酸敏感离子通道研究进展

组织酸化是生理和病理下常见的现象.神经元可以通过酸敏感的离子通道（ASICs）来感受细胞周围的pH值的降低.ASICs属于NaC/DEG家族的一个成员.目前,已发现了6个ASICs亚基,它们在外周和中枢神经系统中广泛表达,其同聚体和异聚体通道有着各种不同的电生理学特性.ASICs在机体感觉尤其是痛觉中起着至关重要的作用.     

酸敏感离子通道的功能及其相关调控

酸敏感离子通道（ASICs）是一类由胞外酸化所激活的阳离子通道.目前,已发现了6个ASICs亚基,它们在外周和中枢神经系统中广泛表达.利用基因敲除等技术,已证明它们在触觉、痛觉、酸味觉以及学习记忆中具有重要作用.同时,它们也参与某些病理反应.ASICs可以被神经肽、温度、金属离子和缺血相关物质等调控,从而整合细胞周围的多种信号以行使其功能.     

大鼠脊髓背角神经元中酸敏感离子通道的特性和功能研究

酸敏感离子通道（ASICs）是一类能被细胞外酸所激活的配体门控离子通道。本文综合报道大鼠脊髓背角神经元中ASICs的亚基组成及其功能性调节：（1）脊髓背角主要表达ASIC1a、ASIC2a和ASIC2b,但不表达ASIC1b和ASIC3;（2）在脊髓背角神经元中酸诱导电流可能由ASIC1a同聚体通道所介导;（3）胞外痛觉信号如实验性缺血和神经肽FMRF可以通过不同的机制增强脊髓背角神经元酸诱导电流;（4）炎症痛可以上调脊髓背角ASICs在转录和蛋白水平的表达。上述各点提示,在生理或病理情况下脊髓背角ASICs对脊髓水平的感觉信息传递特别是痛觉的传导可能发挥着重要作用。     

低渗条件下小肠上皮细胞调节性细胞容积减小的离子通道机制

目的:观察人小肠上皮细胞调节性细胞容积减小(RVD)的过程,探讨参与RVD过程的离子通道机制.方法:将培养的人小肠上皮细胞暴露于低渗溶液, 利用电子细胞体积测量系统测定细胞平均容积变化过程和离子通道的参与过程;采用RT-PCR方法检测人小肠上皮细胞上离子通道的表达.结果:人小肠上皮细胞具有良好的RVD功能; 其RVD过程可被氯通道阻断剂NPPB 和钾通道阻断剂四乙铵所阻断; 进一步的研究发现, 中等电导钙激活性钾通道(IK)的特异性阻断剂Clotrimazole (CLT) (1μmol/L)可以明显抑制细胞的RVD过程,而大电导钙激活性钾通道(BK)和小电导钙激活性钾通道(SK)的特异阻断剂iberiotoxin (100 nmol/L)和apamin (100 nmol/L)对RVD过程无任何抑制作用.RT-PCR的结果也显示, 人小肠上皮细胞只有IK表达, 而无SK和BK的表达.结论:人小肠上皮细胞具有RVD功能,RVD过程的完成有赖于氯通道和钾通道的平行激活, 而其中参与容积调节的钾通道是中等电导钙激活型钾通道IK.     

脆性X综合征FMRP缺失对离子通道的异常调控

脆性X综合征(FXS)由脆性X智力低下蛋白FMRP表达降低甚至完全缺失引起,是最常见的遗传性智力缺陷综合征和孤独症谱系障碍的单基因致病因素。FMRP不仅可与离子通道mRNA结合,如电压门控钾通道(Kv3.1和Kv4.2)等,还直接与多个离子通道作用,如钠激活钾通道(Slack)等。FMRP的缺失导致神经元离子通道表达异常和功能失调,在不同的脑区和不同的神经细胞类型中引起特定的离子稳态失衡、膜电位改变和兴奋性失常,导致神经环路过度兴奋。现就FMRP缺失对不同离子通道的异常调控及其研究进展进行综述。     

