Colonic overexpression of the T‐type calcium channel Cav3.2 in a mouse model of visceral hypersensitivity and in irritable bowel syndrome patients. Issue 11 (15th May 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Scanzi, J.; Accarie, A.; Muller, E.; Pereira, B.; Aissouni, Y.; Goutte, M.; Joubert‐Zakeyh, J.; Picard, E.; Boudieu, L.; Mallet, C.; Gelot, A.; Ardid, D.; Carvalho, F. A.; Dapoigny, M.
• Is Part Of: Neurogastroenterology & motility. Volume 28:Issue 11(2016)
• Page Start: 1632
• Page End: 1640
• Publication Date: 2016-05-15
• Subjects: calcium channel -- colonic hypersensitivity -- irritable bowel syndrome -- visceral pain; Gastrointestinal system -- Motility -- Periodicals; Gastrointestinal system -- Innervation -- Periodicals; 616.33
• DOI: 10.1111/nmo.12860
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1350-1925

Abstract

Abstract: Background: Among the different mechanisms involved in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) physiopathology, visceral hypersensitivity seems to play a key role. It involves sensitization of the colonic primary afferent fibers, especially through an overexpression of ion channels. The aims of this translational study were to investigate the colonic expression of Cav 3.2 calcium channels and their involvement in an animal model of colonic hypersensitivity, and to assess their expression in the colonic mucosa of symptomatic IBS patients. Methods: This bench‐to‐bed study combined a preclinical experimental study on mice and a case–control clinical study. Preclinical studies were performed on wild‐type and Cav 3.2‐KO mice. Colonic sensitivity and Cav 3.2 expression were studied after a low‐dose treatment of dextran sodium sulfate (DSS 0.5%). Regarding the clinical study, colonic biopsies were performed in 14 IBS patients and 16 controls during a colonoscopy to analyze the mucosal Cav 3.2 expression. Key results: Wild‐type, but not Cav 3.2‐KO, mice developed visceral hypersensitivity without colonic inflammation, after 0.5% DSS treatment. A significant increase of Cav 3.2 mRNA ( p = 0.04) was found in the colon of low‐dose DSS‐treated wild‐type (WT) mice compared to their controls. In human colonic biopsies, the Cav 3.2 mRNA level was significantly higher in the IBS group compared to the control group ( p = 0.01). The immunofluorescence staining revealed their protein expression in colonic mucosa, particularly in nerve fibers. Conclusions & inferences: This translational study supports the involvement of the calcium channels Cav 3.2 in abdominal pain, as observed in IBS patients. It opens new therapeutic perspectives based on molecules specifically blocking these channels. Abstract : Our work is a bench‐to‐bed approach to visceral hypersensitivity in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). We performed preclinical studies on wild‐type and Cav3.2‐deficient (Cav3.2‐KO) mice, in which visceral hypersensitivity has been induced using 0.5% DSS, showing that the T‐type calcium channel Cav3.2 is involved in visceral hypersensitivity. We conducted a prospective clinical study on colonic biopsies from 14 IBS patients and 16 healthy controls, revealing that Cav3.2 calcium channel is overexpressed in colonic biopsies of IBS patients, compared to controls. Thus, Cav3.2 channels could represent a new interesting target to improve IBS patients' abdominal pain.