Transient Receptor Potential Melastatin-3 (TRPM3) Mediates Nociceptive-Like Responses in Hydra vulgaris

PLoS One. 2016 Mar 14;11(3):e0151386. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0151386. eCollection 2016.

Abstract

The ability of mammals to feel noxious stimuli lies in a heterogeneous group of primary somatosensory neurons termed nociceptors, which express specific membrane receptors, such as the Transient Receptor Potential (TRP) family. Here, we show that one of the most important nociceptive-like pathways is conserved in the freshwater coelenterate Hydra vulgaris, the most primitive organism possessing a nervous system. In particular, we found that H. vulgaris expresses TRPM3, a nociceptor calcium channel involved in the detection of noxious heat in mammals. Furthermore, we detected that both heat shock and TRPM3 specific agonist (i.e., pregnenolone sulfate) induce the modulation of the heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) and the nitric oxide synthase (NOS), two genes activated by TRP-mediated heat painful stimuli in mammals. As expected, these effects are inhibited by a TRPM3 antagonist (i.e., mefenamic acid). Interestingly, the TRPM3 agonist and heat shock also induce the expression of nuclear transcription erythroid 2-related factor (Nrf2) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), known markers of oxidative stress; noteworthy gene expression was also inhibited by the TRPM3 antagonist. As a whole, our results demonstrate the presence of conserved molecular oxidative/nociceptive-like pathways at the primordial level of the animal kingdom.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Gene Expression Regulation / drug effects
  • HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins / genetics
  • HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins / metabolism
  • Heat-Shock Response / drug effects
  • Heat-Shock Response / genetics
  • Hydra / drug effects
  • Hydra / genetics
  • Hydra / metabolism*
  • Nociception* / drug effects
  • Pregnenolone / pharmacology
  • Protein Transport / drug effects
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Superoxide Dismutase / genetics
  • Superoxide Dismutase / metabolism
  • TRPM Cation Channels / genetics
  • TRPM Cation Channels / metabolism*

Substances

  • HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins
  • RNA, Messenger
  • TRPM Cation Channels
  • pregnenolone sulfate
  • Pregnenolone
  • Superoxide Dismutase

Grants and funding

This work was supported by University "ROMA TRE" contribution for the laboratory (CAL) to MC and by PON03PE_00078_2 to CM. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.