ATP Is A Key To Feel Warm Temperature

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ATP Is A Key To Feel Warm Temperature

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/166907.php

A Japanese research group led by Prof. Makoto Tominaga and Dr. Sravan Mandadi

(National Institute for Physiological Sciences: NIPS) found that ATP plays a key

role in transmitting temperature information from skin keratinocytes to afferent

sensory neurons. Their findings were presented in the Pflugers Archiv European

Journal of Physiology October 2009.

Hazardous temperatures (extreme hot or cold) are known to be detected by the

temperature-activated ion channels (thermoTRPs) expressed in free sensory nerve

endings. On the other hand, ambient innocuous warm temperatures are sensed by

different thermoTRPs, TRPV3 and TRPV4 expressed in skin keratinocytes.

Interesting question is, therefore, how our nervous system recognizes the warmth

information sensed by the non-excitable epithelial cells.

In a co-culture system, heat-evoked response in DRG neurons was secondary to

that in skin keratinocytes, and the DRG responses were diminished by the ATP

receptor antagonists. ATP release from keratinocytes was confirmed by 'a

bio-sensor system' in which a cell expressing ATP receptors was placed in close

proximity to keratinocytes. Warmth-activated TRPV3, rather than TRPV4, was found

to be predominantly involved in the ATP release upon heating.

Dr. Tominaga said, " Our findings for the first time explains how ambient

temperature information can be sent from skin to sensory nerves. Our results

also support the emerging concept of ATP-mediated information transmission in

the non-synaptic connections. "

Source:

Takaaki Sokabe

National Institute for Physiological Sciences