STING recognition of viral dsDNA by nociceptors mediates pain in mice.

Pain is often one of the initial indicators of a viral infection, yet our understanding of how viruses induce pain is limited. Immune cells typically recognize viral nucleic acids, which activate viral receptors and signaling, leading to immunity. Interestingly, these viral receptors and signals are also present in nociceptors and are associated with pain. Here, we investigate the response of nociceptors to nucleic acids during viral infections, specifically focusing on the role of the viral signal, Stimulator of Interferon Genes (STING). Our research shows that cytosolic double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) from viruses, like herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1), triggers pain responses through STING expression in nociceptors. In addition, STING agonists alone can elicit pain responses. Notably, these responses involve the direct activation of STING in nociceptors through TRPV1. We also provided a proof-of-concept showing that STING and TRPV1 significantly contribute to the mechanical hypersensitivity induced by HSV-1 infection. These findings suggest that STING could be a potential therapeutic target for relieving pain during viral infections.

TRPC4 deletion elicits behavioral defects in sociability by dysregulating expression of microRNA-138-2.

To investigate whether the defects in transient receptor potential canonical 4 (TRPC4), which is strongly expressed in the hippocampus, are implicated in ASD, we examined the social behaviors of mice in which Trpc4 was deleted (Trpc4-/-). Trpc4-/- mice displayed the core symptoms of ASD, namely, social disability and repetitive behaviors. In microarray analysis of the hippocampus, microRNA (miR)-138-2, the precursor of miR-138, was upregulated in Trpc4-/- mice. We also found that binding of Matrin3 (MATR3), a selective miR-138-2 binding nuclear protein, to miR-138-2 was prominently enhanced, resulting in the downregulation of miR-138 in Trpc4-/- mice. Some parameters of the social defects and repetitive behaviors in the Trpc4-/- mice were rescued by increased miR-138 levels following miR-138-2 infusion in the hippocampus. Together, these results suggest that Trpc4 regulates some signaling components that oppose the development of social behavioral deficits through miR-138 and provide a potential therapeutic strategy for ASD.

Early steps in the biogenesis of mitochondrially encoded oxidative phosphorylation subunits.

The complexes mediating oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) in the inner mitochondrial membrane consist of proteins encoded in the nuclear or the mitochondrial DNA. The mitochondrially encoded membrane proteins (mito-MPs) represent the catalytic core of these complexes and follow complicated pathways for biogenesis. Owing to their overall hydrophobicity, mito-MPs are co-translationally inserted into the inner membrane by the Oxa1 insertase. After insertion, OXPHOS biogenesis factors mediate the assembly of mito-MPs into complexes and participate in the regulation of mitochondrial translation, while protein quality control factors recognize and degrade faulty or excess proteins. This review summarizes the current understanding of these early steps occurring during the assembly of mito-MPs by concentrating on results obtained in the model organism baker's yeast.

Early fate decision for mitochondrially encoded proteins by a molecular triage.

Folding of newly synthesized proteins poses challenges for a functional proteome. Dedicated protein quality control (PQC) systems either promote the folding of nascent polypeptides at ribosomes or, if this fails, ensure their degradation. Although well studied for cytosolic protein biogenesis, it is not understood how these processes work for mitochondrially encoded proteins, key subunits of the oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) system. Here, we identify dedicated hubs in proximity to mitoribosomal tunnel exits coordinating mitochondrial protein biogenesis and quality control. Conserved prohibitin (PHB)/m-AAA protease supercomplexes and the availability of assembly chaperones determine the fate of newly synthesized proteins by molecular triaging. The localization of these competing activities in the vicinity of the mitoribosomal tunnel exit allows for a prompt decision on whether newly synthesized proteins are fed into OXPHOS assembly or are degraded.

Modeling Long-term Spike Frequency Adaptation in SA-I Afferent Neurons Using an Izhikevich-based Biological Neuron Model.