辣椒素及其受体

可以感受痛觉刺激的初级感觉神经元的周围末梢被称为伤害性感受器。这些小直径神经元的末梢可将化学、机械和热刺激信号转化为动作电位,并将这些信息上传到中枢,最后使机体产生痛觉或不舒服的感受。但到目前为止,人们对这些可探测到伤害性刺激的分子所知甚少。1997年成功克隆的辣椒素受体亚型1（vanilloid receptor subtype1,VR1)是近年来科学家们研究的“热点分子”,它是表达于伤害性感受器上的非选择性阳离子通道,已有诸多证据表明其可探测和整合诱发痛觉的化学和热刺激信号,基因敲除小鼠的研究分析也有力证明了该离子通道参与了疼痛及组织损伤后痛觉过敏的产生,而且是热诱发疼痛发生过程的关键分子。     

靶向酸敏感离子通道的神经保护:酸毒性损伤机制的重新审视

生理水平的质子在生物体内分布广泛,具有重要的生理功能。在特定的病理条件下,正常的酸碱平衡被破坏,导致质子大量生成和累积,产生对机体有害的酸毒(acidotoxicity)。组织酸化是多种神经系统疾病(如缺血性中风、多发性硬化症以及亨廷顿舞蹈症等)的共同病理特征,也是致这些疾病神经损伤的原因之一。质子可直接激活酸敏感离子通道(acid-sensing ion channel,ASIC),介导组织酸化相关的生理和病理功能,例如,缺血性神经损伤。一直以来,ASIC引起酸毒性神经损伤被认为主要依赖于通道介导的细胞内钙离子升高。然而,本研究组新近的研究表明ASIC1a亚型通道能够通过激活受体相互作用蛋白1(receptor-interacting protein 1,RIP1),介导不依赖于通道离子通透功能的细胞程序性坏死。另外,亚细胞定位研究发现,除了在神经元膜表面,ASIC1a还可以定位在线粒体内膜上,通过调控线粒体通透性转变(mitochondrial permeability transition,MPT)过程,在缺血性神经损伤中发挥重要作用。这些进展使人们对于ASIC介导神经元死亡的机制有了新的认识。     

环核苷酸门控离子通道的结构、功能及活性调节

环核苷酸门控离子通道（cyclic nucleotide-gated ion channels,CNG）是非选择性的阳离子通道,直接被环核苷酸活化.6个不同基因编码CNG离子通道蛋白,4个A亚单元(A1～A4)和2个B亚单元(B1,B3).CNG离子通道是由2个或3个不同的亚单元组成的异四聚体复合物,是Ca2+进入细胞内的主要通道之一.CNG离子通道的活性可被Ca2+ /CaM及磷酸化/去磷酸化作用所调节,从而改变细胞内钙离子浓度,触发一系列生理效应.近年来CNG离子通道的研究进展神速,成为生命科学的一个热点领域.本文对CNG离子通道的结构、功能及活性调节机制进行了综述.     

神经系统内机械敏感性TRP通道与疼痛

瞬时感受器电位(transient receptor potential,TRP)离子通道超家族是一类在生物体内分布广泛,能通透钙离子的非选择性阳离子通道。研究表明部分TRP通道能感受内、外环境中多种形式的机械刺激,在细胞机械信号转导过程中发挥重要作用,属于机械敏感性离子通道。越来越多的研究发现,机械敏感性TRP通道参与了痛觉的维持和发展。本文就神经系统内机械敏感性TRP通道及其在痛觉研究中的进展进行综述。     

