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ResearchIn-Press PreviewCell biologyVascular biology Open Access | 10.1172/JCI154118

The Ca2+-gated channel TMEM16A amplifies capillary pericyte contraction and reduces cerebral blood flow after ischemia

Nils Korte,1 Zeki Ilkan,2 Claire L. Pearson,2 Thomas Pfeiffer,1 Prabhav Singhal,1 Jason R. Rock,3 Huma Sethi,4 Dipender Gill,5 David Attwell,1 and Paolo Tammaro2

1Department of Neuroscience, Physiology & Pharmacology, University College London, London, United Kingdom

2Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom

3Center for Regenerative Medicine (CReM), Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, United States of America

4Department of Neurosurgery, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, United Kingdom

5Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom

Find articles by Korte, N. in: PubMed | Google Scholar

1Department of Neuroscience, Physiology & Pharmacology, University College London, London, United Kingdom

2Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom

3Center for Regenerative Medicine (CReM), Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, United States of America

4Department of Neurosurgery, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, United Kingdom

5Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom

Find articles by Ilkan, Z. in: PubMed | Google Scholar |

1Department of Neuroscience, Physiology & Pharmacology, University College London, London, United Kingdom

2Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom

3Center for Regenerative Medicine (CReM), Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, United States of America

4Department of Neurosurgery, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, United Kingdom

5Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom

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1Department of Neuroscience, Physiology & Pharmacology, University College London, London, United Kingdom

2Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom

3Center for Regenerative Medicine (CReM), Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, United States of America

4Department of Neurosurgery, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, United Kingdom

5Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom

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1Department of Neuroscience, Physiology & Pharmacology, University College London, London, United Kingdom

2Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom

3Center for Regenerative Medicine (CReM), Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, United States of America

4Department of Neurosurgery, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, United Kingdom

5Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom

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1Department of Neuroscience, Physiology & Pharmacology, University College London, London, United Kingdom

2Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom

3Center for Regenerative Medicine (CReM), Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, United States of America

4Department of Neurosurgery, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, United Kingdom

5Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom

Find articles by Rock, J. in: PubMed | Google Scholar

1Department of Neuroscience, Physiology & Pharmacology, University College London, London, United Kingdom

2Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom

3Center for Regenerative Medicine (CReM), Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, United States of America

4Department of Neurosurgery, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, United Kingdom

5Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom

Find articles by Sethi, H. in: PubMed | Google Scholar

1Department of Neuroscience, Physiology & Pharmacology, University College London, London, United Kingdom

2Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom

3Center for Regenerative Medicine (CReM), Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, United States of America

4Department of Neurosurgery, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, United Kingdom

5Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom

Find articles by Gill, D. in: PubMed | Google Scholar |

1Department of Neuroscience, Physiology & Pharmacology, University College London, London, United Kingdom

2Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom

3Center for Regenerative Medicine (CReM), Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, United States of America

4Department of Neurosurgery, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, United Kingdom

5Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom

Find articles by Attwell, D. in: PubMed | Google Scholar |

1Department of Neuroscience, Physiology & Pharmacology, University College London, London, United Kingdom

2Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom

3Center for Regenerative Medicine (CReM), Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, United States of America

4Department of Neurosurgery, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, United Kingdom

5Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom

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Published March 22, 2022 - More info

J Clin Invest. https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI154118.
Copyright © 2022, Korte et al. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.
Published March 22, 2022 - Version history
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Abstract

Pericyte-mediated capillary constriction decreases cerebral blood flow in stroke after an occluded artery is unblocked. The determinants of pericyte tone are poorly understood. We show that a small rise in cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) in pericytes activates chloride efflux through the Ca2+-gated anion channel TMEM16A, thus depolarizing the cell and opening voltage-gated calcium channels. This mechanism strongly amplifies the pericyte [Ca2+]i rise and capillary constriction evoked by contractile agonists and ischemia. In a rodent stroke model, TMEM16A inhibition slows the ischemia-evoked pericyte [Ca2+]i rise, capillary constriction and pericyte death, reduces neutrophil stalling and improves cerebrovascular reperfusion. Genetic analysis implicates altered TMEM16A expression in poor patient recovery from ischemic stroke. Thus, pericyte TMEM16A is a crucial regulator of cerebral capillary function, and a potential therapeutic target for stroke and possibly other disorders of impaired microvascular flow, such as Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia.

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