B P International

The perception of temperature is a major component of sensory experience of animal and human organisms. A sensitive response of the nervous system to changes in temperature is of predominant importance for homeo-therms to maintain a stable body temperature. Recent investigations in central and peripheral thermosensitivity have emphasized the importance of temperature-activated transient receptor potential (TRP) cation channels and they are being ardently pursued as targets for analgesic drug discovery. They are the largest group of sensory detectors expressed in nerve terminals and pain receptors activated by temperature and provide information about thermal changes in the environment. These temperature sensitive or thermo-TRP channels (TRPA1, TRPM8, TRPV1, TRPV2, TRPV3 and TRPV4) have been characterized to date that exhibit sensitivity to increases or decreases in temperature as well as to chemical substances that elicit similar hot or cold sensations. The thermal thresholds of man...

The Transient Receptor Potential (TRP) channel superfamily is comprised of a large group of cation-permeable channels, which display an extraordinary diversity of functions from sensory signaling to animal behaviors. These channels are ‘cellular sensors’ that respond to changes in the cellular environment, including temperature, stretch/pressure, chemicals, oxidation/reduction, osmolarity and pH, and of spices, venoms and toxins. The role of TRPs will be further elucidated in complex diseases of the nervous, intestinal, renal, urogenital, respiratory and cardiovascular systems. Although the physiological functions of most TRP channels are not well known, their wide distribution in cellular membranes indicates that the biological functions and activation mechanisms for these channels are diverse and important. In this paper we review our recent findings of activation different TRP channels evoked by chemical irritants such as cinnamon aldehyde and mustard oil for TRPA1, menthol for T...