Arullampalam, P. | Search bioRxiv

bioRxiv2021

Species-specific effects of cation channel TRPM4 small-molecule inhibitors

BackgroundThe Transient Receptor Potential Melastatin member 4 (TRPM4) gene encodes a calcium-activated non-selective cation channel expressed in several tissues. Mutations in TRPM4 have been reported in patients with different types of cardiac conduction defects. It is also linked to immune response and cancers, but the associated molecular mechanisms are still unclear. Thus far, 9-phenanthrol is the most common pharmacological compound used to investigate TRPM4 function. We recently identified two promising aryloxyacyl-anthranilic acid compounds (abbreviated CBA and NBA) inhibiting TRPM4. However, all afore-mentioned compounds were screened using assays expressing human TRPM4, whereas the efficacy on mouse TRPM4 has not been assessed. Mouse models are essential to investigate ion channel physiology and chemical compound efficacy. AimIn this study, we performed comparative electro-physiology experiments to assess the effect of these TRPM4 inhibitors on human and mouse TRPM4 channels heterologously expressed in TsA-201 cells. Methods and ResultsWe identified striking species-dependent differences in TRPM4 responses. NBA inhibited both human and mouse TRPM4 currents when applied intracellularly and extracellularly using excised membrane patches. CBA inhibited human TRPM4, both intracellularly and extracellularly. Unexpectedly, the application of CBA had no inhibiting effect on mouse TRPM4 current when perfused on the extracellular side. Instead, it increased mouse TRPM4 current at negative holding potentials. In addition, CBA on the intracellular side altered the outward rectification component of the mouse TRPM4 current. Application of 9-phenanthrol, both intracellularly and extracellularly, inhibited human TRPM4. For mouse TRPM4, 9-phenanthrol perfusion led to opposite effects depending on the site of application. With intracellular 9-phenanthrol, we observed a tendency towards potentiation of mouse TRPM4 outward current at positive holding potentials. ConclusionAltogether, these results suggest that pharmacological compounds screened using "humanised assays" should be extensively characterised before application in in vivo mouse models.

pharmacology and toxicology↗

bioRxiv2020

Deletion of Trpm4 alters the function and expression of NaV1.5 channel in murine cardiac myocytes

Transient receptor potential melastatin member 4 (TRPM4) encodes a Ca+ -activated non-selective cation channel that is functionally expressed in several tissues including the heart. Pathogenic mutants in TRPM4 have been reported in patients with inherited cardiac diseases including conduction block and Brugada syndrome. Heterologous expression of mutant channels in cell lines indicates that these mutations can lead to an increase or decrease in TRPM4 expression and function at the cell surface. While the expression and clinical variant studies further stress the importance of TRPM4 in cardiac function, the cardiac electrophysiological phenotypes in Trpm4 knockdown mouse models remain incompletely characterized. To study the functional consequences of Trpm4 deletion on cardiac electrical activity in mice, we performed perforated-patch clamp and immunohistochemistry studies on isolated atrial and ventricular cardiac myocytes and surface, pseudo and intracardiac ECGs either in vivo or on Langendorff-perfused explanted mouse hearts. We observed that Trpm4 is expressed in atrial and ventricular cardiac myocytes and that deletion of Trpm4 unexpectedly reduces the peak Na+ currents in the myocytes. Hearts from Trpm4-/- mice presented increased sensitivity towards mexiletine, a Na+ channel blocker, and slower intraventricular conduction, consistent with the reduction of peak Na+ current observed in the isolated cardiac myocytes. This reduction in Na+ current is explained by the observed decrease in protein expression of NaV1.5 in Trpm4-/- mice. This study suggests that Trpm4 expression impacts Na+ current in murine cardiac myocytes and points towards a novel function of Trpm4 regulating the NaV1.5 expression in murine cardiac myocytes.

physiology↗