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Burboa PC, Gaete PS, Shu P, Araujo PA, Beuve AV, Durán WN, Contreras JE, Lillo MA. Endothelial TRPV4/Cx43 Signaling Complex Regulates Vasomotor Tone in Resistance Arteries. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.07.25.604930. [PMID: 39091840 PMCID: PMC11291137 DOI: 10.1101/2024.07.25.604930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/04/2024]
Abstract
S-nitrosylation of Cx43 gap junction channels critically regulates communication between smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells. This posttranslational modification also induces the opening of undocked Cx43 hemichannels. However, its specific impact on vasomotor regulation remains unclear. Considering the role of endothelial TRPV4 channel activation in promoting vasodilation through nitric oxide (NO) production, we investigated the direct modulation of endothelial Cx43 hemichannels by TRPV4 channel activation. Using the proximity ligation assay, we identify that Cx43 and TRPV4 are found in close proximity in the endothelium of resistance arteries. In primary endothelial cell cultures from resistance arteries (ECs), GSK-induced TRPV4 activation enhances eNOS activity, increases NO production, and opens Cx43 hemichannels via direct S-nitrosylation. Notably, the elevated intracellular Ca2+ levels caused by TRPV4 activation were reduced by blocking Cx43 hemichannels. In ex vivo mesenteric arteries, inhibiting Cx43 hemichannels reduced endothelial hyperpolarization without affecting NO production in ECs, underscoring a critical role of TRPV4/Cx43 signaling in endothelial electrical behavior. We perturbed the proximity of Cx43/TRPV4 by disrupting lipid rafts in ECs using β-cyclodextrin. Under these conditions, hemichannel activity, Ca2+ influx, and endothelial hyperpolarization were blunted upon GSK stimulation. Intravital microscopy of mesenteric arterioles in vivo further demonstrated that inhibiting Cx43 hemichannels activity, NO production and disrupting endothelial integrity reduce TRPV4-induced relaxation. These findings underscore a new pivotal role of Cx43 hemichannel associated with TRPV4 signaling pathway in modulating endothelial electrical behavior and vasomotor tone regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pía C. Burboa
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience, Rutgers-New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, U.S.A
| | - Pablo S. Gaete
- Department of Physiology and Membrane Biology, School of Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, U.S.A
| | - Ping Shu
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience, Rutgers-New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, U.S.A
| | - Priscila A. Araujo
- Department of Physiology and Membrane Biology, School of Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, U.S.A
| | - Annie V. Beuve
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience, Rutgers-New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, U.S.A
| | - Walter N. Durán
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience, Rutgers-New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, U.S.A
| | - Jorge E. Contreras
- Department of Physiology and Membrane Biology, School of Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, U.S.A
| | - Mauricio A. Lillo
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience, Rutgers-New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, U.S.A
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Beverley KM, Levitan I. Cholesterol regulation of mechanosensitive ion channels. Front Cell Dev Biol 2024; 12:1352259. [PMID: 38333595 PMCID: PMC10850386 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2024.1352259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
The purpose of this review is to evaluate the role of cholesterol in regulating mechanosensitive ion channels. Ion channels discussed in this review are sensitive to two types of mechanical signals, fluid shear stress and/or membrane stretch. Cholesterol regulates the channels primarily in two ways: 1) indirectly through localizing the channels into cholesterol-rich membrane domains where they interact with accessory proteins and/or 2) direct binding of cholesterol to the channel at specified putative binding sites. Cholesterol may also regulate channel function via changes of the biophysical properties of the membrane bilayer. Changes in cholesterol affect both mechanosensitivity and basal channel function. We focus on four mechanosensitive ion channels in this review Piezo, Kir2, TRPV4, and VRAC channels. Piezo channels were shown to be regulated by auxiliary proteins that enhance channel function in high cholesterol domains. The direct binding mechanism was shown in Kir2.1 and TRPV4 where cholesterol inhibits channel function. Finally, cholesterol regulation of VRAC was attributed to changes in the physical properties of lipid bilayer. Additional studies should be performed to determine the physiological implications of these sterol effects in complex cellular environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie M. Beverley
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Sleep, and Allergy, Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Irena Levitan
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Sleep, and Allergy, Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
