The Mechanosensitive Ion Channel Piezo1 Significantly Mediates In Vitro Ultrasonic Stimulation of Neurons
Zhihai Qiu,
Jinghui Guo,
Shashwati Kala,
Jiejun Zhu,
Quanxiang Xian,
Weibao Qiu,
Guofeng Li,
Ting Zhu,
Long Meng,
Rui Zhang,
Hsiao Chang Chan,
Hairong Zheng,
Lei Sun
Affiliations
Zhihai Qiu
Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR 999077, P. R. China
Jinghui Guo
Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR 999077, P. R. China; Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
Shashwati Kala
Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR 999077, P. R. China
Jiejun Zhu
Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR 999077, P. R. China
Quanxiang Xian
Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR 999077, P. R. China
Weibao Qiu
Paul C. Lauterbur Research Center for Biomedical Imaging, Institute of Biomedical and Health Engineering, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, P. R. China
Guofeng Li
Paul C. Lauterbur Research Center for Biomedical Imaging, Institute of Biomedical and Health Engineering, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, P. R. China
Ting Zhu
Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR 999077, P. R. China
Long Meng
Paul C. Lauterbur Research Center for Biomedical Imaging, Institute of Biomedical and Health Engineering, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, P. R. China
Rui Zhang
Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR 999077, P. R. China
Hsiao Chang Chan
Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
Hairong Zheng
Paul C. Lauterbur Research Center for Biomedical Imaging, Institute of Biomedical and Health Engineering, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, P. R. China; Corresponding author
Lei Sun
Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR 999077, P. R. China; Corresponding author
Summary: Ultrasound brain stimulation is a promising modality for probing brain function and treating brain disease non-invasively and with high spatiotemporal resolution. However, the mechanism underlying its effects remains unclear. Here, we examine the role that the mouse piezo-type mechanosensitive ion channel component 1 (Piezo1) plays in mediating the in vitro effects of ultrasound in mouse primary cortical neurons and a neuronal cell line. We show that ultrasound alone could activate heterologous and endogenous Piezo1, initiating calcium influx and increased nuclear c-Fos expression in primary neurons but not when pre-treated with a Piezo1 inhibitor. We also found that ultrasound significantly increased the expression of the important proteins phospho-CaMKII, phospho-CREB, and c-Fos in a neuronal cell line, but Piezo1 knockdown significantly reduced this effect. Our findings demonstrate that the activity of mechanosensitive ion channels such as Piezo1 stimulated by ultrasound is an important contributor to its ability to stimulate cells in vitro. : Neuroscience; Molecular Neuroscience; Cellular Neuroscience; Sensory Neuroscience Subject Areas: Neuroscience, Molecular Neuroscience, Cellular Neuroscience, Sensory Neuroscience
