonstrated that old mdx mice had increased protein expression of canonical transient receptor potential channel 1, a likely candidate protein for SACs. SACs may play a role in the pathogenesis of the heart failure associated with DMD. Early in the disease process and before the onset of clinical symptoms increased, SAC activity may underlie the abnormal Ca(2+) handling in young mdx mice.

Age Factors↗

Inhibition of endogenous TRP1 decreases capacitative Ca2+ entry and attenuates pulmonary artery smooth muscle cell proliferation.

Pulmonary vascular medial hypertrophy due to proliferation of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMC) greatly contributes to the increased pulmonary vascular resistance in pulmonary hypertension patients. A rise in cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]cyt) is an important stimulus for cell growth in PASMC. Resting [Ca2+]cyt, intracellularly stored [Ca2+], capacitative Ca2+ entry (CCE), and store-operated Ca2+ currents (I(SOC)) are greater in proliferating human PASMC than in growth-arrested cells. Expression of TRP1, a transient receptor potential gene proposed to encode the channels responsible for CCE and I(SOC), was also upregulated in proliferating PASMC. Our aim was to determine if inhibition of endogenous TRP1 gene expression affects I(SOC) and CCE and regulates cell proliferation in human PASMC. Cells were treated with an antisense oligonucleotide (AS, for 24 h) specifically designed to cleave TRP1 mRNA and then returned to normal growth medium for 40 h before the experiments. Then, mRNA and protein expression of TRP1 was downregulated, and amplitudes of I(SOC) and CCE elicited by passive depletion of Ca2+ from the sarcoplasmic reticulum using cyclopiazonic acid were significantly reduced in the AS-treated PASMC compared with control. Furthermore, the rate of cell growth was decreased by 50% in AS-treated PASMC. These results indicate that TRP1 may encode a store-operated Ca2+ channel that plays a critical role in PASMC proliferation by regulating CCE and intracellular [Ca2+](cyt).

Blood Proteins↗

Angiopoietin-1 opposes VEGF-induced increase in endothelial permeability by inhibiting TRPC1-dependent Ca2 influx.

Angiopoietin-1 (Ang1) exerts a vascular endothelial barrier protective effect by blocking the action of permeability-increasing mediators such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) through unclear mechanisms. Because VEGF may signal endothelial hyperpermeability through the phospholipase C (PLC)-IP3 pathway that activates extracellular Ca2+ entry via the plasmalemmal store-operated channel transient receptor potential canonical-1 (TRPC1), we addressed the possibility that Ang1 acts by inhibiting this Ca2+ entry mechanism in endothelial cells. Studies in endothelial cell monolayers demonstrated that Ang1 inhibited the VEGF-induced Ca2+ influx and increase in endothelial permeability in a concentration-dependent manner. Inhibitors of the PLC-IP3 Ca2+ signaling pathway prevented the VEGF-induced Ca2+ influx and hyperpermeability similar to the inhibitory effects seen with Ang1. Ang1 had no effect on PLC phosphorylation and IP3 production, thus its permeability-decreasing effect could not be ascribed to inhibition of PLC activation. However, Ang1 interfered with downstream IP3-dependent plasmalemmal Ca2+ entry without affecting the release of intracellular Ca2+ stores. Anti-TRPC1 antibody inhibited the VEGF-induced Ca2+ entry and the increased endothelial permeability. TRPC1 overexpression in endothelial cells augmented the VEGF-induced Ca2+ entry, and application of Ang1 opposed this effect. In immunoprecipitation studies, Ang1 inhibited the association of IP3 receptor (IP3R) and TRPC1, consistent with the coupling hypothesis of Ca2+ entry. These results demonstrate that Ang1 blocks the TRPC1-dependent Ca2+ influx induced by VEGF by interfering with the interaction of IP3R with TRPC1, and thereby abrogates the increase in endothelial permeability.

Angiopoietin-1↗

Physiological induction of transient receptor potential canonical proteins, calcium entry channels, in human myometrium: influence of pregnancy, labor, and interleukin-1 beta.

This study investigated gestational regulation of transient receptor potential canonical (TrpC) proteins, putative calcium entry channels in human myometrium, and the potential modulation of TrpC expression by IL-1 beta, a cytokine implicated in labor. Total RNA and proteins were isolated from myometrial biopsies obtained from NP women, pregnant women at term not in labor (TNL), or term active labor (TAL) and from primary cultured human myometrial smooth muscle cells incubated with IL-1 beta or IL-1 beta with or without nimesulide. Semiquantitative RT-PCR demonstrated significant up-regulation of TrpC1 in TAL and TNL (P < or = 0.01) and TrpC6 (P < or = 0.01) and TrpC7 (P < or = 0.05) in TAL samples. TrpC3 and TrpC4 mRNA expression was unaffected. Western blot demonstrated significant up-regulation of TrpC1 in TAL and TNL (P < or = 0.05) and TrpC3 (P < or = 0.01), TrpC4 (P < or = 0.05), and TrpC6 (P < or = 0.01) in TAL samples. IL-1 beta did not alter TrpC1, 3, 4, 6, or 7 mRNA expression; but IL-1 beta exclusively up-regulated TrpC3 protein expression (P < or = 0.05). TrpC3 up-regulation was unaffected by cyclooxygenase blockade. These data demonstrate physiological regulation of TrpC mRNA and protein and suggest an important role for TrpC proteins in human myometrium during labor.

Calcium Channels↗

Expression of TRPC4 channel protein that interacts with NHERF-2 in rat descending vasa recta.

