Abstract
Background: Limb ischemia occurs in peripheral artery disease (PAD). Sympathetic nerve activity that regulates blood flow directed to the limbs is augmented during exercise in this disease and transient receptor potential channel A1 (TRPA1) in thin-fiber muscle afferents contributes to the amplified sympathetic responses. The objective of this study was to determine the role played by proteinase-activated receptor-2 (PAR2) in regulating abnormal TRPA1 function. Methods: A rat model of femoral artery ligation was employed to study PAD. Dorsal root ganglion (DRG) tissues of control limbs and limbs with 24 hours of femoral occlusion were obtained to examine the protein levels of PAR2 using western blot analysis. Also, current responses induced by activation of TRPA1 in skeletal muscle DRG neurons of control limbs and ligated limbs were characterized using whole-cell patch clamp methods. All data are presented as mean ± SE. Results: Femoral occlusion significantly increased expression of PAR2 in DRG (optical density: 1.06±0.03 in control vs. 1.45±0.04 after occlusion, P< 0.05; n = 6 in each group). In addition, femoral occlusion amplified the amplitude of DRG current responses evoked by stimulation of TRPA1 with AITC (a TRPA1 agonist, 100 μM). The peak amplitude of TRPA1 currents was 0.28±0.03 nA in control and 0.41±0.04 nA ( P< 0.05 vs. control; n = 12 in each group) after occlusion, respectively. Activation of PAR2 with SL-NH2 (a PAR2 agonist, 100 μM) increased the TRPA1 currents by 78±10% in DRG neurons of control limb and by 125±10% in DRG neurons of ligated limb ( P< 0.05 vs. control; n = 8 in each group). Moreover, the potentiating effects of PAR2 activation were significantly inhibited by application of phospholipase C (PLC) inhibitors or phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2). Conclusions: A functional interaction in PAR2 and TRPA1 in muscle sensory nerves likely contributes to the amplified sympathetic responsiveness observed in PAD and that the PLC/PIP2 is engaged in sensitization mechanism of TRPA1. These findings provide a pathophysiological basis for autonomic responses during exercise activity in this disease, which may further help to aim at a potential therapeutic approach for improvement of blood flow in PAD patients.
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