Primary alcohols activate human TRPA1 channel in a carbon chain length-dependent manner

Komatsu, T; Uchida, K; Fujita, F; Zhou, Y; Tominaga, M

HERO ID

1457220

Reference Type

Journal Article

Year

2012

Language

English

PMID

22222967

HERO ID 1457220
In Press No
Year 2012
Title Primary alcohols activate human TRPA1 channel in a carbon chain length-dependent manner
Authors Komatsu, T; Uchida, K; Fujita, F; Zhou, Y; Tominaga, M
Journal Pflügers Archiv: European Journal of Physiology
Volume 463
Issue 4
Page Numbers 549-559
Abstract Transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) is a calcium-permeable non-selective cation channel that is mainly expressed in primary nociceptive neurons. TRPA1 is activated by a variety of noxious stimuli, including cold temperatures, pungent compounds such as mustard oil and cinnamaldehyde, and intracellular alkalization. Here, we show that primary alcohols, which have been reported to cause skin, eye or nasal irritation, activate human TRPA1 (hTRPA1). We measured intracellular Ca(2+) changes in HEK293 cells expressing hTRPA1 induced by 1 mM primary alcohols. Higher alcohols (1-butanol to 1-octanol) showed Ca(2+) increases proportional to the carbon chain length. In whole-cell patch-clamp recordings, higher alcohols (1-hexanol to 1-octanol) activated hTRPA1 and the potency increased with the carbon chain length. Higher alcohols evoked single-channel opening of hTRPA1 in an inside-out configuration. In addition, cysteine at 665 in the N terminus and histidine at 983 in the C terminus were important for hTRPA1 activation by primary alcohols. Furthermore, straight-chain secondary alcohols increased intracellular Ca(2+) concentrations in HEK293 cells expressing hTRPA1, and both primary and secondary alcohols showed hTRPA1 activation activities that correlated highly with their octanol/water partition coefficients. On the other hand, mouse TRPA1 did not show a strong response to 1-hexanol or 1-octanol, nor did these alcohols evoke significant pain in mice. We conclude that primary and secondary alcohols activate hTRPA1 in a carbon chain length-dependent manner. TRPA1 could be a sensor of alcohols inducing skin, eye and nasal irritation in human.
Doi 10.1007/s00424-011-1069-4
Pmid 22222967
Wosid WOS:000301524000005
Is Certified Translation No
Dupe Override No
Comments Source: Web of Science WOS:000301524000005
Is Public Yes
Language Text English
Keyword Alcohol; Transient receptor potential; Pain; Sensory neurons; Calcium imaging; Patch clamp