Regulation of T-type Ca2+ channel expression by herpes simplex virus-1 infection in sensory-like ND7 cells

• DOI: 10.1007/s13365-017-0545-9
• Publication Date: 2017-06-21T13:20:42Z
• Authors: Qiaojuan Zhang; Shao-Chung Hsia; Miguel Martin-Car...
• Keywords: 0301 basic medicine; Calcium Channels, T-Type; Mice; 03 medical and health sciences; Sensory Receptor Cells; Animals; Herpes Simplex; Herpesvirus 1, Human; 3. Good health; Cell Line; Rats

Infection of sensory neurons by herpes simplex virus (HSV)-1 disrupts electrical excitability, altering pain sensory transmission. Because of their low threshold for activation, functional expression of T-type Ca2+ channels regulates various cell functions, including neuronal excitability and neuronal communication. In this study, we have tested the effect of HSV-1 infection on the functional expression of T-type Ca2+ channels in differentiated ND7-23 sensory-like neurons. Voltage-gated Ca2+ currents were measured using whole cell patch clamp recordings in differentiated ND7-23 neurons under various culture conditions. Differentiation of ND7-23 cells evokes a significant increase in T-type Ca2+ current densities. Increased T-type Ca2+ channel expression promotes the morphological differentiation of ND7-23 cells and triggers a rebound depolarization. HSV-1 infection of differentiated ND7-23 cells causes a significant loss of T-type Ca2+ channels from the membrane. HSV-1 evoked reduction in the functional expression of T-type Ca2+ channels is mediated by several factors, including decreased expression of Cav3.2 T-type Ca2+ channel subunits and disruption of endocytic transport. Decreased functional expression of T-type Ca2+ channels by HSV-1 infection requires protein synthesis and viral replication, but occurs independently of Egr-1 expression. These findings suggest that infection of neuron-like cells by HSV-1 causes a significant disruption in the expression of T-type Ca2+ channels, which can results in morphological and functional changes in electrical excitability.