The Role of the Piezo1 Mechanosensitive Channel in the Musculoskeletal System

Abstract

Since the recent discovery of the mechanosensitive Piezo1 channels, many studies have addressed the role of the channel in various physiological or even pathological processes of different organs. Although the number of studies on their effects on the musculoskeletal system is constantly increasing, we are still far from a precise understanding. In this review, the knowledge available so far regarding the musculoskeletal system is summarized, reviewing the results achieved in the field of skeletal muscles, bones, joints and cartilage, tendons and ligaments, as well as intervertebral discs.

Pleiotropic physiological functions of Piezo1 in human body and its effect on malignant behavior of tumors

“…In the context of the skeletal system, Piezo1 plays a pivotal role in regulating the functions of bones, joints, tendons, and muscles, contributing to posture maintenance and power generation ( Dienes et al, 2023 ). Numerous studies have highlighted the potential of the Piezo1 channel as a significant breakthrough in the treatment of diseases associated with muscular dystrophy and cartilage degeneration ( Bagriantsev et al, 2014 ; Zhu et al, 2021 ).…”

“…In addition, the activity of Piezo1 channels is regulated by mechanical stress rather than chemical signals, and this unique characteristic has attracted widespread attention in the fields of mechanical sensing, cell migration, hemorheology, and pain perception ( Kim et al, 2012 ; Beech and Kalli, 2019a ; Syeda, 2021 ; Mukhopadhyay et al, 2024 ). In recent years, several studies have linked mutations in Piezo1 to the onset and development of a variety of diseases ( Dienes et al, 2023 ). For example, the Piezo1 gene plays an important regulatory role in dental pulp stem cells, suggesting that it may be involved in the development of pulpitis and other oral diseases ( Xing et al, 2022 ).…”

The role of mechanically sensitive ion channel Piezo1 in bone remodeling

“…The elimination of Piezo1 in mice results in fatal outcomes, due to disruption of vascular development ( Ranade et al, 2015 ). Conditional Piezo1 deletion by various Cre strains in Osteoblast lineage cells showed reduced trabecular and cortical bone mass ( Nie and Chung, 2022 ; Dienes et al, 2023 ) ( Table 2 ).…”

Pharmacological Activation of Piezo1 Channels Enhances Astrocyte–Neuron Communication via NMDA Receptors in the Murine Neocortex

“…Transient inward currents with rise time greater than 20 ms were considered as SICs, based on literature data and our previous experiments [26,28]. Yoda1 (2-[5-[[(2,6dichlorophenyl)methyl]thio]-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl]-pyrazine; ProbeChem Biochemicals Ltd., Shanghai, China) [5,47,50,51] and D-AP5 (nonspecific inhibitor, Tocris Cookson Ltd., Bristol, UK) [52] were used in 10 µM concentration. Dooku1 (2-[(2,6-Dichlorobenzyl)thio)-5-(1Hpyrrol-2-yl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole; Tocris Cookson Ltd., Bristol, UK) was administered in 10 and 20 µM [5,53].…”

“…There are two members of this channel family, named Piezo1 and 2. Piezo2 was only described on neurons related to mechanosensation [2][3][4], whereas Piezo1 is abundant on several peripheral tissues and the central nervous system (CNS) [5]. In the periphery, it is present on the bone and cartilage [6,7], on muscles [5,8], on the cardiovascular system, importantly on endothelial cells [9,10] and the urinary system [11,12].…”