TRPV3 is a temperature-sensitive vanilloid receptor-like protein

Nature. 2002 Jul 11;418(6894):186-90. doi: 10.1038/nature00894. Epub 2002 Jun 23.

Abstract

Vanilloid receptor-1 (VR1, also known as TRPV1) is a thermosensitive, nonselective cation channel that is expressed by capsaicin-sensitive sensory afferents and is activated by noxious heat, acidic pH and the alkaloid irritant capsaicin. Although VR1 gene disruption results in a loss of capsaicin responses, it has minimal effects on thermal nociception. This and other experiments--such as those showing the existence of capsaicin-insensitive heat sensors in sensory neurons--suggest the existence of thermosensitive receptors distinct from VR1. Here we identify a member of the vanilloid receptor/TRP gene family, vanilloid receptor-like protein 3 (VRL3, also known as TRPV3), which is heat-sensitive but capsaicin-insensitive. VRL3 is coded for by a 2,370-base-pair open reading frame, transcribed from a gene adjacent to VR1, and is structurally homologous to VR1. VRL3 responds to noxious heat with a threshold of about 39 degrees C and is co-expressed in dorsal root ganglion neurons with VR1. Furthermore, when heterologously expressed, VRL3 is able to associate with VR1 and may modulate its responses. Hence, not only is VRL3 a thermosensitive ion channel but it may represent an additional vanilloid receptor subunit involved in the formation of heteromeric vanilloid receptor channels.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Calcium / metabolism
  • Capsaicin / pharmacology
  • Cation Transport Proteins*
  • Cell Line
  • Cloning, Molecular
  • Electrophysiology
  • Ganglia, Spinal / cytology
  • Ganglia, Spinal / drug effects
  • Ganglia, Spinal / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Hot Temperature*
  • Humans
  • Ion Channel Gating* / drug effects
  • Ion Channels / chemistry*
  • Ion Channels / genetics
  • Ion Channels / metabolism*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Precipitin Tests
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Subunits
  • Protons
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Receptors, Drug / chemistry*
  • Receptors, Drug / genetics
  • Receptors, Drug / metabolism
  • Sequence Homology
  • TRPV Cation Channels

Substances

  • Cation Transport Proteins
  • Ion Channels
  • Protein Subunits
  • Protons
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Receptors, Drug
  • TRPV Cation Channels
  • TRPV3 protein, human
  • Capsaicin
  • Calcium