Abstract
Potassium channels play a major role in intracellular homeostasis and regulation of cell volume. Intervertebral disc cells respond to mechanical loading in a complex manner. Mechanical loading may play a role in disc degeneration. Lumbar intervertebral disc samples from 5 patients (average age: 47 years, range: 25-64 years) were used for this study, investigating cells from the nucleus pulposus and the annulus fibrosus duplicate samples to determine RNA expression and protein expression. Analysis of mRNA expression by RT-PCR demonstrated that TREK 1 was expressed by nucleus pulposus (n=5) and annulus fibrosus (n=5) cells. Currently, TREK-1 is the only potassium channel known to be activated by intracellular acidosis, and responds to mechanical and chemical stimuli. Whilst the precise role of potassium channels in cellular homeostasis remains to be determined, TREK-1 may be important to protect disc cells against ischaemic damage, and subsequent disc degeneration, and may also play a role in effecting mechanotransduction. Further research is required to fully elucidate the role of the TREK-1 ion channel in intervertebral disc cells.
Keywords: Annulus fibrosus, intervertebral disc, mechanotransduction, nucleus pulposus, potassium channel, TREK-1, disc degeneration, RNA, mechanical loading, intracellular homeostasis
Current Stem Cell Research & Therapy
Title:Expression of the Two Pore Domain Potassium Channel TREK-1 in Human Intervertebral Disc Cells
Volume: 7 Issue: 4
Author(s): Pankaj Sharma, Stephen Hughes, Alicia El Haj and Nicola Maffulli
Affiliation:
Keywords: Annulus fibrosus, intervertebral disc, mechanotransduction, nucleus pulposus, potassium channel, TREK-1, disc degeneration, RNA, mechanical loading, intracellular homeostasis
Abstract: Potassium channels play a major role in intracellular homeostasis and regulation of cell volume. Intervertebral disc cells respond to mechanical loading in a complex manner. Mechanical loading may play a role in disc degeneration. Lumbar intervertebral disc samples from 5 patients (average age: 47 years, range: 25-64 years) were used for this study, investigating cells from the nucleus pulposus and the annulus fibrosus duplicate samples to determine RNA expression and protein expression. Analysis of mRNA expression by RT-PCR demonstrated that TREK 1 was expressed by nucleus pulposus (n=5) and annulus fibrosus (n=5) cells. Currently, TREK-1 is the only potassium channel known to be activated by intracellular acidosis, and responds to mechanical and chemical stimuli. Whilst the precise role of potassium channels in cellular homeostasis remains to be determined, TREK-1 may be important to protect disc cells against ischaemic damage, and subsequent disc degeneration, and may also play a role in effecting mechanotransduction. Further research is required to fully elucidate the role of the TREK-1 ion channel in intervertebral disc cells.
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Cite this article as:
Sharma Pankaj, Hughes Stephen, El Haj Alicia and Maffulli Nicola, Expression of the Two Pore Domain Potassium Channel TREK-1 in Human Intervertebral Disc Cells, Current Stem Cell Research & Therapy 2012; 7 (4) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/157488812800793072
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/157488812800793072 |
Print ISSN 1574-888X |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 2212-3946 |
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