The PDZ domain adaptor protein Na+/H+ exchanger regulatory factor (NHERF)-2 is expressed in renal medullary descending vasa recta (DVR), although its function has not been defined. Transient receptor potential channels (TRPC) TRPC4 and TRPC5, nonselective cation channels that transport Ca2+, were recently demonstrated to complex with the NHERF proteins. We investigated whether TRPC4 and/or TRPC5 are associated with NHERF-2 in DVR. RT-PCR revealed mRNA for TRPC4 and NHERF-2, but not for TRPC5 or NHERF-1, in microdissected DVR. Immunohistochemical studies demonstrated expression of TRPC4 and NHERF-2 proteins in both the endothelial cells and pericytes. These proteins colocalized in some cells of the DVR. TRPC4 coimmunoprecipitated with NHERF-2 from renal medullary lysates, and NHERF-2 coimmunoprecipitated with TRPC4. TRPC5 was not detected in DVR with the use of immunohistochemistry or in NHERF-2 immunoprecipitates. We conclude that DVR pericytes and endothelia coexpress TRPC4 and NHERF-2 mRNA and protein and that these proteins colocalize and coimmunoprecipitate, indicating a possible physical association. These findings suggest that TRPC4 and NHERF-2 may play a role in interactions related to Ca2+ signaling.

Animals↗

G-protein-gated TRP-like cationic channel activated by muscarinic receptors: effect of potential on single-channel gating.

There is little information about the mechanisms by which G-protein-coupled receptors gate ion channels although many ionotropic receptors are well studied. We have investigated gating of the muscarinic cationic channel, which mediates the excitatory effect of acetylcholine in smooth muscles, and proposed a scheme consisting of four pairs of closed and open states. Channel kinetics appeared to be the same in cell-attached or outside-out patches whether the channel was activated by carbachol application or by intracellular dialysis with GTPgammaS. Since in the latter case G-proteins are permanently active, it is concluded that the cationic channel is the major determinant of its own gating, similarly to the K(ACh) channel (Ivanova-Nikolova, T.T., and G.E. Breitwieser. 1997. J. Gen. Physiol. 109:245-253). Analysis of adjacent-state dwell times revealed connections between the states that showed features conserved among many other ligand-gated ion channels (e.g., nAChR, BK(Ca) channel). Open probability (P(O)) of the cationic channel was increased by membrane depolarization consistent with the prominent U-shaped I-V relationship of the muscarinic whole-cell current at negative potentials. Membrane potential affected transitions within each closed-open state pair but had little effect on transitions between pairs; thus, the latter are likely to be caused by interactions of the channel with its ligands, e.g., Ca(2+) and Galphao-GTP. Channel activity was highly heterogeneous, as was evident from the prominent cycling behavior when P(O) was measured over 5-s intervals. This was related to the variable frequency of openings (as in the K(ACh) channel) and, especially, to the number of long openings between consecutive long shuttings. Analysis of the underlying Markov chain in terms of probabilities allowed us to evaluate the contribution of each open state to the integral current (from shortest to longest open state: 0.1, 3, 24, and 73%) as P(O) increased 525-fold in three stages.

Animals↗

TRPC4 can be activated by G-protein-coupled receptors and provides sufficient Ca(2+) to trigger exocytosis in neuroendocrine cells.

Transient receptor potential (TRP) channels form a large family of plasma membrane cation channels. Mammalian members of the "short" TRP family (TRP channel (TRPC) 1-7 are Ca(2+)-permeant, non-selective cation channels that are widely expressed in various cell types, including neurons. TRPC activity is linked through unknown mechanisms to G-protein-coupled receptors or receptor tyrosine kinases that activate phospholipase C. To investigate the properties and function of TRPC4 in neuronally derived cells, we transiently expressed mouse TRPC4 and histamine H(1) receptor in mouse adrenal chromaffin cells and PC12 cells. Histamine, but not thapsigargin, stimulated Mn(2+) influx in transfected cells. In the whole-cell patch clamp mode, histamine triggered a transient current in TRPC4-expressing cells. No current was evoked by perfusion with inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate. When exocytosis was monitored with the capacitance detection technique, the magnitude of the membrane capacitance increase (Delta C(m)) on application of histamine in H(1) receptor/TRPC4-expressing chromaffin cells was comparable with that triggered by a train of depolarizing pulses. Our results indicate that TRPC4 channels behave as receptor, but not store-operated, channels in neuronally derived cells. TRPC4 channels can provide sufficient Ca(2+) influx to trigger a robust secretory response in voltage-clamped neurosecretory cells. Similar mechanisms may modulate exocytosis in other neuronal systems.

Adrenal Cortex↗

Protection of TRPC7 cation channels from calcium inhibition by closely associated SERCA pumps.

Numerous studies have demonstrated that members of the transient receptor potential (TRP) superfamily of channels are involved in regulated Ca2+ entry. Additionally, most Ca2+-permeable channels are themselves regulated by Ca2+, often in complex ways. In the current study, we have investigated the regulation of TRPC7, a channel known to be potentially activated by both store-operated mechanisms and non-store-operated mechanisms involving diacylglycerols. Surprisingly, we found that activation of TRPC7 channels by diacylglycerol was blocked by the SERCA pump inhibitor thapsigargin. The structurally related channel, TRPC3, was similarly inhibited. This effect depended on extracellular calcium and on the driving force for Ca2+ entry. The inhibition is not due to calcium entry through store-operated channels but rather results from calcium entry through TRPC7 channels themselves. The effect of thapsigargin was prevented by inhibition of calmodulin and was mimicked by pharmacological disruption of the actin cytoskeleton. Our results suggest the presence of a novel mechanism involving negative regulation of TRPC channels by calcium entering through the channels. Under physiological conditions, this negative feedback by calcium is attenuated by the presence of closely associated SERCA pumps.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