title: Activation of TRPV4 channels reduces migration of immortalized neuroendocrine cells.
abstract: Calcium is a universal signal, and its capacity to encode intracellular messages via spatial, temporal and amplitude characteristics allows it to participate in most cellular events. In a specific context, calcium plays a pivotal role in migration, although its role has not been elucidated fully. By using immortalized gonadotropin-releasing hormone-secreting neurons (GN11), we have now investigated the role of TRPV4, a member of the vanilloid family of Ca(2+) channels, in neuronal migration. Our results show that TRPV4 channels are present and functional in GN11 cells and their localization is polarized and enriched in lamellipodial structures. TRPV4 activation leads to a retraction of the lamellipodia and to a decrease in migratory behaviour; moreover cells migrate slower and in a more random manner. We therefore provide evidence for a new regulation of gonadotropin-releasing hormone neurons and a new role for calcium at the leading edge of migratory cells.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, Alimentari, Farmaceutiche e Farmacologiche, Università degli Studi del Piemonte Orientale A. Avogadro, Novara, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zaninetti
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fornarelli
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ciarletta
authors.forename: Dmitry
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Caldarelli
authors.forename: Tracey
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pirali
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cariboni
authors.forename: Grzegorz
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Owsianik
authors.forename: Bernd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nilius
authors.forename: Pier Luigi
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Canonico
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Distasi
authors.forename: Armando A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Genazzani
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D002464:Cell Migration Inhibition / Q000502:physiology*; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D055099:Neuroendocrine Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D050916:TRPV Cation Channels / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D050916:TRPV Cation Channels; C486576:Trpv4 protein, mouse