• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.192.2-193
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• 2003

Capsaicin, a pungent ingredient in chili pepper, is known to excite sensory neurons that mediate pain sensation. This effect of capsaicin is determined by unique receptors and the capsaicin receptor (transient receptor potential subfamily V, member 1 (TRPV1)) was cloned recently. TRPV1 contains six transmembrane domains and three ankyrin repeats at N-terminal. This characteristic architecture is common in other ion channel in TRPV families. (omitted)

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.405-412
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• 2005

A vanilloid receptor (VR1, now known as TRPV1) is an ion channel activated by vanilloids, including capsaicin (CAP) and resiniferatoxin (RTX), which are pungent ingredients of plants. Putative endogenous activators (anandamide and metabolites of arachidonic acid) are weak activators of VR1 compared to capsaicin and RTX, and the concentrations of the physiological condition of those activators are not sufficient to induce significant activation of VR1. One way to overcome the weak activation of endogenous activators would be the sensitization of VR1, with the phosphorylation of the channel being one possibility. The phosphorylation of VR1 by several kinases has been reported, mostly by indirect evidence. Here, using an in vivo phosphorylation method, the VR1 channel was shown to be sensitized by phosphorylation of the channel itself by multiple pathways involving PKA, PKC and acid. Also, in sensitizing VR1, BK appeared to show activation of PKC for the sensitization of VR1 by phosphorylation of the channel.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.27 no.11
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• pp.1154-1160
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• 2004

We investigated the neurotoxic effects of capsaicin (CAP) on pain sensitivity and on the expression of capsaicin receptor, the vanilloid receptor (VR1), in rats. High-dose application of CAP has been known to degenerate a large fraction of the sensory neurons. Although the neurotoxic effects of CAP are well documented, the effects of CAP on the vanilloid receptor (VR1) are not yet known. In this paper, we investigated the effects of high-dose application of CAP on the expression of VR1 in rats. Thermal and mechanical pain sensitivity was reduced when neonatal rats were treated with a high dose of CAP. This reduction of pain sensitivity was significantly decreased after initiating carrageenan-induced inflammation. The expression of VR1 in dorsal root ganglia (DRG) isolated from the CAP-treated rats was reduced compared to that from the vehicle-treated rats. Therefore, we can conclude that the neurotoxic effect of CAP is related to the decrease of VR1 expression.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.349.1-349.1
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• 2002

Capsaicin. the pungent component of chili pepper. opens a novel cation selective ion channel in the plasma membrane of peripheral sensory neurons. Capsaicin channel agonists induce pain upon topical application in the early stage. which is followed by a period of desensitization. Although the agonists have been studied as a analgesics, their initial irritancy became sever side effect. So competive antagonists have been pursued as a novel pharmacological agent for analgesics, rather than agonists. (omitted)