To develop a biomimetic artificial tactile sensing system capable of detecting sustained mechanical touch, we propose a novel biological neuron model (BNM) for slowly adapting type I (SA-I) afferent neurons. The proposed BNM is designed by modifying the Izhikevich model to incorporate long-term spike frequency adaptation. Adjusting the parameters renders the Izhikevich model describing various neuronal firing patterns. We also search for optimal parameter values for the proposed BNM to describe firing patterns of biological SA-I afferent neurons in response to sustained pressure longer than 1-second. We obtain the firing data of SA-I afferent neurons for six different mechanical pressure ranging from 0.1 mN to 300 mN from the ex-vivo experiment on SA-I afferent neurons in rodents. Upon finding the optimal parameters, we generate spike trains using the proposed BNM and compare the resulting spike trains to those of biological SA-I afferent neurons using the spike distance metrics. We verify that the proposed BNM can generate spike trains showing long-term adaptation, which is not achievable by other conventional models. Our new model may offer an essential function to artificial tactile sensing technology to perceive sustained mechanical touch.

Prevention of Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy by Inhibiting C-X-C Motif Chemokine Receptor 2.

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a major drawback in the use of chemotherapeutic agents for patients with cancer. Although studies have investigated a broad number of molecules that might be related to CIPN, the differences in the chemokine pathways between various chemotherapeutic agents, such as vincristine and oxaliplatin, which are some of the most widely used treatments, have not been fully elucidated. We confirmed that the administration (intraperitoneal injections for seven days) of vincristine (0.1 mg/kg) and oxaliplatin (3 mg/kg) induced pain by using the von Frey behavioral test. Subsequent applications with vincristine and oxaliplatin led to mechanical allodynia that lasted more than one week from the fifth day. After the induction of mechanical allodynia, the mRNA expression of CXCR2, CXCL1, CXCL3, and CXCL5 was examined in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and spinal cord of the CIPN models. As a result, the mRNA expression of CXCR2 robustly increased in the lumbar spinal cord in the oxaliplatin-treated mice. Next, to evaluate the involvement of CXCR2 in CIPN, reparixin, a CXCR1/2 inhibitor, was administered intrathecally or intraperitoneally with vincristine or oxaliplatin and was further verified by treatment with ruxolitinib, which inhibits Janus kinase 2 downstream of the CXCR1/2 pathway. Reparixin and ruxolitinib blocked oxaliplatin-induced allodynia but not vincristine-induced allodynia, which suggests that CXCR2-related pathways are associated with the development of oxaliplatin-induced neuropathy. Together with the above results, this suggests that the prevention of oxaliplatin-induced neuropathy by CXCR2 inhibition can lead to successful chemotherapy, and it is important to provide appropriate countermeasures against CIPN development for each specific chemotherapeutic agent.

Expression level of Sec62 modulates membrane insertion of marginally hydrophobic segments.

In the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane, transmembrane (TM) domain insertion occurs through the Sec61 channel with its auxiliary components, including Sec62. Sec62 interacts with the Sec61 channel and is located on the front side of the Sec61 lateral gate, an entry site for TM domains to the lipid bilayer. Overexpression of Sec62 led to a growth defect in yeast, and we investigated its effects on protein translocation and membrane insertion by pulse labeling of Sec62 client proteins. Our data show that the insertion efficiency of marginally hydrophobic TM segments is reduced upon Sec62 overexpression. This result suggests a potential regulatory role of Sec62 as a gatekeeper of the lateral gate, thereby modulating the insertion threshold of TM segments.

The Role of Prostaglandin E1 as a Pain Mediator through Facilitation of Hyperpolarization-Activated Cyclic Nucleotide-Gated Channel 2 via the EP2 Receptor in Trigeminal Ganglion Neurons of Mice.

