title: ZBTB20 regulates nociception and pain sensation by modulating TRP channel expression in nociceptive sensory neurons.
abstract: In mammals, pain sensation is initiated by the detection of noxious stimuli through specialized transduction ion channels and receptors in nociceptive sensory neurons. Transient receptor potential (TRP) channels are the key sensory transducers that confer nociceptors distinct sensory modalities. However, the regulatory mechanisms about their expression are poorly defined. Here we show that the zinc-finger protein ZBTB20 regulates TRP channels expression in nociceptors. ZBTB20 is highly expressed in nociceptive sensory neurons of dorsal root ganglia. Disruption of ZBTB20 in nociceptors led to a marked decrease in the expression levels of TRPV1, TRPA1 and TRPM8 and the response of calcium flux and whole-cell currents evoked by their respective specific agonists. Phenotypically, the mice lacking ZBTB20 specifically in nociceptors showed a defect in nociception and pain sensation in response to thermal, mechanical and inflammatory stimulation. Our findings point to ZBTB20 as a critical regulator of nociception and pain sensation by modulating TRP channels expression in nociceptors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathophysiology, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China.
authors.forename: An-Jing
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathophysiology, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China.
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathophysiology, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China.
authors.forename: Huan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Pathophysiology, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China [2] Department of Cell Biology, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China.
authors.forename: Anjun
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathophysiology, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China.
authors.forename: Xianhua
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathophysiology, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China.
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathophysiology, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China.
authors.forename: Dongmei
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: Biology Department, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK.
authors.forename: John N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Wood
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Creighton University School of Medicine, Omaha, Nebraska 68102, USA.
authors.forename: David Z
authors.initials: DZ
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China.
authors.forename: Yu-Qiang
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, Key Lab of Ministry of Education in Fertility Preservation and Maintenance, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan 750004, China.
authors.forename: Wen-Jun
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Pathophysiology, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China [2] Department of Cell Biology, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China.
authors.forename: Zhifang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathophysiology, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China.
authors.forename: Weiping J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D059225:Nociception; D009619:Nociceptors / Q000378:metabolism*; D000074025:TRPA1 Cation Channel; D050053:TRPM Cation Channels / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D050916:TRPV Cation Channels / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D050051:Transient Receptor Potential Channels / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000074025:TRPA1 Cation Channel; D050053:TRPM Cation Channels; C492297:TRPM8 protein, mouse; D050916:TRPV Cation Channels; C493921:TRPV1 protein, mouse; D014157:Transcription Factors; D050051:Transient Receptor Potential Channels; C475685:Trpa1 protein, mouse; C520426:Zbtb20 protein, mouse