TREK channel activation suppresses migraine pain phenotype

Pablo Ávalos Prado (1, 2) , Arnaud Landra-Willm (1, 2) , Clément Verkest (1, 3, 2) , Aurore Ribera (1, 2) , Anne-Amandine Chassot (1, 2) , Anne Baron (2, 3) , Guillaume Sandoz (1, 2)

1 IBV - Institut de Biologie Valrose
2 CHU Nice - Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nice
3 IPMC - Institut de pharmacologie moléculaire et cellulaire

Activation and sensitization of trigeminal ganglia (TG) sensory neurons, leading to the release of pro-inflammatory peptides such as calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), are likely a key component in migraine-related headache induction. Reducing TG neuron excitability represents therefore an attractive alternative strategy to relieve migraine pain. Here by using pharmacology and genetic invalidation ex vivo and in vivo, we demonstrate that activating TREK1 and TREK2 two-pore-domain potassium (K2P) channels inhibits TG neuronal firing sufficiently to fully reverse the migraine-like phenotype induced by NO-donors in rodents. Finally, targeting TREK is as efficient as treatment with CGRP antagonists, which represents one of the most effective migraine therapies. Altogether, our results demonstrate that inhibiting TG excitability by pharmacological activation of TREK channels should be considered as an alternative to the current migraine treatment.

Keywords: Sensory neuroscience; behavioral neuroscience; biological sciences; neuroscience; pharmacology

Domains: Life Sciences [q-bio]

Pablo Ávalos Prado, Arnaud Landra-Willm, Clément Verkest, Aurore Ribera, Anne-Amandine Chassot, et al.. TREK channel activation suppresses migraine pain phenotype. iScience, 2021, 24 (9), pp.102961. ⟨10.1016/j.isci.2021.102961⟩. ⟨hal-03431811⟩