BACKGROUND AND PURPOSETransient receptor potential melastatin 7 (TRPM7) is a unique channel kinase which is crucial for various physiological functions. However, the mechanism by which TRPM7 is gated and modulated is not fully understood. To better understand how modulation of TRPM7 may impact biological processes, we investigated if TRPM7 can be regulated by the phospholipids sphingosine (SPH) and sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), two potent bioactive sphingolipids that mediate a variety of physiological functions. Moreover, we also tested the effects of the structural analogues of SPH, N,N-dimethyl-D-erythrosphingosine (DMS), ceramides and FTY720 on TRPM7. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACHHEK293 cells stably expressing TRPM7 were used for whole-cell, single-channel and macropatch current recordings. Cardiac fibroblasts were used for native TRPM7 current recording. KEY RESULTSSPH potently inhibited TRPM7 in a concentration-dependent manner, whereas S1P and other ceramides did not produce noticeable effects. DMS also markedly inhibited TRPM7. Moreover, FTY720, an immunosuppressant and the first oral drug for treatment of multiple sclerosis, inhibited TRPM7 with a similar potency to that of SPH. In contrast, FTY720-P has no effect on TRPM7. It appears that SPH and FTY720 inhibit TRPM7 by reducing channel open probability. Furthermore, endogenous TRPM7 in cardiac fibroblasts was markedly inhibited by SPH, DMS and FTY720. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONSThis is the first study demonstrating that SPH and FTY720 are potent inhibitors of TRPM7. Our results not only provide a new modulation mechanism of TRPM7, but also suggest that TRPM7 may serve as a direct target of SPH and FTY720, thereby mediating S1P-independent physiological/pathological functions of SPH and FTY720. LINKED ARTICLEThis article is commented on by Rohacs, pp. 1291-1293 of this issue. To view this commentary visit http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/bph.12070 Abbreviations FTY720, fingolimod, 2-amino-2-propane-1,3-diol hydrochloride; FTY720-P, FTY720-phosphate; S1P, sphingosine-1-phosphate; SPH, sphingosine; TRPM7, transient receptor potential melastatin 7

Recent studies suggest that N, N-diethyl-meta-toluamide (DEET) is an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor and that this action may result in neurotoxicity and pose a risk to humans from its use as an insect repellent. We investigated the mode of action of DEET neurotoxicity in order to define the specific neuronal targets related to its acute toxicity in insects and mammals. Although toxic to mosquitoes (LD50 ca. 1.5 µg/mg), DEET was a poor acetylcholinesterase inhibitor (<10% inhibition), even at a concentration of 10 mM. IC50 values for DEET against Drosophila melanogaster, Musca domestica, and human acetylcholinesterases were 6–12 mM. Neurophysiological recordings showed that DEET had excitatory effects on the housefly larval central nervous system (EC50: 120 µM), but was over 300-fold less potent than propoxur, a standard anticholinesterase insecticide. Phentolamine, an octopamine receptor antagonist, completely blocked the central neuroexcitation by DEET and octopamine, but was essentially ineffective against hyperexcitation by propoxur and 4-aminopyridine, a potassium channel blocker. DEET was found to illuminate the firefly light organ, a tissue utilizing octopamine as the principal neurotransmitter. Additionally, DEET was shown to increase internal free calcium via the octopamine receptors of Sf21 cells, an effect blocked by phentolamine. DEET also blocked Na+ and K+ channels in patch clamped rat cortical neurons, with IC50 values in the micromolar range. These findings suggest DEET is likely targeting octopaminergic synapses to induce neuroexcitation and toxicity in insects, while acetylcholinesterase in both insects and mammals has low (mM) sensitivity to DEET. The ion channel blocking action of DEET in neurons may contribute to the numbness experienced after inadvertent application to the lips or mouth of humans.

TRPM6 is crucial for human Mg2+ homeostasis as patients carrying TRPM6 mutations develop hypomagnesemia and secondary hypocalcemia (HSH). However, the activation mechanism of TRPM6 has remained unknown. Here we demonstrate that phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphophate (PIP2) controls TRPM6 activation and Mg2+ influx. Stimulation of PLC-coupled M1-receptors to deplete PIP2 potently inactivates TRPM6. Translocation of over-expressed 5-phosphatase to cell membrane to specifically hydrolyze PIP2 also completely inhibits TRPM6. Moreover, depolarization-induced-activation of the voltage-sensitive-phosphatase (Ci-VSP) simultaneously depletes PIP2 and inhibits TRPM6. PLC-activation induced PIP2-depletion not only inhibits TRPM6, but also abolishes TRPM6-mediated Mg2+ influx. Furthermore, neutralization of basic residues in the TRP domain leads to nonfunctional or dysfunctional mutants with reduced activity by PIP2, suggesting that they are likely to participate in interactions with PIP2. Our data indicate that PIP2 is required for TRPM6 channel function; hydrolysis of PIP2 by PLC-coupled hormones/agonists may constitute an important pathway for TRPM6 gating, and perhaps Mg2+ homeostasis.

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Oceanic fronts associated with strong western boundary current extensions vent a vast amount of heat into the atmosphere, anchoring mid-latitude storm tracks and facilitating ocean carbon sequestration. However, it remains unclear how the surface heat reservoir is replenished by ocean processes to sustain the atmospheric heat uptake. Using high-resolution climate simulations, we find that the vertical heat transport by ocean mesoscale eddies acts as an important heat supplier to the surface ocean in frontal regions. This vertical eddy heat transport is not accounted for by the prevailing inviscid and adiabatic ocean dynamical theories such as baroclinic instability and frontogenesis but is tightly related to the atmospheric forcing. Strong surface cooling associated with intense winds in winter promotes turbulent mixing in the mixed layer, destructing the vertical shear of mesoscale eddies. The restoring of vertical shear induces an ageostrophic secondary circulation transporting heat from the subsurface to surface ocean.