大鼠初级感觉神经元P2X3受体的表达及其与SP的关系

目的研究在大鼠初级感觉神经元细胞上P2X3受体的表达情况及其与P物质的关系。方法取SD大鼠背根神经节(DRG)和三叉神经节(TG)固定后切片;用抗P2X3受体抗体和抗SP抗体进行免疫组织化学反应,并通过两种不同的显色方法同时进行P2X3受体和SP的双标。结果P2X3免疫反应阳性细胞主要集中在小细胞和中等细胞(其中在TG,P2X3-ir阳性神经元约占整个细胞的24.8%;在DRG约31.7%的神经元是P2X3-ir阳性),并且在DRG和TG细胞上均存在有P2X3受体和SP共存(TG上的双标细胞占P2X3-ir阳性细胞总数的36.26%,DRG上占46.81%)。结论由于ATP门控阳离子通道受体P2X3本身就与伤害性感受的初级传入有关,而它与SP的共存可提示当组织中的ATP释放时可以通过P2X3受体作用于含SP的伤害性感觉神经末梢上,促使SP释放引起痛觉过敏。     

Sensing muscle ischemia: coincident detection of acid and ATP via interplay of two ion channels

Ischemic pain--examples include the chest pain of a heart attack and the leg pain of a 30 s sprint--occurs when muscle gets too little oxygen for its metabolic need. Lactic acid cannot act alone to trigger ischemic pain because the pH change is so small. Here, we show that another compound released from ischemic muscle, adenosine tri-phosphate (ATP), works together with acid by increasing the pH sensitivity of acid-sensing ion channel number 3 (ASIC3), the molecule used by sensory neurons to detect lactic acidosis. Our data argue that ATP acts by binding to P2X receptors that form a molecular complex with ASICs; the receptor on sensory neurons appears to be P2X5, an electrically quiet ion channel. Coincident detection of acid and ATP should confer sensory selectivity for ischemia over other conditions of acidosis.     

Inflammatory mediators potentiate ATP-gated channels through the P2X(3) subunit

The P2X(3) receptor is an ATP-gated ion channel predominantly expressed in nociceptive neurons from the dorsal root ganglion. P2X(3) receptor channels are highly expressed in sensory neurons and probably contribute to the sensation of pain. Kinetics of P2X(3) currents are characterized by rapid desensitization (<100 ms) and slow recovery (>20 s). Thus, any mechanism modulating rate of desensitization and/or recovery may have profound effect on susceptibility of nociceptive neurons expressing P2X(3) to ATP. Here we show that currents mediated by P2X(3) receptor channels and the heteromeric channel P2X(2/3) composed of P2X(2) and P2X(3) subunits are potentiated by the neuropeptides substance P and bradykinin, which are known to modulate pain perception. The effect is mediated by the respective neuropeptide receptors, can be mimicked by phorbol ester and blocked by inhibitors of protein kinases. Together with data from site-directed mutagenesis our results suggest that inflammatory mediators sensitize nociceptors through phosphorylation of P2X(3) and P2X(2/3) ion channels or associated proteins.     

P2X7受体在病理性疼痛中的研究进展

病理性疼痛主要包括组织损伤或炎症引起的炎症痛、神经系统损伤或疾病引起的神经病理性疼痛和恶性肿瘤及治疗引起的癌症痛三大类。病理性疼痛对常规的镇痛药物反应不理想,迫切需要寻找新的对病理性疼痛更有效和更特异的治疗手段。P2X7受体作为离子通道型嘌呤能受体,在炎症痛、神经病理性疼痛和癌症痛中都具有重要作用。靶向P2X7受体的新药物将为病理性疼痛的治疗带来新的希望。该文综述了P2X7受体在三类病理性疼痛中的研究进展。     

Co-activation of P2Y2 Receptor and TRPV Channel by ATP: Implications for ATP Induced Pain

