Cyclophosphamide-induced HCN1 channel upregulation in interstitial Cajal-like cells leads to bladder hyperactivity in mice

Research implicating a protein channel in bladder cell membranes in inflammatory bladder disorders could lead to new treatments. Longkun Li and colleagues at the Third Military Medical University in Chongqing, China, investigated a specific type of bladder cell in mice with chemically-induced cystitis, an inflammation of the bladder. Their results suggest that the cystitis was linked to increased production of the membrane protein HCN, which allows ions to pass through cell membranes. The cells concerned, known as interstitial Cajal-like cells, have already been implicated in various bladder disorders in humans, but the mechanism of their involvement was unclear. If their role in mice can also be confirmed in humans, drugs that interact with the HCN protein, or reduce its production, may be able to treat cystitis and other inflammatory bladder disorders.