RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 TRPV1b, a Functional Human Vanilloid Receptor Splice Variant JF Molecular Pharmacology JO Mol Pharmacol FD American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics SP 1119 OP 1127 DO 10.1124/mol.104.009852 VO 67 IS 4 A1 Gang Lu A1 Dorian Henderson A1 Lieju Liu A1 Peter H. Reinhart A1 Sidney A. Simon YR 2005 UL http://molpharm.aspetjournals.org/content/67/4/1119.abstract AB Transient receptor potential (TRP) genes encode a family of related ion-channel subunits. This family consists of cation-selective, calcium-permeable channels that include a group of vanilloid receptor channels (TRPV) implicated in pain and inflammation. These channels are activated by diverse stimuli, including capsaicin, lipids, membrane deformation, heat, and protons. Six members of the TRPV family have been identified that differ predominantly in their activation properties. However, in neurons, TRPV channels do not account for the observed diversity of responses to activators. By probing human and rat brain cDNA libraries to identify TRPV subunits, we identified a novel human TRPV1 RNA splice variant, TRPV1b, which forms functional ion channels that are activated by temperature (threshold, ∼47°C), but not by capsaicin or protons. Channels with similar activation properties were found in trigeminal ganglion neurons, suggesting that TRPV1b receptors are expressed in these cells and contribute to thermal nociception.