1. Extracellular ATP is recognized as a peripheral modulator of pain. Activation of ionotropic P2X receptors in sensory neurons has been implicated in induction of pain, whereas metabotropic P2Y receptors in potentiation of pain induced by chemical or physical stimuli via capsaicin sensitive TRPV1 channel. Here we report that P2Y2 receptor activation by ATP can activate the TRPV1 channel in absence of any other stimuli. 2. ATP-induced Ca2+ signaling was studied in Neuro2a cells. ATP evoked release of intracellular Ca2+ from ER and Ca2+ influx through a fast inactivating channel. The Ca2+ response was induced by P2Y receptor agonists in the order of potency ATP>or=UTP>or=ATPgammaS>ADP and was inhibited by suramin and PPADS. The P2X receptor agonist alpha beta methyl ATP was ineffective. 3. The Ca2+ influx was blocked by ruthenium red, an inhibitor of TRPV1 channel. Capsaicin, the most potent activator of the TRPV1 channel, evoked a fast inactivating Ca2+ transient suggesting the presence of endogenous TRPV1 channels in Neuro2a cells. NMS and PDBu, repressors of IP3 formation, drastically inhibited both the components of Ca2+ response. 4. Our data show co-activation of the P2Y2 receptor and capsaicin sensitive TRPV1 channel by ATP. Such functional interaction between endogenous P2Y2 receptor and TRPV1 channels could explain the ATP-induced pain.     

Characteristics of inositol trisphosphate-mediated Ca2+ release from permeabilized hepatocytes

Ca2+ release triggered by inositol trisphosphate (Ins(1,4,5)P3) has been measured in saponin-permeabilized hepatocytes with 45Ca2+ or Quin 2. The initial rate of Ca2+ release was not greatly affected by the incubation temperature (175 +/- 40 pmol X s-1 X mg dry weight-1, at 30 degrees C versus 133 +/- 24 pmol X s-1 X mg dry weight-1 at 4 degrees C). The amount of Ca2+ released by Ins(1,4,5)P3 was not affected by pH (6.5-8.0). La3+ (100 microM) markedly inhibited the effect of 1 microM Ins(1,4,5)P3. The possibility that La3+ chelates Ins(1,4,5)P3 cannot be excluded since the effect of La3+ could be overcome by increasing the Ins(1,4,5)P3 concentration. Ins(1,4,5)P3-mediated Ca2+ release showed a requirement for permeant cations in the incubation medium. Optimal release was observed with potassium gluconate. Other monovalent cations, with the exception of Li+, can substitute for K+. Permeant anions, at concentrations above 40 mM, inhibited Ca2+ release produced by Ins(1,4,5)P3. Cl-, Br-, I-, and SO2-4 were equally effective as inhibitors. Ins(1,4,5)P3 also caused the release of 54Mn2+ and 85Sr2+ accumulated by the permeabilized hepatocytes. Our results are consistent with Ins(1,4,5)P3 promoting the membrane translocation of divalent cations through an ion channel rather than an ion carrier. The translocation of positive charge through this channel is balanced by ancillary movements of monovalent cations and anions across the reticular membranes. The transport systems responsible for these compensatory ion movements may represent a potential site for the regulation of the hormone-mediated Ca2+ signal.     

Acidosis,Acid-Sensing Ion Channels,and Neuronal Cell Death

Acidosis is a common feature of many neuronal diseases and often accompanied with adverse consequences such as pain and neuronal injury. Before the discovery of acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs), protons were usually considered as a modulator of other ion channels, such as voltage-gated calcium channels, N-methyl-d-aspartate, and γ-amino butyric acid(A) receptor channels. Accordingly, the functional effects of acidosis were considered as consequences of modulations of these channels. Since the first cloning of ASICs in 1997, the conventional view on acidosis-mediated pain and cell injury has been dramatically changed. To date, ASICs, which are directly activated by extracellular protons, are shown to mediate most of the acidosis-associated physiological and pathological functions. For example, ASIC1a channels are reported to mediate acidosis-induced ischemic neuronal death. In this article, we will review the possible mechanisms that underlie ASIC1a channel-mediated neuronal death and discuss ASIC1a channel modulators involved in this process.     