Cyclooxygenase metabolizes dihomo-γ-linolenic acid and arachidonic acid to form prostaglandin (PG) E, including PGE1 and PGE2, respectively. Although PGE2 is well known to play an important role in the development and maintenance of hyperalgesia and allodynia, the role of PGE1 in pain is unknown. We confirm whether PGE1 induced pain using orofacial pain behavioral test in mice and determine the target molecule of PGE1 in TG neurons with whole-cell patch-clamp and immunohistochemistry. Intradermal injection of PGE1 to the whisker pads of mice induced a reduced threshold, enhancing the excitability of HCN channel-expressing trigeminal ganglion (TG) neurons. The HCN channel-generated inward current (Ih) was increased by 135.3 ± 4.8% at 100 nM of PGE1 in small- or medium-sized TG, and the action of PGE1 on Ih showed a concentration-dependent effect, with a median effective dose (ED50) of 29.3 nM. Adenylyl cyclase inhibitor (MDL12330A), 8-bromo-cAMP, and the EP2 receptor antagonist AH6809 inhibited PGE1-induced Ih. Additionally, PGE1-induced mechanical allodynia was blocked by CsCl and AH6809. PGE1 plays a role in mechanical allodynia through HCN2 channel facilitation via the EP2 receptor in nociceptive neurons, suggesting a potential therapeutic target in that PGE1 could be involved in pain as endogenous substances under inflammatory conditions.

Emerging View on the Molecular Functions of Sec62 and Sec63 in Protein Translocation.

Most secreted and membrane proteins are targeted to and translocated across the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane through the Sec61 protein-conducting channel. Evolutionarily conserved Sec62 and Sec63 associate with the Sec61 channel, forming the Sec complex and mediating translocation of a subset of proteins. For the last three decades, it has been thought that ER protein targeting and translocation occur via two distinct pathways: signal recognition particle (SRP)-dependent co-translational or SRP-independent, Sec62/Sec63 dependent post-translational translocation pathway. However, recent studies have suggested that ER protein targeting and translocation through the Sec translocon are more intricate than previously thought. This review summarizes the current understanding of the molecular functions of Sec62/Sec63 in ER protein translocation.

Riboflavin Inhibits Histamine-Dependent Itch by Modulating Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 1 (TRPV1).

Riboflavin, also known as vitamin B2, isfound in foods and is used as a dietary supplement. Its deficiency (also called ariboflavinosis) results in some skin lesions and inflammations, such as stomatitis, cheilosis, oily scaly skin rashes, and itchy, watery eyes. Various therapeutic effects of riboflavin, such as anticancer, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-nociceptive effects, are well known. Although some studies have identified the clinical effect of riboflavin on skin problems, including itch and inflammation, its underlying mechanism of action remains unknown. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanism of the effects of riboflavin on histamine-dependent itch based on behavioral tests and electrophysiological experiments. Riboflavin significantly reduced histamine-induced scratching behaviors in mice and histamine-induced discharges in single-nerve fiber recordings, while it did not alter motor function in the rotarod test. In cultured dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons, riboflavin showed a dose-dependent inhibitory effect on the histamine- and capsaicin-induced inward current. Further tests wereconducted to determine whether two endogenous metabolites of riboflavin, flavin mononucleotide (FMN) and flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD), have similar effects to those of riboflavin. Here, FMN, but not FAD, significantly inhibited capsaicin-induced currents and itching responses caused by histamine. In addition, in transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1)-transfected HEK293 cells, both riboflavin and FMN blocked capsaicin-induced currents, whereas FAD did not. These results revealed that riboflavin inhibits histamine-dependent itch by modulating TRPV1 activity. This study will be helpful in understanding how riboflavin exerts antipruritic effects and suggests that it might be a useful drug for the treatment of histamine-dependent itch.

Cotranslational Targeting and Posttranslational Translocation can Cooperate in Spc3 Topogenesis.

Secretory and membrane proteins follow either the signal recognition particle (SRP)-dependent cotranslational translocation pathway or the SRP-independent Sec62/Sec63-dependent posttranslational pathway for their translocation across the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). However, increasing evidence suggests that most proteins are cotranslationally targeted to the ER, suggesting mixed mechanisms. It remains unclear how these two pathways cooperate. Previous studies have shown that Spc3, a signal-anchored protein, requires SRP and Sec62 for its biogenesis. This study investigated the targeting and topogenesis of Spc3 and the step at which SRP and Sec62 act using in vivo and in vitro translocation assays and co-immunoprecipitation. Our data suggest that Spc3 reaches its final topology in two steps: it enters the ER lumen head-first and then inverts its orientation. The first step is partially dependent on SRP, although independent of the Sec62/Sec63 complex. The second step is mediated by the Sec62/Sec63 complex. These data suggest that SRP and Sec62 act on a distinct step in the topogenesis of Spc3.

