title: A TRP channel that senses cold stimuli and menthol.
abstract: A distinct subset of sensory neurons are thought to directly sense changes in thermal energy through their termini in the skin. Very little is known about the molecules that mediate thermoreception by these neurons. Vanilloid Receptor 1 (VR1), a member of the TRP family of channels, is activated by noxious heat. Here we describe the cloning and characterization of TRPM8, a distant relative of VR1. TRPM8 is specifically expressed in a subset of pain- and temperature-sensing neurons. Cells overexpressing the TRPM8 channel can be activated by cold temperatures and by a cooling agent, menthol. Our identification of a cold-sensing TRP channel in a distinct subpopulation of sensory neurons implicates an expanded role for this family of ion channels in somatic sensory detection.
authors.affiliation: Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation, San Diego, CA 92121, USA.
authors.forename: Andrea M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Peier
authors.forename: Aziz
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moqrich
authors.forename: Anne C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Hergarden
authors.forename: Alison J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Reeve
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Andersson
authors.forename: Gina M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Story
authors.forename: Taryn J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Earley
authors.forename: Ilaria
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Dragoni
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: McIntyre
authors.forename: Stuart
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bevan
authors.forename: Ardem
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Patapoutian
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000982:Antipruritics / Q000494:pharmacology; D016466:CHO Cells; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D003080:Cold Temperature; D006224:Cricetinae; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008610:Menthol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D010802:Phylogeny; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D050052:TRPC Cation Channels; D013823:Thermoreceptors / Q000378:metabolism*; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D000982:Antipruritics; D015220:Calcium Channels; D050052:TRPC Cation Channels; D008610:Menthol; D002118:Calcium