Neuroprotective role of the TREK-1 channel in decompression sickness.
Nitrogen supersaturation and bubble formation can occur in the vascular system after diving, leading to death and nervous disorders from decompression sickness (DCS). Bubbles alter the vascular endothelium, activate platelets, and lead to focal ischemia with neurological damage mediated by the mechanosensitive TREK-1 neuronal potassium ion channel that sets pre- and postsynaptic resting membrane potentials. We report a neuroprotective effect associated with TREK-1. C57Bl6 mice were subjected to decompression from a simulated 90 msw dive. Of 143 mice that were wild type (WT) for TREK-1, 51.7% showed no DCS, 27.3% failed a grip test, and 21.0% died. Of 88 TREK-1 knockouts (KO), 26.1% showed no DCS, 42.0% failed a grip test, and 31.8% died. Mice that did not express TREK-1 had lower DCS resistance and were more likely to develop neurological symptoms. We conclude that the TREK-1 potassium channel was neuroprotective for DCS.
Equipe Résidante de Recherche Subaquatique Opérationnelle, Institut de Recherche Biomédicale des Armées-Toulon, Département Environnement Opérationnel, Unité Environnements Extrêmes, Toulon, France. nicolas.vallee5@hotmail.fr
Nicolas
N
Vallee
Cédric
C
Meckler
Jean-Jacques
JJ
Risso
Jean-Eric
JE
Blatteau
D000399:Air Pressure; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology; D016923:Cell Death / Q000502:physiology; D003665:Decompression Sickness / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005552:Forelimb / Q000502:physiology; D005838:Genotype; D018737:Hand Strength / Q000502:physiology; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D010976:Platelet Count; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D024683:Potassium Channels, Tandem Pore Domain / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*
D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D024683:Potassium Channels, Tandem Pore Domain; C103742:potassium channel protein TREK-1