P15 - Role of kinase-coupled TRP channels in mineral homeostasis of the brain
TRPM6 and TRPM7 are bifunctional proteins comprising a TRP channel segment linked to an α-type protein kinase. We developed new mouse models and found that Trpm6 and Trpm7 are highly expressed in endothelial cells of brain microvessels. We hypothesize that TRPM6 and TRPM7 co-operate in brain endothelial cells to drive the transport of Mg2+, Ca2+ and Zn2+ across the blood-brain barrier and that this mechanism regulates the dynamic balance of interstitial cations in the brain. The project will lay the foundation to tackle the salient question of whether interstitial ion changes are merely epiphenomenal to neuronal activity or actively controlled to shape the rhythmic activity of the brain.
