title: [Analysis of TRPV1 gene polymorphisms in Spanish patients with neuropathic pain].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The vanilloid receptor TRPV1 is a molecular integrator of painful stimuli. Several recent studies suggest that TRPV1 may play a role in development and maintenance of chronic pain. In an attempt to determine if genotypic variations in TRPV1 gene could be involved in the susceptibility to suffer neuropathic pain we have studied genetic variants of human TRPV1 gene.
  
  
  METHODS
  We have studied the distribution of Met315Ile and Ile585Val TRPV1 polymorphisms in a total of 440 Caucasian subjects: 232 patients with neuropathic pain and 208 healthy subjects matched by age and sex. The polymorphisms were analyzed with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using TaqMan probes specific for each allele.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our results show that the distribution of Met315Ile and Ile585Val genotypes and alleles is similar in patients with neuropathic pain and in healthy subjects. However, the Met315Met genotype is more frequent in females diagnosed as suffering neuropathic pain. No differences were observed when we segregate the patients according to visual analogue scale values.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The observation of differences in the distribution of Met315Ile TRPV1 genotypes only in females diagnosed of neuropathic pain suggests that this polymorphism, together with other physiological factors such as sex, may influence individual susceptibility to neuropathic pain.
authors.affiliation: Cátedra Extraordinaria del Dolor, Fundación Grünenthal-Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, España. gonzalez@usal.es
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Armero
authors.forename: Clemente
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Muriel
authors.forename: Mónica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: López
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: Rogelio
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: González-Sarmiento
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005819:Genetic Markers; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009437:Neuralgia / Q000235:genetics*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012737:Sex Factors; D013030:Spain; D050916:TRPV Cation Channels / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D005819:Genetic Markers; D050916:TRPV Cation Channels; C494482:TRPV1 protein, human