title: Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid-1 in Epidermal Keratinocytes May Contribute to Acute Pain in Herpes Zoster.
abstract: The role of transient receptor potential vanilloid-1 (TRPV1) in the initiation of neurogenic inflammation and transduction of pain is well established. In this study 33 patients with herpes zoster (HZ) were recruited from a single centre and underwent a questionnaire interview at their first visit. Punch biopsies from the HZ lesions and the contralateral unaffected skin were performed to localize and quantify the expression of TRPV1. Immunofluorescent staining for TRPV1 was most prominent in the epidermal keratinocytes. Both TRPV1 mRNA and protein levels were significantly higher in the HZ epidermis than in control epidermis (relative ratio 1.62 ± 0.27, p = 0.033 and 2.55 ± 0.51, p = 0.005, respectively). Protein TRPV1 ratio (HZ lesion/control) correlated with the degree of pain (measured on a visual analogue scale; VAS) (p = 0.017) and was significantly lower in patients who had taken either HZ medication or painkillers prior to their visit. These results suggest that non-neuronal TRPV1 may contribute to acute pain in herpes zoster.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology , Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Sang Bum
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Hyeree
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sang Hyun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Jeong Deuk
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jin Ho
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Hei Sung
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D059787:Acute Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000821:virology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001706:Biopsy; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004817:Epidermis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006562:Herpes Zoster / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D050916:TRPV Cation Channels / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D050916:TRPV Cation Channels; C494482:TRPV1 protein, human