Impaired calcium mobilization in natural killer cells from chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis patients is associated with transient receptor potential melastatin 3 ion channels

Transient receptor potential melastatin subfamily 3 (TRPM3) ion channels play a role in calcium (Ca(2+)) cell signalling. Reduced TRPM3 protein expression has been identified in chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) patients. However, the significance of TRPM3 and association with intracellular Ca(2+) mobilization has yet to be determined. Fifteen CFS/ME patients (mean age 48·82 ± 9·83 years) and 25 healthy controls (mean age 39·2 ± 12·12 years) were examined. Isolated natural killer (NK) cells were labelled with fluorescent antibodies to determine TRPM3, CD107a and CD69 receptors on CD56(dim)CD16(+)NK cells and CD56(bright)CD16(dim/–) NK cells. Ca(2+) flux and NK cytotoxicity activity was measured under various stimulants, including pregnenolone sulphate (PregS), thapsigargin (TG), 2‐aminoethoxydiphenyl borate (2APB) and ionomycin. Unstimulated CD56(bright)CD16(dim/–) NK cells showed significantly reduced TRPM3 receptors in CFS/ME compared with healthy controls (HC). Ca(2+) flux showed no significant difference between groups. Moreover, PregS‐stimulated CD56(bright)CD16(dim/–)NK cells showed a significant increase in Ca(2+) flux in CFS/ME patients compared with HC. By comparison, unstimulated CD56(dim)CD16(+) NK cells showed no significant difference in both Ca(2+) flux and TRPM3 expression. PregS‐stimulated CD56(dim)CD16(+) NK cells increased TRPM3 expression significantly in CFS/ME, but this was not associated with a significant increase in Ca(2+) flux. Furthermore, TG‐stimulated CD56(dim)CD16(+) NK cells increased K562 cell lysis prior to PregS stimulation in CFS/ME patients compared with HC. Differential expression of TRPM3 and Ca(2+) flux between NK cell subtypes may provide evidence for their role in the pathomechanism involving NK cell cytotoxicity activity in CFS/ME.