Symptom-specific differential motor network modulation by deep brain stimulation in Parkinson's disease.

OBJECTIVE: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) is an established neurosurgical treatment for the motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD). While often highly effective, DBS does not always yield optimal therapeutic outcomes, and stimulation-induced adverse effects, including paresthesia, muscle contractions, and nausea/lightheadedness, commonly occur and can limit the efficacy of stimulation. Currently, objective metrics do not exist for monitoring neural changes associated with stimulation-induced therapeutic and adverse effects. METHODS: In the present study, the authors combined intraoperative functional MRI (fMRI) with STN DBS in 20 patients with PD to test the hypothesis that stimulation-induced blood oxygen level-dependent signals contained predictive information concerning the therapeutic and adverse effects of stimulation. RESULTS: As expected, DBS resulted in blood oxygen level-dependent activation in myriad motor regions, including the primary motor cortex, caudate, putamen, thalamus, midbrain, and cerebellum. Across the patients, DBS-induced improvements in contralateral Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale tremor subscores correlated with activation of thalamic, brainstem, and cerebellar regions. In addition, improvements in rigidity and bradykinesia subscores correlated with activation of the primary motor cortex. Finally, activation of specific sensorimotor-related subregions correlated with the presence of DBS-induced adverse effects, including paresthesia and nausea (cerebellar cortex, sensorimotor cortex) and unwanted muscle contractions (caudate and putamen). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that DBS-induced activation patterns revealed by fMRI contain predictive information with respect to the therapeutic and adverse effects of DBS. The use of fMRI in combination with DBS therefore may hold translational potential to guide and improve clinical stimulator optimization in patients.

GPR171 Activation Modulates Nociceptor Functions, Alleviating Pathologic Pain.

Modulation of the function of somatosensory neurons is an important analgesic strategy, requiring the proposal of novel molecular targets. Many G-protein-coupled receptors (GPRs) have been deorphanized, but the receptor locations, outcomes due to their activations, and their signal transductions remain to be elucidated, regarding the somatosensory nociceptor function. Here we report that GPR171, expressed in a nociceptor subpopulation, attenuated pain signals via Gi/o-coupled modulation of the activities of nociceptive ion channels when activated by its newly found ligands. Administration of its natural peptide ligand and a synthetic chemical ligand alleviated nociceptor-mediated acute pain aggravations and also relieved pathologic pain at nanomolar and micromolar ranges. This study suggests that functional alteration of the nociceptor neurons by GPR171 signaling results in pain alleviation and indicates that GPR171 is a promising molecular target for peripheral pain modulation.

Sensory Neuron-Expressed TRPC4 Is a Target for the Relief of Psoriasiform Itch and Skin Inflammation in Mice.

Psoriasis is an inflammatory skin disease associated with itch, which is a troublesome symptom with a few therapeutic options. TRPC4 is highly expressed in dorsal root ganglia (DRGs). Recently, we have revealed itch signaling in DRG neurons by which TRPC4 mediates itch to serotonergic antidepressants and demonstrated the antipruritic effect of the TRPC4 inhibitor ML204. However, the role of TRPC4 in acute and chronic itch is still largely unknown. Here, we have characterized the expression of TRPC4 in peptidergic DRG neurons and showed that acute itch induced by serotonin and histamine was attenuated in Trpc4-knockout mice and ML204-treated mice. We have also shown that silencing TRPC4 in DRG and its inhibition by intradermal injections were also effective in decreasing psoriatic itch after the repeated application of imiquimod, which is a preclinical model of psoriasis. Of clinical relevance, intradermal injections of ML204 in psoriasiform skin significantly reversed imiquimod-established chronic itch and cutaneous inflammation. Given that TRPC4 is expressed in human DRGs and a specific inhibitor is in clinical trials, our data not only expand our understanding of itch and psoriasis, but also reveal TRPC4 as a potential therapeutic target with considerable translational benefits.

