title: Evolving understanding on the aetiology of thermally provoked itch.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Itch is one of the major symptoms in dermatology clinics, and severely impairs the quality of life. Itch is frequently produced by environmental stimuli, especially heat or warmth. Changes of temperature on the skin surface and noxious heat stimuli augment and develop itch, respectively. Thermally provoked itch is sometimes intractable with existing treatments.
  Recent researches, linking heat sensation and itch, were searched in MEDLINE literature database through PubMed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Recent studies of the transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily vanilloid type 1 (TRPV1), the calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and the vesicular glutamate transporter 2 (VGLUT2), which link noxious heat and itch, contribute to a much better understanding of the thermally evoked itch process. From a clinical perspective, a warm sensation is a major provocative factor for subjects with atopic dermatitis. The accumulation of artemin (also known as enovin or neublastin) in the dermis of lesional skin can possibly provide a pathological mechanism for warmth-provoked itch.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This mini-review describes recent results of both basic and clinical research related to thermally provoked itch.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Course of Integrated Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Murota
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Course of Integrated Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Japan.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Katayama
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D011537:Pruritus / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D013697:Thermosensing / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: C490886:ARTN protein, human; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins