1
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Lewis CM, Griffith TN. Ion channels of cold transduction and transmission. J Gen Physiol 2024; 156:e202313529. [PMID: 39051992 DOI: 10.1085/jgp.202313529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 06/04/2024] [Accepted: 07/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Thermosensation requires the activation of a unique collection of ion channels and receptors that work in concert to transmit thermal information. It is widely accepted that transient receptor potential melastatin 8 (TRPM8) activation is required for normal cold sensing; however, recent studies have illuminated major roles for other ion channels in this important somatic sensation. In addition to TRPM8, other TRP channels have been reported to contribute to cold transduction mechanisms in diverse sensory neuron populations, with both leak- and voltage-gated channels being identified for their role in the transmission of cold signals. Whether the same channels that contribute to physiological cold sensing also mediate noxious cold signaling remains unclear; however, recent work has found a conserved role for the kainite receptor, GluK2, in noxious cold sensing across species. Additionally, cold-sensing neurons likely engage in functional crosstalk with nociceptors to give rise to cold pain. This Review will provide an update on our understanding of the relationship between various ion channels in the transduction and transmission of cold and highlight areas where further investigation is required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheyanne M Lewis
- Department of Physiology and Membrane Biology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Theanne N Griffith
- Department of Physiology and Membrane Biology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
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2
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Mirabella PN, Fenselau H. Advanced neurobiological tools to interrogate metabolism. Nat Rev Endocrinol 2023; 19:639-654. [PMID: 37674015 DOI: 10.1038/s41574-023-00885-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023]
Abstract
Engineered neurobiological tools for the manipulation of cellular activity, such as chemogenetics and optogenetics, have become a cornerstone of modern neuroscience research. These tools are invaluable for the interrogation of the central control of metabolism as they provide a direct means to establish a causal relationship between brain activity and biological processes at the cellular, tissue and organismal levels. The utility of these methods has grown substantially due to advances in cellular-targeting strategies, alongside improvements in the resolution and potency of such tools. Furthermore, the potential to recapitulate endogenous cellular signalling has been enriched by insights into the molecular signatures and activity dynamics of discrete brain cell types. However, each modulatory tool has a specific set of advantages and limitations; therefore, tool selection and suitability are of paramount importance to optimally interrogate the cellular and circuit-based underpinnings of metabolic outcomes within the organism. Here, we describe the key principles and uses of engineered neurobiological tools. We also highlight inspiring applications and outline critical considerations to be made when using these tools within the field of metabolism research. We contend that the appropriate application of these biotechnological advances will enable the delineation of the central circuitry regulating systemic metabolism with unprecedented potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Nicholas Mirabella
- Synaptic Transmission in Energy Homeostasis Group, Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research, Cologne, Germany
- Center for Endocrinology, Diabetes and Preventive Medicine (CEDP), University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Henning Fenselau
- Synaptic Transmission in Energy Homeostasis Group, Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research, Cologne, Germany.
- Center for Endocrinology, Diabetes and Preventive Medicine (CEDP), University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
- Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
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3
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Adamantidis AR, de Lecea L. Sleep and the hypothalamus. Science 2023; 382:405-412. [PMID: 37883555 DOI: 10.1126/science.adh8285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
Neural substrates of wakefulness, rapid eye movement sleep (REMS), and non-REMS (NREMS) in the mammalian hypothalamus overlap both anatomically and functionally with cellular networks that support physiological and behavioral homeostasis. Here, we review the roles of sleep neurons of the hypothalamus in the homeostatic control of thermoregulation or goal-oriented behaviors during wakefulness. We address how hypothalamic circuits involved in opposing behaviors such as core body temperature and sleep compute conflicting information and provide a coherent vigilance state. Finally, we highlight some of the key unresolved questions and challenges, and the promise of a more granular view of the cellular and molecular diversity underlying the integrative role of the hypothalamus in physiological and behavioral homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoine R Adamantidis
- Zentrum für Experimentelle Neurologie, Department of Neurology, Inselspital University Hospital Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Biomedical Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Luis de Lecea
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences, Stanford, CA, USA
- Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
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4
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Feketa VV, Bagriantsev SN, Gracheva EO. Ground squirrels - experts in thermoregulatory adaptation. Trends Neurosci 2023; 46:505-507. [PMID: 37188617 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2023.04.008] [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: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Ground squirrels exemplify one of the most extreme forms of mammalian hibernation and a convenient model for studying its mechanisms. Their thermoregulatory system demonstrates remarkable adaptive capabilities by maintaining optimal levels of body temperature both in active and hibernation states. Here, we review recent findings and unresolved issues regarding the neural mechanisms of body temperature control in ground squirrels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viktor V Feketa
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Program in Cellular Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration and Repair, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Sviatoslav N Bagriantsev
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA.