Proper insertion and topogenesis of membrane proteins in the ER depend on Sec63.

BACKGROUND: In eukaryotic cells, biogenesis of proteins destined to the secretory pathway begins from the cytosol. Nascent chains are either co-translationally or post-translationally targeted to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and translocated across the membrane through the Sec61 complex. For the post-translational translocation, the Sec62/Sec63 complex is additionally required. Sec63, however, is also shown to mediate co-translational translocation of a subset of proteins, the types and characteristics of proteins that Sec63 mediates in translocation still await to be defined. METHODS: To overview the types of proteins that require Sec63 for the ER translocation, we prepared Sec63 mutant lacking the first 39 residues (Sec63_ΔN39) in yeast and assessed initial translocation efficiencies of diverse types of precursors in the sec63_ΔN39 strain by a 5 min metabolic labeling. By employing Blue-Native gel electrophoresis (BN-PAGE), stability of the SEC complex (Sec61 plus Sec62/Sec63 complexes) isolated from cells carrying the Sec63_ΔN39 mutant was examined. RESULTS: Among the various translocation precursors tested, we found that proper sorting of single- and double-pass membrane proteins was severely impaired in addition to post-translational translocation precursor in the sec63_ΔN39 mutant strain. Stability of the SEC complex was compromised upon deletion of the N-terminal 39 residues. CONCLUSIONS: The N-terminus of Sec63 is important for stability of the SEC complex and Sec63 is required for proper sorting of membrane proteins in vivo. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE: Sec63 is essential on insertion of membrane proteins.

Transient receptor potential melastatin 2 governs stress-induced depressive-like behaviors.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a devastating disease that arises in a background of environmental risk factors, such as chronic stress, that produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the brain. The chronic stress-induced ROS production involves Ca2+ signals; however, the mechanism is poorly understood. Transient receptor potential melastatin type 2 (TRPM2) is a Ca2+-permeable cation channel that is highly expressed in the brain. Here we show that in animal models of chronic unpredictable stress (CUS), deletion of TRPM2 (Trpm2-/- ) produces antidepressant-like behaviors in mice. This phenotype correlates with reduced ROS, ROS-induced calpain activation, and enhanced phosphorylation of two Cdk5 targets including synapsin 1 and histone deacetylase 5 that are linked to synaptic function and gene expression, respectively. Moreover, TRPM2 mRNA expression is increased in hippocampal tissue samples from patients with MDD. Our findings suggest that TRPM2 is a key agent in stress-induced depression and a possible target for treating depression.

Autoantibody-Mediated Dysfunction of Salivary Glands Leads to Xerostomia in SKG Mice.

Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is a chronic heterogeneous disease that mainly affects exocrine glands, leading to sicca syndromes such as xerostomia. Despite the second highest prevalence rate among systemic autoimmune diseases, its pathophysiology remains largely unknown. Here we report that SKG mice, a cardinal model of Th17 cell-mediated arthritis, also develop a secondary form of SS-like disorder upon systemic exposure to purified curdlan, a type of ß-glucan. The reduced production of saliva was not caused by focal immune cell infiltrates but was associated with IgG deposits in salivary glands. Sera from curdlan-injected SKG mice contained elevated titers of IgG (predominantly IgG1), autoantibody to the muscarinic type 3 receptor (M3R) and inhibited carbachol-induced Ca2+ signaling in salivary acinar cells. These results suggest that the Th17 cells that are elicited in SKG mice promote the production of salivary gland-specific autoantibodies including anti-M3R IgG; the antibodies are then deposited on acinar cells and inhibit M3R-mediated signaling required for salivation, finally leading to hypofunction of the salivary glands. This type II hypersensitivity reaction may explain the origin of secondary SS occurring without focal leukocyte infiltrates.