Genetically determined P2X7 receptor pore formation regulates variability in chronic pain sensitivity

Chronic pain is highly variable between individuals, as is the response to analgesics. Although much of the variability in chronic pain and analgesic response is heritable, an understanding of the genetic determinants underlying this variability is rudimentary. Here we show that variation within the coding sequence of the gene encoding the P2X7 receptor (P2X7R) affects chronic pain sensitivity in both mice and humans. P2X7Rs, which are members of the family of ionotropic ATP-gated receptors, have two distinct modes of function: they can function through their intrinsic cationic channel or by forming nonselective pores that are permeable to molecules with a mass of up to 900 Da. Using genome-wide linkage analyses, we discovered an association between nerve-injury-induced pain behavior (mechanical allodynia) and the P451L mutation of the mouse P2rx7 gene, such that mice in which P2X7Rs have impaired pore formation as a result of this mutation showed less allodynia than mice with the pore-forming P2rx7 allele. Administration of a peptide corresponding to the P2X7R C-terminal domain, which blocked pore formation but not cation channel activity, selectively reduced nerve injury and inflammatory allodynia only in mice with the pore-forming P2rx7 allele. Moreover, in two independent human chronic pain cohorts, a cohort with pain after mastectomy and a cohort with osteoarthritis, we observed a genetic association between lower pain intensity and the hypofunctional His270 (rs7958311) allele of P2RX7. Our findings suggest that selectively targeting P2X7R pore formation may be a new strategy for individualizing the treatment of chronic pain.     

Altered cytokine production in mice lacking P2X(7) receptors

The P2X(7) receptor (P2X(7)R) is an ATP-gated ion channel expressed by monocytes and macrophages. To directly address the role of this receptor in interleukin (IL)-1 beta post-translational processing, we have generated a P2X(7)R-deficient mouse line. P2X(7)R(-/-) macrophages respond to lipopolysaccharide and produce levels of cyclooxygenase-2 and pro-IL-1 beta comparable with those generated by wild-type cells. In response to ATP, however, pro-IL-1 beta produced by the P2X(7)R(-/-) cells is not externalized or activated by caspase-1. Nigericin, an alternate secretion stimulus, promotes release of 17-kDa IL-1 beta from P2X(7)R(-/-) macrophages. In response to in vivo lipopolysaccharide injection, both wild-type and P2X(7)R(-/-) animals display increases in peritoneal lavage IL-6 levels but no detectable IL-1. Subsequent ATP injection to wild-type animals promotes an increase in IL-1, which in turn leads to additional IL-6 production; similar increases did not occur in ATP-treated, LPS-primed P2X(7)R(-/-) animals. Absence of the P2X(7)R thus leads to an inability of peritoneal macrophages to release IL-1 in response to ATP. As a result of the IL-1 deficiency, in vivo cytokine signaling cascades are impaired in P2X(7)R-deficient animals. Together these results demonstrate that P2X(7)R activation can provide a signal that leads to maturation and release of IL-1 beta and initiation of a cytokine cascade.     

High-throughput characterization of photocrosslinker-bearing ion channel variants to map residues critical for function and pharmacology

Incorporation of noncanonical amino acids (ncAAs) can endow proteins with novel functionalities, such as crosslinking or fluorescence. In ion channels, the function of these variants can be studied with great precision using standard electrophysiology, but this approach is typically labor intensive and low throughput. Here, we establish a high-throughput protocol to conduct functional and pharmacological investigations of ncAA-containing human acid-sensing ion channel 1a (hASIC1a) variants in transiently transfected mammalian cells. We introduce 3 different photocrosslinking ncAAs into 103 positions and assess the function of the resulting 309 variants with automated patch clamp (APC). We demonstrate that the approach is efficient and versatile, as it is amenable to assessing even complex pharmacological modulation by peptides. The data show that the acidic pocket is a major determinant for current decay, and live-cell crosslinking provides insight into the hASIC1a–psalmotoxin 1 (PcTx1) interaction. Further, we provide evidence that the protocol can be applied to other ion channels, such as P2X2 and GluA2 receptors. We therefore anticipate the approach to enable future APC-based studies of ncAA-containing ion channels in mammalian cells.

This study describes a method to rapidly screen hundreds of ion channel variants containing non-canonical amino acids. A proof-of-principle introducing photocrosslinking non-canonical amino acids into the human ion channel hASIC1a shows how this approach can provide insights into function and pharmacology.