A dual role of transient receptor potential melastatin 2 channel in cytotoxicity induced by silica nanoparticles

Silica nanoparticles (NPs) have remarkable applications. However, accumulating evidence suggests NPs can cause cellular toxicity by inducing ROS production and increasing intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i), but the underlying molecular mechanism is largely unknown. Transient receptor potential melastatin 2 (TRPM2) channel is known to be a cellular redox potential sensor that provides an important pathway for increasing the [Ca2+]i under oxidative stress. In this study, we examined the role of TRPM2 channel in silica NPs-induced oxidative stress and cell death. By quantitation of cell viability, ROS production, [Ca2+]i, and protein identification, we showed that TRPM2 channel is required for ROS production and Ca2+ increase induced by silica NPs through regulating NADPH oxidase activity in HEK293 cells. Strikingly, HEK293 cells expressing low levels of TRPM2 were more susceptible to silica NPs than those expressing high levels of TRPM2. Macrophages from young mice showed significantly lower TRPM2 expression than those from senescent mice and had significantly lower viability after silica NPs exposure than those from senescent ones. Taken together, these findings demonstrate for the first time that TRPM2 channel acts as an oxidative stress sensor that plays a dual role in silica NPs-induced cytotoxicity by differentially regulating the NADPH oxidase activity and ROS generation

Signalling mechanisms mediating Zn2+-induced TRPM2 channel activation and death cell in microglial cells

Excessive Zn2+ causes brain damage via promoting ROS generation. Here we investigated the role of ROS-sensitive TRPM2 channel in H2O2/Zn2+-induced Ca2+ signalling and cell death in microglial cells. H2O2/Zn2+ induced concentration-dependent increases in cytosolic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]c), which was inhibited by PJ34, a PARP inhibitor, and abolished by TRPM2 knockout (TRPM2-KO). Pathological concentrations of H2O2/Zn2+ induced substantial cell death that was inhibited by PJ34 and DPQ, PARP inhibitors, 2-APB, a TRPM2 channel inhibitor, and prevented by TRPM2-KO. Further analysis indicate that Zn2+ induced ROS production, PARP-1 stimulation, increase in the [Ca2+]c and cell death, which were suppressed by chelerythrine, a protein kinase C inhibitor, DPI, a NADPH-dependent oxidase (NOX) inhibitor, GKT137831, a NOX1/4 inhibitor, and Phox-I2, a NOX2 inhibitor. Furthermore, Zn2+-induced PARP-1 stimulation, increase in the [Ca2+]c and cell death were inhibited by PF431396, a Ca2+-sensitive PYK2 inhibitor, and U0126, a MEK/ERK inhibitor. Taken together, our study shows PKC/NOX-mediated ROS generation and PARP-1 activation as an important mechanism in Zn2+-induced TRPM2 channel activation and, TRPM2-mediated increase in the [Ca2+]c to trigger the PYK2/MEK/ERK signalling pathway as a positive feedback mechanism that amplifies the TRPM2 channel activation. Activation of these TRPM2-depenent signalling mechanisms ultimately drives Zn2+-induced Ca2+ overloading and cell death