Profiling of signal sequence characteristics and requirement of different translocation components.

The N-terminal signal sequence (SS) on proteins targeted to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is surprisingly diverse in hydrophobicity, in the number of preceding N-terminal residues (N-length), and in charged residues flanking the sequence. However, it remains unclear how these sequences despite their heterogeneity bind to the same site and open the Sec61 translocon. We assessed varying features of SSs and their efficiencies in initiating translocation across the ER by using 5-min radiolabeling in yeast. We found that while hydrophobic SSs with a short N-length efficiently initiated translocation in Sec62 mutant, Sec63 mutant and Sec72 deletion strains, most SSs showed varying degrees of translocation defect in these strains. In particular, Sec71 was required for internal hydrophobic SSs to efficiently initiate translocation. These results suggest that different combinations of Sec62, Sec63, Sec71 and Sec72 dynamically associate with the Sec61 translocon for the optimal binding of incoming SSs of broad characteristics and the initiation of protein translocation in vivo.

Fast Cyclic Square-Wave Voltammetry To Enhance Neurotransmitter Selectivity and Sensitivity.

Although fast-scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV) has been widely used for in vivo neurochemical detection, the sensitivity and selectivity of the technique can be further improved. In this study, we develop fast cyclic square-wave voltammetry (FCSWV) as a novel voltammetric technique that combines large-amplitude cyclic square-wave voltammetry (CSWV) with background subtraction. A large-amplitude, square-shaped potential was applied to induce cycling through multiple redox reactions within a square pulse to increase sensitivity and selectivity when combined with a two-dimensional voltammogram. As a result, FCSWV was significantly more sensitive than FSCV ( n = 5 electrodes, two-way ANOVA, p = 0.0002). In addition, FCSWV could differentiate dopamine from other catecholamines (e.g., epinephrine and norepinephrine) and serotonin better than conventional FSCV. With the confirmation that FCSWV did not influence local neuronal activity, despite the large amplitude of the square waveform, it could monitor electrically induced phasic changes in dopamine release in rat striatum before and after injecting nomifensine, a dopamine reuptake inhibitor.

Association of TRPV1 and TLR4 through the TIR domain potentiates TRPV1 activity by blocking activation-induced desensitization.

BACKGROUND: We have previously reported that histamine-induced pruritus was attenuated in toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) knockout mice due to decreased transient receptor potential V1 (TRPV1) sensitivity. Our results implied that TLR4 potentiated TRPV1 activation in sensory neurons; however, the molecular mechanism has yet to be elucidated. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanisms of TLR4-mediated TRPV1 potentiation using TLR4-deficient sensory neurons and a heterologous expression system. METHODS: Primary sensory neurons were obtained from wild-type or TLR4 knockout mice, and HEK293T cells expressing TRPV1 and TLR4 were prepared by transient transfection. TRPV1 activity was analyzed by calcium imaging, fluorophotometry, and patch-clamp recording. Subcellular protein distribution was tested by immunocytochemistry and cell surface biotinylation assay. Protein interaction was assessed by western blot and immunoprecipitation assay. RESULTS: Direct association between TRPV1 and TLR4 was detected in HEK293T cells upon heterologous TRPV1 and TLR4 expression. In an immunoprecipitation assay using TLR4-deletion mutants and soluble toll/interleukin-1 receptor (TIR) protein, the cytoplasmic TIR domain of TLR4 was required for TLR4-TRPV1 association and TRPV1 potentiation. In TLR4-deficient sensory neurons, the activation-induced desensitization of TRPV1 increased, accompanied by enhanced TRPV1 clearance from the cell membrane upon activation compared to wild-type neurons. In addition, heterologous TLR4 expression inhibited activation-induced TRPV1 endocytosis and lysosomal degradation in HEK293T cells. CONCLUSION: Our data show that direct association between TRPV1 and TLR4 through the TIR domain enhances TRPV1 activity by blocking activation-induced TRPV1 desensitization.