This Biophysics Week, the Committee for Inclusion and Diversity is highlighting some of the outstanding researchers who participated in the Justice for Underrepresented Scholars Training in Biophysics (JUST-B) Poster Session at the Biophysical Society's 66th Annual Meeting in San Francisco.

Today's featured student is Luis O. Romero, a PhD student at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.

What is your current position?

I am a second-year graduate student in the Cordero-Vásquez research group, led by my advisor Dr. Valeria Vásquez and Dr. Julio F. Cordero-Morales, at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center located in Memphis, TN.

Please share a brief description of your research.

Broadly, my research at the Cordero-Vásquez research group focuses on understanding how membrane lipid composition modulates ion channel function. Specifically, I study PIEZOs and Transient Receptor Potential (TRP) channels.

Can you please provide a few potential applications of your research?

The PIEZO ion channel family is comprised of two members, PIEZO1 and PIEZO2¹. Both proteins are mechanosensitive non-selective cation channels involved in several physiological processes. For example, PIEZO1 is expressed in the membrane of red blood cells². Gain-of-function mutations in the Piezo1 gene are associated with hemolytic anemia characterized by increased permeability of the red blood cell membrane³. In our lab, we have demonstrated that by enriching the plasma membrane with the dietary polyunsaturated fatty acid Eicosapentaenoic acid we can abrogate the phenotype of Piezo1 mutations causing hemolytic anemia⁴. On the other hand, PIEZO2 is expressed in sensory neurons innervating the skin. Other groups (the Patapoutian, and Chesler labs) have shown that PIEZO2 is the essential component of the neuronal mechanism to develop tactile allodynia (in other words, when stimuli that wouldn’t normally cause pain becomes painful, for example when we get sun burns)^5-6. We have found that Margaric Acid, a saturated fatty acid, can counteract neuronal mechanical sensitization and potentially ameliorate the painful sensation associated with tactile allodynia⁷. Taken together, both examples point that we can use fatty acids to fine-tune PIEZOs mechanical response, and that this approach can potentially help patients in different pathophysiological conditions.

How might your research be relevant to those who are not working in your specific field?

Beyond ion channels, anyone interested in transmembrane proteins or processes which depend on the mechanical properties of the membrane might find relevance in our work. 

What was your favorite thing about the recent BPS meeting in San Francisco?

The inaugural Justice for Underrepresented Scholars Training in Biophysics (JUST-B) session, which I had the honor to present at! Representation matters, and I am very grateful to the people (and organizations) that spearheaded this initiative.

What is your favorite thing about biophysics?

Being able to record and see the activity of a single ion channel in real time. Seeing this on the screen of the oscilloscope amazes me every time.

What do you like to do outside of work/school?

I enjoy reading Japanese Manga, playing soccer, and playing online games with my friends living in other states/countries.

Do you have a website where our readers can view your recent research and follow your career? Or want to share professional social media handles?

You can find news related to our lab at https://www.corderovasquezlab.com/ and my professional social media handles are: https://twitter.com/LuisOctavioR and https://www.linkedin.com/in/luis7octavio/

 

References:

1. Coste, B. et al. Piezo1 and Piezo2 are essential components of distinct mechanically activated cation channels. Science 330, 55–60 (2010).

2. Cahalan, S. M. et al. Piezo1 links mechanical forces to red blood cell volume. Elife 4, e07370 (2015).

3. Glogowska, E. et al. Novel mechanisms of PIEZO1 dysfunction in hereditary xerocytosis. Blood 130, 1845–1856 (2017)

4. Romero, L.O., Massey, A.E., Mata-Daboin, A.D. et al. Dietary fatty acids fine-tune Piezo1 mechanical response. Nat Commun 10, 1200 (2019).

5. Murthy, S. E. et al. The mechanosensitive ion channel Piezo2 mediates sensitivity to mechanical pain in mice. Sci. Transl. Med. 10 (2018).

6. Szczot, M. et al. PIEZO2 mediates injury-induced tactile pain in mice and humans. Sci. Transl. Med. 10 (2018).

7. Romero, L.O., Caires, R., Nickolls, A.R. et al. A dietary fatty acid counteracts neuronal mechanical sensitization. Nat Commun 11, 2997 (2020).