Anoctamin 1 Mediates Thermal Pain as a Heat Sensor

Title:Anoctamin 1 Mediates Thermal Pain as a Heat Sensor

Volume: 11 Issue: 6

Author(s): Hawon Cho and Uhtaek Oh

Affiliation:

Keywords: ANO1, CaCC, pain, heat, thermo TRP, sensory neurons.

Abstract: Vertebrates can sense and avoid noxious heat that evokes pain. Many thermoTRP channels are associated with temperature sensation. TRPV1 is a representative ion channel that is activated by noxious heat. Anoctamin 1 (ANO1) is a Cl^- channel activated by calcium that is highly expressed in small sensory neurons, colocalized with markers for nociceptors, and most surprisingly, activated by noxious heat over 44°C. Although ANO1 is a Cl^- channel, opening of this channel leads to depolarization of sensory neurons, suggesting a role in nociception. Indeed, the functional deletion of ANO1 in sensory neurons triggers the reduction in thermal pain sensation. Thus, it seems clear that ANO1 is a heat sensor in a nociceptive pathway. Since ANO1 modulators are developed for the purpose of treating chronic diseases such as cystic fibrosis, this finding is likely to predict unwanted effects and provide a guide for better developmental strategy.

Cite this article as:

Cho Hawon and Oh Uhtaek, Anoctamin 1 Mediates Thermal Pain as a Heat Sensor, Current Neuropharmacology 2013; 11 (6) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1570159X113119990038