Transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 channels are involved in spontaneous peptide hormone release from astrocytes

• Published in: Biochemical and biophysical research communications Vol. 501; no. 4; pp. 988 - 995
• Main Authors: Takizawa, Mai, Harada, Kazuki, Nakamura, Kazuaki, Tsuboi, Takashi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 02.07.2018
• Subjects: 60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES; Astrocytes; BRAIN; Brain-derived neurotrophic factor; CALCIUM; Live cell imaging; Neuropeptide Y; PEPTIDE HORMONES; RATS; Total internal reflection microscopy; Transient receptor potential ankyrin 1; Neuropeptide Y; TRPA1; Astrocytes; BDNF; PLC; TIRFM; Live cell imaging; IP3; Total internal reflection microscopy; Brain-derived neurotrophic factor; NPY; SNAREs; Transient receptor potential ankyrin 1; GPCR
• ISSN: 0006-291X; 1090-2104
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2018.05.097

Astrocytes, a large population of glial cells, detect neurotransmitters and respond by increasing intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) and releasing chemical molecules called gliotransmitters. Recently discovered Ca2+ influx through transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) channels is reported to cause spontaneous [Ca2+]i increase in astrocytes. While several physiological functions of TRPA1-mediated spontaneous Ca2+ signal have been revealed, relation with gliotransmitter release, especially peptide hormone exocytosis is largely unknown. We therefore explored the [Ca2+]i and exocytosis dynamics in rat astrocyte cell line C6 cells and primary astrocytes. TRPA1-mediated spontaneous [Ca2+]i transients were observed in both C6 cells and primary astrocytes. Total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy revealed that Venus-tagged brain-derived neurotrophic factor and neuropeptide Y were released spontaneously from astrocytes. Activation of TRPA1 channels enhanced the frequency of peptide hormone exocytosis, and inhibition of TRPA1 channels decreased the number of peptide hormone exocytosis. These results suggest that TRPA1-mediated spontaneous [Ca2+]i increase modulates the spontaneous release of peptide hormones from astrocytes. •TRPA1 regulates spontaneous calcium signals in astrocytes.•Astrocytes spontaneously release gliotransmitters.•Spontaneous gliotransmitter release is modulated by TRPA1 channels.