| | - Elena O Gracheva
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Program in Cellular Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration and Repair, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Kavli Institute for Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
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5
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Pra RD, Bagriantsev SN, Gracheva EO. Ground squirrels. Curr Biol 2022; 32:R605-R607. [PMID: 35728537 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.02.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Pra et al. provide an overview of ground squirrels and the physiological adaptations these animals have evolved to contend with harsh climates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael Dai Pra
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Program in Cellular Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration and Repair, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Sviatoslav N Bagriantsev
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA.
| | - Elena O Gracheva
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Program in Cellular Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration and Repair, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA.
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6
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Zhao YZ, Wei J, Song KX, Zhou C, Chai Z. Glutamate-aspartate transporter 1 attenuates oxygen-glucose deprivation-induced injury by promoting glutamate metabolism in primary cortical neurons. J Cell Physiol 2022; 237:3044-3056. [PMID: 35551669 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.30768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Revised: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Ischemic stroke is a common cerebral disease. However, the treatment for the disease is limited. Daurian ground squirrel (GS; Spermophilus dauricus), a hibernating mammalian species, is highly tolerant to ischemia. In the present study, GS neurons in a non-hibernating state were found to be more resistant to oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD), an ischemic model in vitro. We leveraged the differences in the endurance capacity of GS and rats to investigate the mechanisms of resistance to ischemia in GS neurons. We first identified glutamate-aspartate transporter 1 (GLAST) as a cytoprotective factor that contributed to tolerance against OGD injury of GS neurons. The expression of GLAST in GS neurons was much higher than that in rat neurons. Overexpression of GLAST rescued viability in rat neurons, and GS neurons exhibited decreased viability following GLAST knockdown under OGD conditions. Mechanistically, more glutamate was transported into neurons after GLAST overexpression and served as substrates for ATP production. Furthermore, eukaryotic transcription initiation factor 4E binding protein 1 was downregulated by GLAST to rescue neuronal viability. Our findings not only revealed an important molecular mechanism underlying the survival of hibernating mammals but also suggested that neuronal GLAST may be a potential target for ischemic stroke therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun-Zhi Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Jun Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Ke-Xin Song
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Chen Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhen Chai
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
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7
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Tran LT, Park S, Kim SK, Lee JS, Kim KW, Kwon O. Hypothalamic control of energy expenditure and thermogenesis. Exp Mol Med 2022; 54:358-369. [PMID: 35301430 PMCID: PMC9076616 DOI: 10.1038/s12276-022-00741-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Revised: 12/05/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Energy expenditure and energy intake need to be balanced to maintain proper energy homeostasis. Energy homeostasis is tightly regulated by the central nervous system, and the hypothalamus is the primary center for the regulation of energy balance. The hypothalamus exerts its effect through both humoral and neuronal mechanisms, and each hypothalamic area has a distinct role in the regulation of energy expenditure. Recent studies have advanced the understanding of the molecular regulation of energy expenditure and thermogenesis in the hypothalamus with targeted manipulation techniques of the mouse genome and neuronal function. In this review, we elucidate recent progress in understanding the mechanism of how the hypothalamus affects basal metabolism, modulates physical activity, and adapts to environmental temperature and food intake changes. The hypothalamus is a key regulator of metabolism, controlling resting metabolism, activity levels, and responses to external temperature and food intake. The balance between energy intake and expenditure must be tightly controlled, with imbalances resulting in metabolic disorders such as obesity or diabetes. Obin Kwon at Seoul National University College of Medicine and Ki Woo Kim at Yonsei University College of Dentistry, Seoul, both in South Korea, and coworkers reviewed how metabolism is regulated by the hypothalamus, a small hormone-producing brain region. They report that hormonal and neuronal signals from the hypothalamus influence the ratio of lean to fatty tissue, gender-based differences in metabolism, activity levels, and weight gain in response to food intake. They note that further studies to untangle cause-and-effect relationships and other genetic factors will improve our understanding of metabolic regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Le Trung Tran
- Departments of Oral Biology and Applied Biological Science, BK21 Four, Yonsei University College of Dentistry, Seoul, 03722, Korea
| | - Sohee Park
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03080, Korea.,Departments of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03080, Korea
| | - Seul Ki Kim
- Departments of Oral Biology and Applied Biological Science, BK21 Four, Yonsei University College of Dentistry, Seoul, 03722, Korea
| | - Jin Sun Lee
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03080, Korea.,Departments of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03080, Korea
| | - Ki Woo Kim
- Departments of Oral Biology and Applied Biological Science, BK21 Four, Yonsei University College of Dentistry, Seoul, 03722, Korea.
| | - Obin Kwon
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03080, Korea. .,Departments of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03080, Korea.
