Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 31, 2026

A Simple and Inexpensive Method for Determining Cold Sensitivity and Adaptation in Mice
08:35

A Simple and Inexpensive Method for Determining Cold Sensitivity and Adaptation in Mice

Published on: March 17, 2015

Transient Receptor Potential Melastatin 2 (TRPM2) ion channel is required for innate immunity against Listeria

Heather Knowles1, Justin W Heizer, Yuan Li

  • 1Integrated Department of Immunology, National Jewish Health and University of Colorado, Denver, CO 80206, USA.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
|June 29, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Mice lacking the TRPM2 ion channel show severe susceptibility to Listeria monocytogenes infection due to impaired innate immunity. Restoring IFNγ levels reversed this susceptibility, highlighting TRPM2

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Ion Channels
  • Microbial Pathogenesis

Background:

  • Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are vital for immune responses and host defense.
  • The Transient Receptor Potential Melastatin 2 (TRPM2) channel is activated by ADP-ribose, a ROS-associated metabolite.
  • TRPM2 plays a role in regulating calcium permeability and cellular signaling during immune responses.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of the TRPM2 ion channel in innate immunity against Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) infection.
  • To determine the impact of TRPM2 deficiency on immune cell function and cytokine production during Lm infection.
  • To explore the therapeutic potential of targeting TRPM2 in infectious diseases.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized TRPM2-deficient mice and compared their response to Lm infection with wild-type and IFNγR-deficient mice.
  • Assessed bacterial replication, immune cell activation (monocytes), and levels of key cytokines (IL-12, IFNγ).
  • Administered recombinant IFNγ to TRPM2-deficient mice to evaluate its therapeutic effect on Lm infection.

Main Results:

  • TRPM2-deficient mice exhibited extreme susceptibility to Lm infection with inefficient innate immune responses.
  • These mice showed uncontrolled bacterial growth and reduced levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS)-expressing monocytes.
  • Diminished IL-12 and IFNγ levels were observed in TRPM2(-/-) mice, correlating with reduced innate activation.
  • Supplementation with recombinant IFNγ successfully reversed bacterial growth and lethality in TRPM2(-/-) mice.

Conclusions:

  • TRPM2 plays a critical, previously unrecognized role in innate immunity against bacterial infections.
  • ROS-mediated cation flux through TRPM2 is essential for effective host defense.
  • TRPM2 represents a potential novel target for immunomodulatory interventions in infectious diseases.

More Related Videos

Yeast Luminometric and Xenopus Oocyte Electrophysiological Examinations of the Molecular Mechanosensitivity of TRPV412:09

Yeast Luminometric and Xenopus Oocyte Electrophysiological Examinations of the Molecular Mechanosensitivity of TRPV4

Published on: December 31, 2013

Related Concept Videos

Thermosensation01:43

Thermosensation

Peripheral thermosensation is the perception of external temperature. A change in temperature (on the surface of the skin and other tissues) is detected by a family of temperature-sensitive ion channels called Transient Receptor Potential, or TRP, receptors. These receptors are located on free nerve endings. Those detecting cold temperatures are closer to the surface of the skin than the nerve endings detecting warmth. These thermoTRP channels, while temperature selective, have relatively...
Mechanically-gated Ion Channels01:12

Mechanically-gated Ion Channels

Mechanically-gated ion channels are proteins found in eukaryotic and prokaryotic cell membranes that open in response to mechanical stress. Tension, compression, swelling, and shear stress can alter the conformation of the protein, opening a transmembrane channel that allows the passage of ions for signal transmission. In eukaryotes, mechanically-gated channels are distributed in several regions like the neurons, lungs, skin, bladder, and heart, where they play critical roles in numerous...
Ligand-Gated Ion Channel Receptor: Gating Mechanism01:30

Ligand-Gated Ion Channel Receptor: Gating Mechanism

Ligand-gated ion channels are transmembrane proteins that play a vital role in intercellular communication and functions of the nervous system. They allow the influx of ions across the membrane once the neurotransmitter binds, allowing the subsequent transmission of electrical excitation across the neurons. Other ligand-gated ion channels, like the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor, permit anions like chloride into the cells on the binding of the GABA molecule. Their entry into the cell...
Transduction01:16

Transduction

Among the three main modes of HGT—transformation, conjugation, and transduction—transduction is unique in that it is mediated by bacteriophages, or bacterial viruses.Transduction occurs in two ways. Generalized transduction occurs during the lytic cycle of a bacteriophage infection. In this process, bacteriophages infect bacterial cells, replicate within them, and ultimately cause cell lysis, releasing newly assembled virions. Occasionally, random fragments of the bacterial genome are...
Colonisation of Pathogens01:25

Colonisation of Pathogens

Pathogen colonization of host tissues is a critical step in the development of infectious diseases. Various pathogenic microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, viruses, and protozoa, have evolved complex strategies to attach to, invade, and persist within host environments. These mechanisms enable pathogens to establish infections, evade immune responses, and resist antimicrobial treatments.Attachment to Host CellsIn bacteria, colonization typically begins with adherence to host epithelial...