Distinct calcium regulation of TRPM7 mechanosensitive channels at plasma membrane microdomains visualized by FRET-based single cell imaging

Ultrasound pulse repetition frequency preferentially activates different neuron populations independent of cell type

Transcranial ultrasound activates mechanosensitive cellular signaling and modulates neural dynamics. Given that intrinsic neuronal activity is limited to a couple hundred hertz and often exhibits frequency preference, we examined whether pulsing ultrasound at physiologic pulse repetition frequencies (PRFs) could selectively influence neuronal activity in the mammalian brain. We performed calcium imaging of individual motor cortex neurons, while delivering 0.35 MHz ultrasound at PRFs of 10, 40, and 140 Hz in awake mice. We found that most neurons were preferentially activated by only one of the three PRFs, highlighting unique cellular effects of physiologic PRFs. Further, ultrasound evoked responses were similar between excitatory neurons and parvalbumin positive interneurons regardless of PRFs, indicating that individual cell sensitivity dominates ultrasound-evoked effects, consistent with the heterogeneous mechanosensitive channel expression we found across single neurons in mice and humans. These results highlight the feasibility of tuning ultrasound neuromodulation effects through varying PRFs.

The Role of Mechanotransduction in Contact Inhibition of Locomotion and Proliferation

Contact inhibition (CI) represents a crucial tumor-suppressive mechanism responsible for controlling the unbridled growth of cells, thus preventing the formation of cancerous tissues. CI can be further categorized into two distinct yet interrelated components: CI of locomotion (CIL) and CI of proliferation (CIP). These two components of CI have historically been viewed as separate processes, but emerging research suggests that they may be regulated by both distinct and shared pathways. Specifically, recent studies have indicated that both CIP and CIL utilize mechanotransduction pathways, a process that involves cells sensing and responding to mechanical forces. This review article describes the role of mechanotransduction in CI, shedding light on how mechanical forces regulate CIL and CIP. Emphasis is placed on filamin A (FLNA)-mediated mechanotransduction, elucidating how FLNA senses mechanical forces and translates them into crucial biochemical signals that regulate cell locomotion and proliferation. In addition to FLNA, trans-acting factors (TAFs), which are proteins or regulatory RNAs capable of directly or indirectly binding to specific DNA sequences in distant genes to regulate gene expression, emerge as sensitive players in both the mechanotransduction and signaling pathways of CI. This article presents methods for identifying these TAF proteins and profiling the associated changes in chromatin structure, offering valuable insights into CI and other biological functions mediated by mechanotransduction. Finally, it addresses unanswered research questions in these fields and delineates their possible future directions.

Subcellular second messenger networks drive distinct repellent-induced axon behaviors

Second messengers, including cAMP, cGMP and Ca²⁺ are often placed in an integrating position to combine the extracellular cues that orient growing axons in the developing brain. This view suggests that axon repellents share the same set of cellular messenger signals and that axon attractants evoke opposite cAMP, cGMP and Ca²⁺ changes. Investigating the confinement of these second messengers in cellular nanodomains, we instead demonstrate that two repellent cues, ephrin-A5 and Slit1, induce spatially segregated signals. These guidance molecules activate subcellular-specific second messenger crosstalk, each signaling network controlling distinct axonal morphology changes in vitro and pathfinding decisions in vivo.

Force: A messenger of axon outgrowth

The axon is a sophisticated macromolecular machine composed of interrelated parts that transmit signals like spur gears transfer motion between parallel shafts. The growth cone is a fine sensor that integrates mechanical and chemical cues and transduces these signals through the generation of a traction force that pushes the tip and pulls the axon shaft forward. The axon shaft, in turn, senses this pulling force and transduces this signal in an orchestrated response, coordinating cytoskeleton remodeling and intercalated mass addition to sustain and support the advancing of the tip. Extensive research suggests that the direct application of active force is per se a powerful inducer of axon growth, potentially bypassing the contribution of the growth cone. This review provides a critical perspective on current knowledge of how the force is a messenger of axon growth and its mode of action for controlling navigation, including aspects that remain unclear. It also focuses on novel approaches and tools designed to mechanically manipulate axons, and discusses their implications in terms of potential novel therapies for re-wiring the nervous system.

Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound/nanomechanical force generators enhance osteogenesis of BMSCs through microfilaments and TRPM7

BACKGROUND

Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) has been reported to accelerate fracture healing, but the mechanism is unclear and its efficacy needs to be further optimized. Ultrasound in combination with functionalized microbubbles has been shown to induce local shear forces and controllable mechanical stress in cells, amplifying the mechanical effects of LIPUS. Nanoscale lipid bubbles (nanobubbles) have high stability and good biosafety. However, the effect of LIPUS combined with functionalized nanobubbles on osteogenesis has rarely been studied.

RESULTS

In this study, we report cyclic arginine-glycine-aspartic acid-modified nanobubbles (cRGD-NBs), with a particle size of ~ 500 nm, able to actively target bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) via integrin receptors. cRGD-NBs can act as nanomechanical force generators on the cell membrane, and further enhance the BMSCs osteogenesis and bone formation promoted by LIPUS. The polymerization of actin microfilaments and the mechanosensitive transient receptor potential melastatin 7 (TRPM7) ion channel play important roles in BMSCs osteogenesis promoted by LIPUS/cRGD-NBs. Moreover, the mutual regulation of TRPM7 and actin microfilaments promote the effect of LIPUS/cRGD-NBs. The extracellular Ca^2 + influx, controlled partly by TRPM7, could participated in the effect of LIPUS/cRGD-NBs on BMSCs.

CONCLUSIONS

The nanomechanical force generators cRGD-NBs could promote osteogenesis of BMSCs and bone formation induced by LIPUS, through regulation TRPM7, actin cytoskeleton, and intracellular calcium oscillations. This study provides new directions for optimizing the efficacy of LIPUS for fracture healing, and a theoretical basis for the further application and development of LIPUS in clinical practice.

Properties, Structures, and Physiological Roles of Three Types of Anion Channels Molecularly Identified in the 2010's

Molecular identification was, at last, successfully accomplished for three types of anion channels that are all implicated in cell volume regulation/dysregulation. LRRC8A plus LRRC8C/D/E, SLCO2A1, and TMEM206 were shown to be the core or pore-forming molecules of the volume-sensitive outwardly rectifying anion channel (VSOR) also called the volume-regulated anion channel (VRAC), the large-conductance maxi-anion channel (Maxi-Cl), and the acid-sensitive outwardly rectifying anion channel (ASOR) also called the proton-activated anion channel (PAC) in 2014, 2017, and 2019, respectively. More recently in 2020 and 2021, we have identified the S100A10-annexin A2 complex and TRPM7 as the regulatory proteins for Maxi-Cl and VSOR/VRAC, respectively. In this review article, we summarize their biophysical and structural properties as well as their physiological roles by comparing with each other on the basis of their molecular insights. We also point out unsolved important issues to be elucidated soon in the future.

Suppression of transient receptor potential melastatin 7 regulates pluripotency, proliferation, and differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells via mechanistic target of rapamycin-extracellular signal-regulated kinase activation

Mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) are a widely used model for their diverse availability in studying early embryonic development and their application in regenerative treatment of various intractable diseases. Transient receptor potential melastatin 7 (Trpm7) regulates Ca²⁺ as a nonselective ion channel and is essential for early embryonic development; however, the precise role of Trpm7 in mESCs has not been clearly elucidated. In this study, we showed that the inhibition of Trpm7 affects the pluripotency and self-renewal of mESCs. We found that short hairpin RNA (shRNA)-mediated suppression of Trpm7 resulted in decreased expression of transcriptional regulators, Oct4 and Sox2, which maintain stemness in mESCs. In addition, Trpm7 knockdown led to alterations in the basic properties of mESCs, such as decreased proliferation, cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase, and increased apoptosis. Furthermore, embryoid body (EB) formation and teratoma formation assays revealed abnormal regulation of differentiation due to Trpm7 knockdown, including the smaller size of EBs, elevated ectodermal differentiation, and diminished endodermal and mesodermal differentiation. We found that EB Day 7 samples displayed decreased intracellular Ca²⁺ levels compared to those of the scrambled group. Finally, we identified that these alterations induced by Trpm7 knockdown occurred due to decreased phosphorylation of mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) and subsequent activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) in mESCs. Our findings suggest that Trpm7 could be a novel regulator for maintaining stemness and modulating the differentiation of mESCs.