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8
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Oteiza P, Baldwin MW. Evolution of sensory systems. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2021; 71:52-59. [PMID: 34600187 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2021.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Sensory systems evolve and enable organisms to perceive their sensory Umwelt, the unique set of cues relevant for their survival. The multiple components that comprise sensory systems - the receptors, cells, organs, and dedicated high-order circuits - can vary greatly across species. Sensory receptor gene families can expand and contract across lineages, resulting in enormous sensory diversity. Comparative studies of sensory receptor function have uncovered the molecular basis of receptor properties and identified novel sensory receptor classes and noncanonical sensory strategies. Phylogenetically informed comparisons of sensory systems across multiple species can pinpoint when sensory changes evolve and highlight the role of contingency in sensory system evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Oteiza
- Flow Sensing Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany.
| | - Maude W Baldwin
- Evolution of Sensory Systems Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany.
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9
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Yang L, Li RC, Xiang B, Li YC, Wang LP, Guo YB, Liang JH, Wang XT, Hou T, Xing X, Zhou ZQ, Ye H, Feng RQ, Lakatta EG, Chai Z, Wang SQ. Transcriptional regulation of intermolecular Ca 2+ signaling in hibernating ground squirrel cardiomyocytes: The myocardin-junctophilin axis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2025333118. [PMID: 33785600 PMCID: PMC8040632 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2025333118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The contraction of heart cells is controlled by the intermolecular signaling between L-type Ca2+ channels (LCCs) and ryanodine receptors (RyRs), and the nanodistance between them depends on the interaction between junctophilin-2 (JPH2) in the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) and caveolin-3 (CAV3) in the transversal tubule (TT). In heart failure, decreased expression of JPH2 compromises LCC-RyR communication leading to deficient blood-pumping power. In the present study, we found that JPH2 and CAV3 transcription was concurrently regulated by serum response factor (SRF) and myocardin. In cardiomyocytes from torpid ground squirrels, compared with those from euthermic counterparts, myocardin expression was up-regulated, which boosted both JPH2 and CAV3 expression. Transmission electron microscopic imaging showed that the physical coupling between TTs and SRs was tightened during hibernation and after myocardin overexpression. Confocal Ca2+ imaging under the whole-cell patch clamp condition revealed that these changes enhanced the efficiency of LCC-RyR intermolecular signaling and fully compensated the adaptive down-regulation of LCCs, maintaining the power of heart contraction while avoiding the risk of calcium overload during hibernation. Our finding not only revealed an essential molecular mechanism underlying the survival of hibernating mammals, but also demonstrated a "reverse model of heart failure" at the molecular level, suggesting a strategy for treating heart diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Rong-Chang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Bin Xiang
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Yi-Chen Li
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Li-Peng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Yun-Bo Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Jing-Hui Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Xiao-Ting Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Tingting Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Xin Xing
- College of Life Science, Shenyang Normal University, Shenyang 110034, China
| | - Zeng-Quan Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Haihong Ye
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Neural Regeneration and Repair, Department of Medical Genetics and Developmental Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China
| | - Ren-Qing Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Edward G Lakatta
- Laboratory of Cardiovascular Science, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, MD 21224
| | - Zhen Chai
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Shi-Qiang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China;
- Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing 102206, China
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10
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Mohr SM, Bagriantsev SN, Gracheva EO. Cellular, Molecular, and Physiological Adaptations of Hibernation: The Solution to Environmental Challenges. Annu Rev Cell Dev Biol 2020; 36:315-338. [PMID: 32897760 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-cellbio-012820-095945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Thriving in times of resource scarcity requires an incredible flexibility of behavioral, physiological, cellular, and molecular functions that must change within a relatively short time. Hibernation is a collection of physiological strategies that allows animals to inhabit inhospitable environments, where they experience extreme thermal challenges and scarcity of food and water. Many different kinds of animals employ hibernation, and there is a spectrum of hibernation phenotypes. Here, we focus on obligatory mammalian hibernators to identify the unique challenges they face and the adaptations that allow hibernators to overcome them. This includes the cellular and molecular strategies used to combat low environmental and body temperatures and lack of food and water. We discuss metabolic, neuronal, and hormonal cues that regulate hibernation and how they are thought to be coordinated by internal clocks. Last, we touch on questions that are left to be addressed in the field of hibernation research. Studies from the last century and more recent work reveal that hibernation is not simply a passive reduction in body temperature and vital parameters but rather an active process seasonally regulated at the molecular, cellular, and organismal levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah M Mohr
