Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Alabama, Birmingham, Alabama.
J Neurophysiol. 2020 Dec 1;124(6):1824-1831. doi: 10.1152/jn.00502.2020. Epub 2020 Oct 21.
Piezo2 channels are expressed in Merkel cells and somatosensory neurons to mediate mechanotransduction leading to the sense of touch. Components of the cytoskeleton including microtubules are key intracellular structures that maintain cellular membrane mechanics and thereby may be important in mechanotransduction. In the present study, we have explored, with microtubule-targeting agents, the potential role of microtubules in Piezo2-mediated mechanotransduction in Merkel cells of mouse whisker hair follicles. Applying patch-clamp recordings to Merkel cells in situ in whisker hair follicles, we show that Piezo2-mediated mechanically activated (MA) currents in Merkel cells are significantly potentiated by the microtubule stabilizer paclitaxel but reduced by the microtubule destabilizer vincristine. Furthermore, electrophysiological recordings made from whisker hair follicle afferent nerves show that mechanically evoked whisker afferent impulses are significantly enhanced by paclitaxel and its analog docetaxel but significantly suppressed by vincristine and its analog vinblastine. Our findings suggest that microtubules play an essential role in Piezo2 mechanotransduction in Merkel cells. Piezo2 channels are expressed in Merkel cells to mediate mechanotransduction leading to the sense of touch. Here we determined the role of microtubules in regulating Piezo2-mediated mechanotransduction in Merkel cells. Piezo2-mediated currents in Merkel cells are potentiated by microtubule stabilizer paclitaxel but reduced by microtubule destabilizer vincristine. Mechanically evoked afferent impulses are also enhanced by microtubule stabilizers and suppressed by microtubule destabilizers. Microtubules may play an essential role in Piezo2 mechanotransduction in Merkel cells.
Piezo2 通道在 Merkel 细胞和感觉神经元中表达,介导机械转导,从而产生触觉。细胞骨架的组成部分,包括微管,是维持细胞膜力学的关键细胞内结构,因此在机械转导中可能很重要。在本研究中,我们使用微管靶向剂探索了微管在 Piezo2 介导的小鼠触须毛囊 Merkel 细胞机械转导中的潜在作用。通过在触须毛囊原位对 Merkel 细胞进行膜片钳记录,我们表明 Piezo2 介导的 Merkel 细胞机械激活(MA)电流显著被微管稳定剂紫杉醇增强,但被微管解聚剂长春新碱减弱。此外,从触须毛囊传入神经进行的电生理记录表明,紫杉醇及其类似物多西紫杉醇显著增强了机械诱发的触须传入冲动,而长春新碱及其类似物长春碱则显著抑制了机械诱发的触须传入冲动。我们的研究结果表明,微管在 Merkel 细胞中的 Piezo2 机械转导中发挥着重要作用。Piezo2 通道在 Merkel 细胞中表达,介导机械转导,从而产生触觉。在这里,我们确定了微管在调节 Merkel 细胞中 Piezo2 介导的机械转导中的作用。紫杉醇稳定微管可增强 Piezo2 介导的 Merkel 细胞电流,但长春新碱解聚微管则减弱 Piezo2 介导的 Merkel 细胞电流。机械诱发的传入冲动也被微管稳定剂增强,被微管稳定剂抑制。微管可能在 Merkel 细胞中的 Piezo2 机械转导中发挥重要作用。