Abstract
Odontoblasts produce dentin during development, throughout life, and in response to pathological conditions by sensing stimulation of exposed dentin. The functional properties and localization patterns of transient receptor potential (TRP) melastatin subfamily member 8 (TRPM8) and ankyrin subfamily member 1 (TRPA1) channels in odontoblasts remain to be clarified. We investigated the localization and the pharmacological, biophysical, and mechano-sensitive properties of TRPM8 and TRPA1 channels in rat odontoblasts. Menthol and icilin increased the intracellular free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i). Icilin-, WS3-, or WS12-induced [Ca2+]i increases were inhibited by capsazepine or 5-benzyloxytriptamine. The increase in [Ca2+]i elicited by allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) was inhibited by HC030031. WS12 and AITC exerted a desensitizing effect on [Ca2+]i increase. Low-temperature stimuli elicited [Ca2+]i increases that are sensitive to both 5-benzyloxytriptamine and HC030031. Hypotonic stimulation-induced membrane stretch increased [Ca2+]i; HC030031 but not 5-benzyloxytriptamine inhibited the effect. The results suggest that TRPM8 channels in rat odontoblasts play a role in detecting low-temperature stimulation of the dentin surface and that TRPA1 channels are involved in sensing membrane stretching and low-temperature stimulation. The results also indicate that odontoblasts act as mechanical and thermal receptor cells, detecting the stimulation of exposed dentin to drive multiple cellular functions, such as sensory transduction.
Highlights
Odontoblasts are tall columnar cells that are arranged along the junction between the dentin and dental pulp and possess cellular processes that lie inside the dentinal tubules, which are tubular microstructures of dentin
TRP ankyrin subfamily member 1 (TRPA1) Channels, but not TRP melastatin subfamily member 8 (TRPM8) Channels, Contribute to Mechano-sensitivity in Odontoblasts To determine whether TRPM8 and/or TRPA1 channels contributed to mechano-sensitivity, we examined membrane stretch-induced [Ca2+]i increase in rat odontoblasts by applying hypotonic solution (200 mOsm/L) [11]
Localization, and the pharmacological, biophysical, and mechano-sensitive properties of TRPM8 and TRPA1 channels in odontoblasts
Summary
Odontoblasts are tall columnar cells that are arranged along the junction between the dentin and dental pulp (the outer surface of the dental pulp faces the inner surface of the dentin) and possess cellular processes that lie inside the dentinal tubules, which are tubular microstructures of dentin. These cells are responsible for dentin formation and mineralization (dentinogenesis) during physiological and developmental processes [1]. The role played by odontoblasts in this sensory transduction sequence as well as in the receptive mechanisms underlying dentin stimulation-induced dentinogenesis remains unclear [5,6]
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