Long-term incubation with CXCL2, but not with CXCL1, alters the kinetics of TRPV1 receptors in cultured dorsal root ganglia neurons

Abstract

CXCL1 and CXCL2 are homologous chemokines that can be upregulated in different pathological conditions, affecting among other targets, neuronal ionic channels or receptors. TRPV1 is a polymodal nociceptor expressed in both dorsal root and trigeminal ganglia neurons. According to existing data, short-term incubation with CXCL1 can reduce TRPV1 desensitization, however, the long-term modulatory effect of both CXCL1 and CXCL2 on this receptor is less known. In the present study we investigated the influence of overnight incubation with 1.5 nM CXCL1 or CXCL2 on the functioning of TRPV1 receptors expressed in cultured dorsal root ganglia neurons. Calcium imaging and patch-clamp recordings showed that under the same experimental conditions and at the same concentration, only CXCL2 significantly decreased the TRPV1 current and increased its desensitization rate, whereas CXCL1 had no effect. This study proposes a different contribution of CXCL1 and CXCL2 to the modulation of TRPV1-mediated processes, in spite of their highly homologous sequence.

Keywords

• CXCL1
• CXCL2
• TRPV1
• dorsal root ganglia neurons