Modulation of Human Cardiac TRPM7 Current by Extracellular Acidic pH Depends upon Extracellular Concentrations of Divalent Cations

PLoS One. 2017 Jan 27;12(1):e0170923. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0170923. eCollection 2017.

Abstract

TRPM7 channels participate in a variety of physiological/pathological processes. TRPM7 currents are modulated by protons but opposing effects of external pH (pHo) (potentiation vs inhibition) have been reported. TRPM7 has been less studied in human cardiomyocytes than in heart-derived non-cardiomyocyte cells. We used the whole-cell patch-clamp technique on isolated human atrial cardiomyocytes to investigate the impact of an acidic pHo on the TRPM7 current. With voltage-dependent and other ion channels inhibited, cardiomyocytes were challenged with external acidification in either the presence or the absence of extracellular divalent cations. TRPM7 outward and inward currents were increased by acidic pHo in extracellular medium containing Ca2+ and Mg2+, but suppressed by acidic pHo in the absence of extracellular Ca2+ and Mg2+. The potentiating effect in the presence of extracellular divalents occurred at pHo below 6 and was voltage-dependent. The inhibitory effect in the absence of extracellular divalents was already marked at pHo of 6 and was practically voltage-independent. TRPM7 current density was higher in cardiomyocytes from patients with history of coronary vascular disease and the difference compared to cardiomyocytes from patients without history of myocardial ischemia increased with acidic pHo. We demonstrate that proton-induced modification of TRPM7 currents depends on the presence of extracellular Ca2+ and Mg2+. Variability of the TRPM7 current density in human cardiomyocytes is related to the clinical history, being higher in atrial fibrillation and in ischemic cardiomyopathy.

MeSH terms

  • Atrial Fibrillation
  • Calcium / metabolism
  • Cardiomyopathies / metabolism*
  • Cardiomyopathies / pathology
  • Cations, Divalent / metabolism*
  • Hippocampus / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Magnesium / metabolism
  • Membrane Potentials
  • Myocytes, Cardiac / metabolism*
  • Neurons / metabolism
  • Patch-Clamp Techniques
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / genetics
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / metabolism*
  • TRPM Cation Channels / genetics
  • TRPM Cation Channels / metabolism*

Substances

  • Cations, Divalent
  • TRPM Cation Channels
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
  • TRPM7 protein, human
  • Magnesium
  • Calcium

Grants and funding

This research was supported by the European Social Fund to RM (project code number: MM NKP FK_VP1-3.1-ŠMM-08-K-01-022).