Mechanisms of Proton Inhibition and Sensitization of the Cation Channel TRPV3
December 2020
in “
The Journal of General Physiology
”
Studysummary This study found that acid regulation of the TRPV3 channel can inhibit its function from outside the cell while facilitating it from inside, providing insights into skin barrier and disorder mechanisms related to tissue acidosis. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.
The study explored how protons regulate the TRPV3 cation channel, which is crucial for hair morphogenesis and skin barrier function. Researchers found that extracellular protons inhibit TRPV3 activation through the aspartate residue D641, while intracellular protons sensitize the channel via C-terminal residues E682, E689, and D727. Mutations in these residues enhanced the channel's sensitivity to agonists and shifted it from a naive to a sensitized state. These findings provided insights into TRPV3's role in skin disorders and its regulation under acidic conditions, highlighting the complex interactions between protonation sites and channel function.