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510, USA; .,Department of Neuroscience and Program in Cellular Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration and Repair, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510, USA;
| | - Sviatoslav N Bagriantsev
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510, USA;
| | - Elena O Gracheva
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510, USA; .,Department of Neuroscience and Program in Cellular Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration and Repair, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510, USA;
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11
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Buijs TJ, McNaughton PA. The Role of Cold-Sensitive Ion Channels in Peripheral Thermosensation. Front Cell Neurosci 2020; 14:262. [PMID: 32973456 PMCID: PMC7468449 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2020.00262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The detection of ambient cold is critical for mammals, who use this information to avoid tissue damage by cold and to maintain stable body temperature. The transduction of information about the environmental cold is mediated by cold-sensitive ion channels expressed in peripheral sensory nerve endings in the skin. Most transduction mechanisms for detecting temperature changes identified to date depend on transient receptor potential (TRP) ion channels. Mild cooling is detected by the menthol-sensitive TRPM8 ion channel, but how painful cold is detected remains unclear. The TRPA1 ion channel, which is activated by cold in expression systems, seemed to provide an answer to this question, but whether TRPA1 is activated by cold in neurons and contributes to the sensation of cold pain continues to be a matter of debate. Recent advances have been made in this area of investigation with the identification of several potential cold-sensitive ion channels in thermosensory neurons, including two-pore domain potassium channels (K2P), GluK2 glutamate receptors, and CNGA3 cyclic nucleotide-gated ion channels. This mini-review gives a brief overview of the way by which ion channels contribute to cold sensation, discusses the controversy around the cold-sensitivity of TRPA1, and provides an assessment of some recently-proposed novel cold-transduction mechanisms. Evidence for another unidentified cold-transduction mechanism is also presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamara Joëlle Buijs
- Wolfson Centre for Age-Related Diseases, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
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12
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Hrvatin S, Sun S, Wilcox OF, Yao H, Lavin-Peter AJ, Cicconet M, Assad EG, Palmer ME, Aronson S, Banks AS, Griffith EC, Greenberg ME. Neurons that regulate mouse torpor. Nature 2020; 583:115-121. [PMID: 32528180 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-020-2387-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 121] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2020] [Accepted: 05/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The advent of endothermy, which is achieved through the continuous homeostatic regulation of body temperature and metabolism1,2, is a defining feature of mammalian and avian evolution. However, when challenged by food deprivation or harsh environmental conditions, many mammalian species initiate adaptive energy-conserving survival strategies-including torpor and hibernation-during which their body temperature decreases far below its homeostatic set-point3-5. How homeothermic mammals initiate and regulate these hypothermic states remains largely unknown. Here we show that entry into mouse torpor, a fasting-induced state with a greatly decreased metabolic rate and a body temperature as low as 20 °C6, is regulated by neurons in the medial and lateral preoptic area of the hypothalamus. We show that restimulation of neurons that were activated during a previous bout of torpor is sufficient to initiate the key features of torpor, even in mice that are not calorically restricted. Among these neurons we identify a population of glutamatergic Adcyap1-positive cells, the activity of which accurately determines when mice naturally initiate and exit torpor, and the inhibition of which disrupts the natural process of torpor entry, maintenance and arousal. Taken together, our results reveal a specific neuronal population in the mouse hypothalamus that serves as a core regulator of torpor. This work forms a basis for the future exploration of mechanisms and circuitry that regulate extreme hypothermic and hypometabolic states, and enables genetic access to monitor, initiate, manipulate and study these ancient adaptations of homeotherm biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sinisa Hrvatin
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Senmiao Sun
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Oren F Wilcox
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Hanqi Yao
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Marcelo Cicconet
- Image and Data Analysis Core, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Elena G Assad
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | | | - Alexander S Banks
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Eric C Griffith
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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