Ikhlas El Karim

Antimicrobial activity of neuropeptides against a range of micro-organisms from skin, oral, respiratory and gastrointestinal tract sites

Many neuropeptides are similar in size, amino acid composition and charge to antimicrobial peptides. This study aimed to determine whether the neuropeptides substance P (SP), neurokinin A (NKA), calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), neuropeptide Y (NPY) and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), displayed antimicrobial activity against Streptococcus mutans, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans. SP, NPY, VIP and CGRP displayed variable degrees of antimicrobial activity against all the pathogens tested with the exception of S. aureus. These antimicrobial activities add a further dimension to the immunomodulatory roles for neuropeptides in the inflammatory and immune responses.

Human odontoblasts express functional thermo-sensitive TRP channels: implications for dentin sensitivity

&NA; Odontoblasts form the outermost cellular layer of the dental pulp where they have been proposed to act as sensory receptor cells. Despite this suggestion, evidence supporting their direct role in mediating thermo‐sensation and nociception is lacking. Transient receptor potential (TRP) ion channels directly mediate nociceptive functions, but their functional expression in human odontoblasts has yet to be elucidated. In the present study, we have examined the molecular and functional expression of thermo‐sensitive TRP channels in cultured odontoblast‐like cells and in native human odontoblasts obtained from healthy wisdom teeth. PCR and western blotting confirmed gene and protein expression of TRPV1, TRPA1 and TRPM8 channels. Immunohistochemistry revealed that these channels were localised to odontoblast‐like cells as determined by double staining with dentin sialoprotein (DSP) antibody. In functional assays, agonists of TRPV1, TRPA1 and TRPM8 channels elicited [Ca2+]i transients that could be blocked by relevant antagonists. Application of hot and cold stimuli to the cells also evoked rises in [Ca2+]i which could be blocked by TRP‐channel antagonists. Using a gene silencing approached we further confirmed a role for TRPA1 in mediating noxious cold responses in odontoblasts. We conclude that human odontoblasts express functional TRP channels that may play a crucial role in mediating thermal sensation in teeth. Cultured and native human odontoblasts express functional TRP channels that may play a crucial role in mediating thermal sensation in teeth.

Neuropeptides regulate expression of angiogenic growth factors in human dental pulp fibroblasts.

INTRODUCTION Neuropeptides play an important role in inflammation and repair and have been implicated in mediating angiogenesis. Pulp fibroblasts express neuropeptide receptors, and the aim of this research was to investigate whether neuropeptides could regulate angiogenic growth factor expression in vitro METHODS An angiogenic array was used to determine the levels of 10 angiogenic growth factors expressed by human pulp fibroblasts. RESULTS Pulp fibroblasts were shown to express angiogenin, angiopoietin-2, epidermal growth factor, basic fibroblast growth factor, heparin-binding epidermal growth factor, hepatocyte growth factor, leptin, platelet-derived growth factor, placental growth factor, and vascular endothelial growth factor. Furthermore, the neuropeptides substance P, calcitonin gene-related peptide, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, and neuropeptide Y altered angiogenic growth factor expression in vitro. CONCLUSIONS The regulation of angiogenic growth factor expression by neuropeptides suggests a novel role for neuropeptides in pulpal inflammation and repair.

Human Dental Pulp Fibroblasts Express the “Cold-sensing” Transient Receptor Potential Channels TRPA1 and TRPM8

INTRODUCTION Transient receptor potential (TRP) channels comprise a group of nonselective calcium-permeable cationic channels, which are polymodal sensors of environmental stimuli such as thermal changes and chemicals. TRPM8 and TRPA1 are cold-sensing TRP channels activated by moderate cooling and noxious cold temperatures, respectively. Both receptors have been identified in trigeminal ganglion neurones, and their expression in nonneuronal cells is now the focus of much interest. The aim of this study was to investigate the molecular and functional expression of TRPA1 and TRPM8 in dental pulp fibroblasts. METHODS Human dental pulp fibroblasts were derived from healthy molar teeth. Gene and protein expression was determined by polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting. Cellular localization was investigated by immunohistochemistry, and TRP functionality was determined by Ca(2+) microfluorimetry. RESULTS Polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting showed gene and protein expression of both TRPA1 and TRPM8 in fibroblast cells in culture. Immunohistochemistry studies showed that TRPA1 and TRPM8 immunoreactivity co-localized with the human fibroblast surface protein. In Ca(2+) microfluorimetry studies designed to determine the functionality of TRPA1 and TRPM8 in pulp fibroblasts, we showed increased intracellular calcium ([Ca(2+)](i)) in response to the TRPM8 agonist menthol, the TRPA1 agonist cinnamaldehyde, and to cool and noxious cold stimuli, respectively. The responses to agonists and thermal stimuli were blocked in the presence of specific TRPA1 and TRPM8 antagonists. CONCLUSIONS Human dental pulp fibroblasts express TRPA1 and TRPM8 at the molecular, protein, and functional levels, indicating a possible role for fibroblasts in mediating cold responses in human teeth.