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Anderson JR, Morin EE, Brayer KJ, Salbato S, Gonzalez Bosc LV, Kanagy NL, Naik JS. Single-cell transcriptomic heterogeneity between conduit and resistance mesenteric arteries in rats. Physiol Genomics 2023; 55:179-193. [PMID: 36912534 PMCID: PMC10085562 DOI: 10.1152/physiolgenomics.00126.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Revised: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The endothelium contains morphologically similar cells throughout the vasculature, but individual cells along the length of a single vascular tree or in different regional circulations function dissimilarly. When observations made in large arteries are extrapolated to explain the function of endothelial cells (ECs) in the resistance vasculature, only a fraction of these observations are consistent between artery sizes. To what extent endothelial (EC) and vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) from different arteriolar segments of the same tissue differ phenotypically at the single-cell level remains unknown. Therefore, single-cell RNA-seq (10x Genomics) was performed using a 10X Genomics Chromium system. Cells were enzymatically digested from large (>300 µm) and small (<150 µm) mesenteric arteries from nine adult male Sprague-Dawley rats, pooled to create six samples (3 rats/sample, 3 samples/group). After normalized integration, the dataset was scaled before unsupervised cell clustering and cluster visualization using UMAP plots. Differential gene expression analysis allowed us to infer the biological identity of different clusters. Our analysis revealed 630 and 641 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between conduit and resistance arteries for ECs and VSMCs, respectively. Gene ontology analysis (GO-Biological Processes, GOBP) of scRNA-seq data discovered 562 and 270 pathways for ECs and VSMCs, respectively, that differed between large and small arteries. We identified eight and seven unique ECs and VSMCs subpopulations, respectively, with DEGs and pathways identified for each cluster. These results and this dataset allow the discovery and support of novel hypotheses needed to identify mechanisms that determine the phenotypic heterogeneity between conduit and resistance arteries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob R Anderson
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States
| | - Emily E Morin
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States
| | - Kathryn J Brayer
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States
| | - Sophia Salbato
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States
| | - Laura V Gonzalez Bosc
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States
| | - Nancy L Kanagy
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States
| | - Jay S Naik
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States
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Burboa PC, Puebla M, Gaete PS, Durán WN, Lillo MA. Connexin and Pannexin Large-Pore Channels in Microcirculation and Neurovascular Coupling Function. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23137303. [PMID: 35806312 PMCID: PMC9266979 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23137303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Revised: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Microcirculation homeostasis depends on several channels permeable to ions and/or small molecules that facilitate the regulation of the vasomotor tone, hyperpermeability, the blood–brain barrier, and the neurovascular coupling function. Connexin (Cxs) and Pannexin (Panxs) large-pore channel proteins are implicated in several aspects of vascular physiology. The permeation of ions (i.e., Ca2+) and key metabolites (ATP, prostaglandins, D-serine, etc.) through Cxs (i.e., gap junction channels or hemichannels) and Panxs proteins plays a vital role in intercellular communication and maintaining vascular homeostasis. Therefore, dysregulation or genetic pathologies associated with these channels promote deleterious tissue consequences. This review provides an overview of current knowledge concerning the physiological role of these large-pore molecule channels in microcirculation (arterioles, capillaries, venules) and in the neurovascular coupling function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pía C. Burboa
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers University, 185 South Orange Avenue, Newark, NJ 07103, USA; (P.C.B.); (W.N.D.)
- Departamento de Morfología y Función, Facultad de Salud y Ciencias Sociales, Sede Santiago Centro, Universidad de las Américas, Avenue República 71, Santiago 8370040, Chile;
| | - Mariela Puebla
- Departamento de Morfología y Función, Facultad de Salud y Ciencias Sociales, Sede Santiago Centro, Universidad de las Américas, Avenue República 71, Santiago 8370040, Chile;
| | - Pablo S. Gaete
- Department of Physiology and Membrane Biology, University of California at Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA;
| | - Walter N. Durán
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers University, 185 South Orange Avenue, Newark, NJ 07103, USA; (P.C.B.); (W.N.D.)
- Rutgers School of Graduate Studies, 185 South Orange Avenue, Newark, NJ 07103, USA
| | - Mauricio A. Lillo
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers University, 185 South Orange Avenue, Newark, NJ 07103, USA; (P.C.B.); (W.N.D.)
- Correspondence:
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