The capsaicin receptor: a heat-activated ion channel in the pain pathway

Abstract

Capsaicin, the main pungent ingredient in 'hot' chilli peppers, elicits a sensation of burning pain by selectively activating sensory neurons that convey information about noxious stimuli to the central nervous system. We have used an expression cloning strategy based on calcium influx to isolate a functional cDNA encoding a capsaicin receptor from sensory neurons. This receptor is a non-selective cation channel that is structurally related to members of the TRP family of ion channels. The cloned capsaicin receptor is also activated by increases in temperature in the noxious range, suggesting that it functions as a transducer of painful thermal stimuli in vivo.

Keywords

CapsaicinChemistryIon channelReceptorTransient receptor potential channelTRPV1PharmacologyBiophysicsMedicineBiologyBiochemistry

MeSH Terms

Afferent PathwaysAmino Acid SequenceAnimalsCalciumCalcium ChannelsCapsaicinCapsicumCell DeathCell LineCloningMolecularDrosophila ProteinsElectrophysiologyHot TemperatureHumansInsect ProteinsIon Channel GatingIon ChannelsMolecular Sequence DataNeuronsAfferentNeurotoxinsNociceptorsPlantsMedicinalProtonsReceptorsDrugSequence HomologyAmino AcidTransient Receptor Potential ChannelsXenopus

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Publication Info

Year: 1997
Type: article
Volume: 389
Issue: 6653
Pages: 816-824
Citations: 8889
Access: Closed

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APA Style

                            
                                
                                    Michael J. Caterina, 
                                
                                    Mark Schumacher, 
                                
                                    Makoto Tominaga
                                
                                et al.
                            
                            (1997). 
                            The capsaicin receptor: a heat-activated ion channel in the pain pathway. 
                            Nature
                            , 389
                            (6653)
                            , 816-824.
                            https://doi.org/10.1038/39807
                        

Identifiers

DOI: 10.1038/39807
PMID: 9349813

Data Quality

Data completeness: 86%