title: TRPV4 mediates afferent pathways in the urinary bladder. A spinal c-fos study showing TRPV1 related adaptations in the TRPV4 knockout mouse.
abstract: The role of transient receptor potential vanilloid subtype 4 (TRPV4) channels in urinary bladder afferent neural pathways was investigated using spinal c-fos measurements in mice. Anesthetized wild type and TRPV4 knockout (-/-) mice underwent noxious bladder distention and treatment with either intravesical instillation with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), or the TRPV1 agonist resiniferatoxin (RTX), vehicle or an intraperitoneal injected TRPV4 antagonist (HC067047). Mice underwent paraformaldehyde perfusion for rapid fixation and L6-S1 spinal cord sections were removed followed by immunohistochemical staining for c-fos. A number of c-fos expressing neurons in the dorsal horns of L6-S1 spinal cord transections were quantified. Groups were compared using univariate ANOVA. Even with the absence of bladder inflammation on H&E, the TRPV4 -/- mice still have a significant twofold higher c-fos expression (n = 39, SD 2) after noxious bladder distention compared to wild type mice (n = 20, SD 3). A twofold increase in c-fos expression was observed after LPS treatment in wild types (n = 42, SD 5), but no increase was seen in TRPV4 -/- mice (n = 42, SD 2). After desensitization of primary afferent C-nerve fibers with RTX, c-fos expression in TRPV4-/- mice decreased significantly (threefold) (n = 12, SD 4). Results imply that TRPV4 channels are important for bladder afferent signaling. TRPV4 -/- mice bladders generate more noxious sensory output, which is predominantly mediated through TRPV1 expressing high threshold nerve fibers. This study reveals TRPV1 related adaptive changes in afferent pathways of the TRPV4 -/- mouse. We propose that this effect is caused by a congenital impairment of low threshold nerves that mediate normal bladder filling sensations.
authors: Department of Urology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein 10, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. dick.janssen@radboudumc.nl.
authors: Dick A W
authors: DA
authors: Janssen
authors: Department of Physiology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors: Joost G
authors: JG
authors: Hoenderop
authors: Department of Urology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein 10, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors: John P F A
authors: JP
authors: Heesakkers
authors: Department of Urology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein 10, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors: Jack A
authors: JA
authors: Schalken
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000344:Afferent Pathways; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D059225:Nociception; D020671:Posterior Horn Cells / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D050916:TRPV Cation Channels / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000294:innervation / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos; D050916:TRPV Cation Channels; C493921:TRPV1 protein, mouse; C486576:Trpv4 protein, mouse
keywords: Afferent signaling; Bladder; C-fiber; C-fos; TRPV4; Urothelium