TY - JOUR
T1 - More than cool
T2 - Promiscuous relationships of menthol and other sensory compounds
AU - Macpherson, Lindsey J.
AU - Hwang, Sun Wook
AU - Miyamoto, Takashi
AU - Dubin, Adrienne E.
AU - Patapoutian, Ardem
AU - Story, Gina M.
N1 - Funding Information:
We thank H. Hu and T. Earley for the technical assistance. This work was supported by NINDS grants NS046303 and NS04910. A.P. is a Damon Runyon Fellow and a member of the H. Dorris Neurological Research Institute. G.S. is a recipient of an NRSA postdoctoral fellowship from NIH (NS047911).
PY - 2006/8
Y1 - 2006/8
N2 - Several temperature-activated transient receptor potential (thermoTRP) ion channels are the molecular receptors of natural compounds that evoke thermal and pain sensations. Menthol, popularly known for its cooling effect, activates TRPM8-a cold-activated thermoTRP ion channel. However, human physiological studies demonstrate a paradoxical role of menthol in modulation of warm sensation, and here, we show that menthol also activates heat-activated TRPV3. We further show that menthol inhibits TRPA1, potentially explaining the use of menthol as an analgesic. Similar to menthol, both camphor and cinnamaldehyde (initially reported to be specific activators of TRPV3 and TRPA1, respectively) also modulate other thermoTRPs. Therefore, we find that many "sensory compounds" presumed to be specific have a promiscuous relationship with thermoTRPs.
AB - Several temperature-activated transient receptor potential (thermoTRP) ion channels are the molecular receptors of natural compounds that evoke thermal and pain sensations. Menthol, popularly known for its cooling effect, activates TRPM8-a cold-activated thermoTRP ion channel. However, human physiological studies demonstrate a paradoxical role of menthol in modulation of warm sensation, and here, we show that menthol also activates heat-activated TRPV3. We further show that menthol inhibits TRPA1, potentially explaining the use of menthol as an analgesic. Similar to menthol, both camphor and cinnamaldehyde (initially reported to be specific activators of TRPV3 and TRPA1, respectively) also modulate other thermoTRPs. Therefore, we find that many "sensory compounds" presumed to be specific have a promiscuous relationship with thermoTRPs.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33746716158&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.mcn.2006.05.005
DO - 10.1016/j.mcn.2006.05.005
M3 - Article
C2 - 16829128
AN - SCOPUS:33746716158
VL - 32
SP - 335
EP - 343
JO - Molecular and Cellular Neurosciences
JF - Molecular and Cellular Neurosciences
SN - 1044-7431
IS - 4
ER -