自然杂志 ›› 2022, Vol. 44 ›› Issue (3): 182-194.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.0253-9608.2022.03.002

• 专题综述 • 上一篇    下一篇

机械感受器Piezo离子通道激活与调控机制

郭雨松   

  1. 华中科技大学 同济医学院基础医学院,武汉 430030
  • 出版日期:2022-06-25 发布日期:2022-06-20
  • 通讯作者: 郭雨松,通信作者,研究方向:靶标膜蛋白的多尺度结构解析、工作机理及功能调控。

Activation and regulation mechanism of Piezo channels as mechanosensors

GUO Yusong R   

  1. School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
  • Online:2022-06-25 Published:2022-06-20

摘要: Piezo通道是在哺乳动物中发现的机械敏感离子通道,参与触觉形成、渗透压调节等多种重要生理过程,并与感觉异常、心血管疾病、肿瘤等疾病密切相关。Piezo将机械信号转化为电信号的机械激活过程可以由膜穹顶机制来描述解释,即Piezo通道与附近磷脂膜在不受力时呈现高度弯曲的穹顶状,而受力开放时变平,以获得在能量上更稳定的构象。这一过程可受Piezo蛋白本身性质、脂质、互作蛋白等多种因素调节,以适应Piezo复杂多样的生理功能。深入理解Piezo机械激活与调控的分子机理,将有助于从机械转导的角度为相关疾病的防治带来新的突破。

关键词: Piezo通道, 机械门控, 膜穹顶机制, 功能调控

Abstract: Piezo channels are mechanosensitive ion channels discovered in mammals. They are involved in important physiological processes including touch sensation and osmotic regulation, and are correlated to many diseases such as sensory disorders, cardiovascular diseases, and tumors. The process of converting mechanical signals into electrical signals by Piezo activation could be described by the membrane dome mechanism. In the absence of tension, Piezo channel with its surrounding membrane is highly curved into a dome shape, which is flattened and open in response to tension, as this conformation is more energetically favored. This process could be regulated by properties of Piezo protein itself, lipids, interacting proteins and other factors, to fulfil the complex physiological functions of Piezo. A better understanding of the activation and regulation mechanism of Piezo will shed lights on new treatments of related diseases from the perspective of mechanotransduction.