title: The presence of arachidonic acid-activated K+ channel, TREK-1, in human periodontal ligament fibroblasts.
abstract: Human periodontal ligament (PDL) fibroblasts expressed following two-pore-domain K(+) channels, TWIK-2 > TREK-1 > TWIK-1 >> TASK-1 > TRAAK > TASK-2. TREK-2 message was not detectable. We found the presence of arachidonic acid-activated and mechanical stress-sensitive K(+) channel, TREK-1, in the PDL fibroblasts by patch-clamp technique. It was also found the significant increase of intracellular concentration of arachidonic acid upon the application of cyclic stretch. Therefore, we suppose that the mechanical stretch due to the mastication activates phospholipase A(2) to release arachidonic acid (AA) from membrane, then, the released AA activates TREK-1. Thus, TREK-1 K(+) channels may play a protective role to maintain the negative membrane potential of PDL fibroblasts against the environmental stimuli.
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Science for Health and Nursing, Shiga University of Medical Science, Ohtsu, Shiga, Japan. ysaeki@belle.shiga-med.ac.jp
authors.forename: Yukikazu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Saeki
authors.forename: Akito
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ohara
authors.forename: Masanori
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nishikawa
authors.forename: Takahiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Gaku
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
mesh_terms: D016718:Arachidonic Acid / Q000502:physiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008563:Membrane Lipids / Q000378:metabolism; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D010513:Periodontal Ligament / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D024683:Potassium Channels, Tandem Pore Domain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D012313:RNA / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013314:Stress, Mechanical