Human TRPA1 is intrinsically cold- and chemosensitive with and without its N-terminal ankyrin repeat domain.

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Moparthi L, Survery S, Kreir M, Simonsen C, Kjellbom P, Hogestatt ED, Johanson U, Zygmunt PM

Human TRPA1 is intrinsically cold- and chemosensitive with and without its N-terminal ankyrin repeat domain.

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2014 Nov 25;111(47):16901-6. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1412689111. Epub 2014 Nov 11.

PubMed ID
25389312 [ View in PubMed
]
Abstract

We have purified and reconstituted human transient receptor potential (TRP) subtype A1 (hTRPA1) into lipid bilayers and recorded single-channel currents to understand its inherent thermo- and chemosensory properties as well as the role of the ankyrin repeat domain (ARD) of the N terminus in channel behavior. We report that hTRPA1 with and without its N-terminal ARD (Delta1-688 hTRPA1) is intrinsically cold-sensitive, and thus, cold-sensing properties of hTRPA1 reside outside the N-terminal ARD. We show activation of hTRPA1 by the thiol oxidant 2-((biotinoyl)amino)ethyl methanethiosulfonate (MTSEA-biotin) and that electrophilic compounds activate hTRPA1 in the presence and absence of the N-terminal ARD. The nonelectrophilic compounds menthol and the cannabinoid Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabiorcol (C16) directly activate hTRPA1 at different sites independent of the N-terminal ARD. The TRPA1 antagonist HC030031 inhibited cold and chemical activation of hTRPA1 and Delta1-688 hTRPA1, supporting a direct interaction with hTRPA1 outside the N-terminal ARD. These findings show that hTRPA1 is an intrinsically cold- and chemosensitive ion channel. Thus, second messengers, including Ca(2+), or accessory proteins are not needed for hTRPA1 responses to cold or chemical activators. We suggest that conformational changes outside the N-terminal ARD by cold, electrophiles, and nonelectrophiles are important in hTRPA1 channel gating and that targeting chemical interaction sites outside the N-terminal ARD provides possibilities to fine tune TRPA1-based drug therapies (e.g., for treatment of pain associated with cold hypersensitivity and cardiovascular disease).

DrugBank Data that Cites this Article

Polypeptides
NameUniProt ID
Transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily A member 1O75762Details