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Papers of the Week


Papers: 31 Dec 2022 - 6 Jan 2023


2023 Jan 03


Nat Commun


14


1

Editor's Pick

Structure-guided peptide engineering of a positive allosteric modulator targeting the outer pore of TRPV1 for long-lasting analgesia.

Authors

Zhang H, Lin J-J, Xie Y-K, Song X-Z, Sun J-Y, Zhang B-L, Qi Y-K, Xu Z-Z, Yang F
Nat Commun. 2023 Jan 03; 14(1):4.
PMID: 36596769.

Abstract

Transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) ion channel is a classic analgesic target, but antagonists of TRPV1 failed in clinical trials due to their side effects like hyperthermia. Here we rationally engineer a peptide s-RhTx as a positive allosteric modulator (PAM) of TRPV1. Patch-clamp recordings demonstrate s-RhTx selectively potentiated TRPV1 activation. s-RhTx also slows down capsaicin-induced desensitization of TRPV1 in the presence of calcium to cause more calcium influx in TRPV1-expressing cells. In addition, our thermodynamic mutant cycle analysis shows that E652 in TRPV1 outer pore specifically interacts with R12 and K22 in s-RhTx. Furthermore, we demonstrate in vivo that s-RhTx exhibits long-lasting analgesic effects in noxious heat hyperalgesia and CFA-induced chronic inflammatory pain by promoting the reversible degeneration of intra-epidermal nerve fiber (IENF) expressing TRPV1 channels in mice, while their body temperature remains unaffected. Our results suggest s-RhTx is an analgesic agent as a PAM of TRPV1.