High Glucose-Induced TRPC6 Channel Activation Decreases Glutamate Uptake in Rat Retinal Müller Cells

High glucose (HG) increases the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), leading to decreased glutamate uptake in Müller cells. The transient receptor potential cation channel 6 (TRPC6) channel, an oxidative stress-sensitive Ca2+-permeable cationic channel, is readily detected in Müller cells and highly expressed under HG conditions. Yet, the effect of high glucose-induced TRPC6 channel activation in Müller cells is poorly understood. We hypothesized that TRPC6 channel activation mediates high glucose-induced decreases in Müller cell glutamate uptake. We found RNA interference (RNAi) of the TRPC6 channel abolished HG-induced decreases in glutamate uptake and cell death. HG also decreased the expression of the glutamate-aspartate transporter (GLAST), which is the most important transporter involved in glutamate uptake. The mRNA level of ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) in rMC-1 cells and the release of CNTF in the culture media was decreased, but the mRNA levels of IL-6 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were increased under HG conditions. After RNAi silencing in rMC-1 cells, the mRNA levels of CNTF increased, but IL-6 and VEGF levels decreased. Furthermore, TRPC6 knockdown (KD) decreased expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and increased expression of Kir4.1, pointing to inhibition of HG-induced gliosis in rMC-1 cells. ROS and intracellular Ca2+ levels decreased after TRPC6 knockdown. Exposure to Hyp9 (10 μM), a highly selective TRPC6 channel agonist, can aggravate HG-induced pathological changes. Collectively, our results suggest TRPC6 channel activation is involved in HG-induced decreases in glutamate uptake in rMC-1 cells. These findings provide novel insights into the role of TRPC6 in HG-induced retinal neurovasculopathy and suggest TRPC6 is a promising target for drug development for diabetic retinopathy (DR).