TNF-α-induced p38MAPK activation regulates TRPA1 and TRPV4 activity in odontoblast-like cells.

The transient receptor potential (TRP) channels are unique cellular sensors that are widely expressed in many neuronal and nonneuronal cells. Among the TRP family members, TRPA1 and TRPV4 are emerging as candidate mechanosensitive channels that play a pivotal role in inflammatory pain and mechanical hyperalgesia. Odontoblasts are nonneuronal cells that possess many of the features of mechanosensitive cells and mediate important defense and sensory functions. However, the effect of inflammation on the activity of the odontoblasts mechanosensitive channels remains unknown. By using immunohistochemistry and calcium microfluorimetry, we showed that odontoblast-like cells express TRPA1 and TRPV4 and that these channels were activated by hypotonicity-induced membrane stretch. Short treatment of odontoblast-like cells with tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α enhanced TRPA1 and TRPV4 responses to their chemical agonists and membrane stretch. This enhanced channel activity was accompanied by phospho-p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) expression. Treatment of cells with the p38 inhibitor SB202190 reduced TNF-α effects, suggesting modulation of channel activity via p38 MAPK. In addition, TNF-α treatment also resulted in an up-regulation of TRPA1 expression but down-regulation of TRPV4. Unlike TRPV4, enhanced TRPA1 expression was also evident in dental pulp of carious compared with noncarious teeth. SB202190 treatment significantly reduced TNF-α-induced TRPA1 expression, suggesting a role for p38 MAPK signaling in modulating both the transcriptional and non-transcriptional regulation of TRP channels in odontoblasts.

Potential Therapeutic Strategy of Targeting Pulp Fibroblasts in Dentin-Pulp Regeneration

&NA; Fibroblasts represent the most abundant population within the dental pulp. Although other cell types such as odontoblasts and stem cells have been extensively investigated, very little attention was given to the fibroblasts, which have major roles in regulating the pulp biology and function under normal and pathologic conditions. Indeed, although pulp fibroblasts control the pulp vascularization and innervation under physiological conditions, these cells synthesize growth factors that enhance dentin‐pulp regeneration, vascularization, and innervation. Pulp fibroblasts also represent a unique cell population because they are the only non‐hepatic and non‐immune cell type capable of synthesizing all complement proteins leading to production of biologically active fragments such as C3a, C5a, and membrane attack complex, which play major roles in the pulp regeneration processes. C3a fragment is involved in inducing the proliferation of both stem cells and pulp fibroblasts. It is also involved in stem cell mobilization and pulp fibroblast recruitment. C5a guides nerve sprouting and stem cell recruitment. The membrane attack complex fixes on cariogenic bacteria walls, leading to their direct destruction. These data demonstrate the central role played by pulp fibroblasts in regulating the dentin‐pulp tissue by directly destroying cariogenic bacteria and by releasing bioactive fragments involved in nerve sprouting and stem cell recruitment and pulp regeneration. Taken together, this shows that targeting pulp fibroblasts represents a realistic strategy to induce complete dentin‐pulp regeneration.

TRPA1 activation in a human sensory neuronal model: Relevance to cough hypersensitivity?

The cough reflex becomes hyperresponsive in acute and chronic respiratory diseases, but understanding the underlying mechanism is hampered by difficulty accessing human tissue containing both nerve endings and neuronal cell bodies. We refined an adult stem cell sensory neuronal model to overcome the limited availability of human neurones and applied the model to study transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) channel expression and activation. Human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs) were differentiated towards a neuronal phenotype, termed peripheral neuronal equivalents (PNEs). Using molecular and immunohistochemical techniques, together with Ca2+ microfluorimetry and whole cell patch clamping, we investigated roles for nerve growth factor (NGF) and the viral mimic poly I:C in TRPA1 activation. PNEs exhibited morphological, molecular and functional characteristics of sensory neurons and expressed functional TRPA1 channels. PNE treatment with NGF for 20 min generated significantly larger inward and outward currents compared to untreated PNEs in response to the TRPA1 agonist cinnamaldehyde (p<0.05). PNE treatment with poly I:C caused similar transient heightened responses to TRPA1 activation compared to untreated cells. Using the PNE neuronal model we observed both NGF and poly I:C mediated sensory neuronal hyperresponsiveness, representing potential neuro-inflammatory mechanisms associated with heightened nociceptive responses recognised in cough hypersensitivity syndrome. Development of a novel human adult stem cell neuronal model to investigate neural hyperresponsiveness in cough http://ow.ly/Ilvb30eokUC