Loss of TRPM2 function protects against irradiation-induced salivary gland dysfunction

Xerostomia as a result of salivary gland damage is a permanent and debilitating side effect of radiotherapy for head and neck cancers. Effective treatments for protecting, or restoring, salivary gland function are not available. Here we report that irradiation treatment leads to activation of the calcium-permeable channel, transient potential melastatin-like 2 (TRPM2), via stimulation of poly-ADP-ribose polymerase. Importantly, irradiation induced an irreversible loss of salivary gland fluid secretion in TRPM2+/+ mice while a transient loss was seen in TRPM2−/− mice with >60% recovery by 30 days after irradiation. Treatment of TRPM2+/+ mice with the free radical scavenger Tempol or the PARP1 inhibitor 3-aminobenzamide attenuated irradiation-induced activation of TRPM2 and induced significant recovery of salivary fluid secretion. Furthermore, TPL (4-hydroxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine- N -oxyl) induced complete recovery of function in irradiated TRPM2−/− mice. These novel data demonstrate that TRPM2 is activated by irradiation, via PARP1 activation, and contributes to irreversible loss of salivary gland function. A debilitating side effect of radiotherapy in patients with head and neck cancers is xerostomia as a result of salivary gland dysfunction. Here Liu et al . show that activation of the calcium channel TRPM2 in salivary gland cells contributes to irradiation-induced loss of salivary fluid secretion.