Academia Sinica researchers have found evidence of a protein’s involvement in sensing the movement of limbs and the body, which might inform research into new therapies for movement disorders and benefit people with mobility issues due to aging, diabetes, spinal injury and cerebral palsy.
An international team led by research fellow Chen Chih-cheng (陳志成) found that the acid-sensing ion channel 3 (ASIC3) protein, which is involved in proprioception — the awareness of the position of one’s body and its movement — Chen told a told a news conference in Taipei on Tuesday.
The ASIC3 has been understood to induce muscle soreness, but the team discovered another function of the protein in detecting small and rapid movements, through which the brain is informed where limbs are and what they are doing, Chen said.
“People rely on ASIC3 to walk in a straight line with their eyes closed. If the ASIC3 was knocked out in humans, we could easily fall because we would be unable to sense our body,” he said.
The mechanism of proprioception remains largely unknown compared with other senses, such as temperature, sight, smell, taste and pain, because approaches to identify specific roles for the proteins involved in proprioception are challenging.
Chen’s team was able to detect proprioception and analyze its underlying molecular mechanism by developing a new technique to control ion channels on the cell membrane, whose functions include cell-to-cell communication and activating cell action, and opening channels in the nerve endings that detect movement.
The team manipulated the expression of ASIC3 on genetically modified mice and found that when ASIC3 was blocked, cells no longer detected very gentle movements, isolated muscles were hypersensitive to rapid movements and fine foot placement
“Mice, which were able to walk across a narrow bar, slipped easily when ASIC3 was blocked, and they had difficulty sensing their body’s position and did not know how much strength was needed to maintain their balance,” Chen said.
This is the first time that researchers have proved that an ion channel (ASIC3) is involved in kinesthetics in vertebrates, and the finding might facilitate further research to discover more proteins involved not only in walking, but perhaps in the detection of blood pressure and mechanical pain.
The research, which was published in academic journal Nature Communications last month might also help develop therapeutic strategies for movement disorders due to aging, diabetes, spinal injury and cerebral palsy, he said.
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