ePoster

Statin effects on recombinant and natively expressed thermo-sensitive transient receptor potential ion channels

Dan Tudor Domocos, George Oprita, Ramona Babes, Alexandru Babes
FENS Forum 2024(2024)
Messe Wien Exhibition & Congress Center, Vienna, Austria

Conference

FENS Forum 2024

Messe Wien Exhibition & Congress Center, Vienna, Austria

Resources

Authors & Affiliations

Dan Tudor Domocos, George Oprita, Ramona Babes, Alexandru Babes

Abstract

Statins represent a class of drugs commonly prescribed for lowering cholesterol levels, thereby reducing the risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. While accumulating evidence indicates an increased risk of peripheral neuropathy with prolonged statin use in humans, in vivo animal studies revealed an anti-nociceptive effect of these drugs without fully elucidating the underlying mechanisms. Transient receptor potential (TRP) ion channels represent a major class of receptors that are expressed in the peripheral nervous system and are involved in pain signaling. Among these channels, TRPA1, TRPV1, TRPM8 and TRPM3 are thermo-sensitive and have been shown to be involved in inflammatory and neuropathic pain states. In the present study, we explored the acute effect of atorvastatin (AT) on dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons from mice and on HEK293t cells transiently expressing human thermo-TRPs. Ratiometric Fura-2 calcium imaging data showed a significant inhibitory effect of AT on calcium transients induced by selective TRPA1 agonists in both mouse DRG neurons and HEK293t/hTRPA1 cells. Additionally, a less pronounced inhibitory effect of AT was observed when specific TRPM3 and TRPV1 agonists were applied to transfected HEK293t cells and mouse DRG neurons. These findings suggest a potential anti-nociceptive effect of AT through the inhibition of thermo-sensitive TRP channels. Subsequent studies will investigate the effects of other statins on TRP channels and how they may relate to pathological pain signaling.

Unique ID: fens-24/statin-effects-recombinant-natively-5aea74f2