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

• Published in: Nature (London) 1997-10, Vol.389 (6653), p.816-824
• Main Authors: Caterina, M.J, Schumacher, M.A, Tominaga, M, Rosen, T.A, Levine, J.D, Julius, D
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Afferent Pathways - metabolism; Amino Acid Sequence; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Calcium; Calcium - metabolism; Calcium Channels - chemistry; capsaicin; Capsaicin - metabolism; Capsaicin - pharmacology; Capsicum; cell culture; Cell Death - drug effects; Cell Line; Cellular biology; Central nervous system; Cloning; Cloning, Molecular; Drosophila Proteins; Electrophysiology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Hot Temperature; Humanities and Social Sciences; Humans; Insect Proteins - chemistry; Ion Channel Gating; Ion Channels - genetics; Ion Channels - metabolism; mechanism of action; membrane permeability; Molecular Sequence Data; multidisciplinary; Neurology; neurons; Neurons, Afferent - metabolism; Neurotoxins - metabolism; Neurotoxins - pharmacology; Nociceptors - metabolism; Pain; Pharmacology; Plants, Medicinal; Protons; receptors; Receptors, Drug - chemistry; Receptors, Drug - genetics; Receptors, Drug - metabolism; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Sensory perception; Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; Somesthesis and somesthetic pathways (proprioception, exteroception, nociception); interoception; electrolocation. Sensory receptors; stimuli; Temperature; Transient Receptor Potential Channels; Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs; Xenopus
• ISSN: 0028-0836; 1476-4687
• DOI: 10.1038/39807

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.