Functional expression of TRPA1 channel, TRPV1 channel and TMEM100 in human odontoblasts

TRPA1 and TRPV1 channels respond to external stimulation as pain mediators and form a complex with a transmembrane protein TMEM100 in some tissues. However, their expression and interaction in dental pulp is unclear. To investigate the functional co-expression of TRPA1 channel, TRPV1 channel and TMEM100 in human odontoblasts (HODs), immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence staining and Western blot were used to study their co-localization and expression in both native HODs and cultured HOD-like cells. Calcium imaging was used to detect the functional interaction between TRPA1 and TRPV1 channels. Immunohistochemistry and multiple immunofluorescence staining of tooth slices showed positive expression of TRPA1 channel, TRPV1 channel and TMEM100 mainly in the cell bodies of HODs, and TRPA1 channel presented more obvious immunofluorescence in the cell processes than TRPV1 channel and TMEM100. HALO software analysis showed that TRPA1 and TRPV1 channels were positively expressed in most TMEM100⁺ HODs and these three proteins were strongly correlated in HODs (P < 0.01). The protein expression levels of TRPA1 channel, TRPV1 channel and TMEM100 in HODs showed no significant difference (P > 0.05). Double immunofluorescence staining of cultured HOD-like cells visually demonstrated that TRPA1 and TRPV1 channel were both highly co-localized with TMEM100 with similar expressive intensity. Calcium imaging showed that there was a functional interaction between TRPA1 and TRPV1 channels in HOD-like cells, and TRPA1 channel might play a greater role in this interaction. Overall, we concluded that TRPA1 channel, TRPV1 channel and TMEM100 could be functionally co-expressed in HODs.