Mechanosensitive channels in the gut–brain axis: From gut motility to interoceptive behavior

The gut–brain axis is a bidirectional communication network linking gastrointestinal function with central nervous system circuits that regulate stress, affect, and behavior. Mechanical forces arising from gut motility, luminal distension, and tissue deformation are key drivers of this communication, sensed primarily by mechanosensitive channels such as Piezo1, Piezo2, TRPV4, and ASICs. These channels transduce mechanical stimuli into electrical and chemical signals in enteric neurons, glia, and epithelial cells, which are then conveyed to the brain via vagal and spinal pathways. Emerging evidence indicates that alterations in mechanosensitive signaling contribute to stress-related behaviors, visceral pain, and functional gastrointestinal disorders. Understanding how mechanotransduction in the gut shapes interoceptive signals that regulate affect, stress responsivity, and emotion processing, highlighting novel targets for therapeutic intervention in gut–brain disorders.This Research Topic aims to highlight and integrate emerging research on the role of mechanosensitive channels in gut–brain communication and their impact on interoceptive behavior. We seek to bridge molecular, cellular, and systems-level perspectives by examining how mechanotransduction in the gastrointestinal tract influences central neural circuits and behavioral outcomes. Contributions may explore mechanosensitive channels in enteric and central nervous system neurons, glia, epithelial cells, and immune cells, as well as their modulation by stress, inflammation, or microbial interactions. The Topic encourages studies ranging from basic mechanistic investigations in animal models to translational research in human subjects, including behavioral, physiological, and neuroimaging approaches. By assembling work that connects gut motility, mechanotransduction, and an organism level behavioral responses, this issue aims to define the mechanistic underpinnings of gut–brain interoception, provide insight into stress- and pain-related gastrointestinal disorders, and identify potential therapeutic targets for modulating gut–brain signaling.This Research Topic focuses on the role of mechanosensitive channels in gut–brain communication and their influence on interoceptive behavior, stress responsivity, and emotion-related visceral pain. We welcome contributions that investigate mechanotransduction in enteric neurons, glia, epithelial cells, and immune cells, and how these pathways integrate with central nervous system circuits. Specific themes of interest include, but are not limited to: • The contribution of Piezo, TRP, and ASIC channels to gut motility and visceral sensation, and their downstream effects on interoceptive and affective processes. • Modulation of mechanosensitive signaling by stress, inflammation, or microbiota, and how these factors alter emotional regulation and stress-related neural pathways. • Behavioral and affective consequences of altered mechanotransduction, including changes in interoceptive awareness, stress behavior, and emotional processing.• Translational approaches linking cellular and and circuit-level mechanotransduction mechanisms to human gastrointestinal disorders. Submissions employing in vivo, ex vivo, or in vitro models, neuroimaging, electrophysiology, molecular biology, and behavioral analyses are encouraged. This collection aims to provide a mechanistic framework linking gut-derived mechanical signals to central neural circuits, interoceptive processing, stress responsivity, and emotion-related behavior, integrating gut physiology with the neurobiological mechanisms underlying affect. Topic editors: Dmitrii Pavlov Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/76793/mechanosensitive-channels-in-the-gut-brain-axis-from-gut-motility-to-interoceptive-behavior