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This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 293/5/R2128    most recent 00377.2007v1 Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Web of Science (3) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Tajino, K. Articles by Kobayashi, S. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Tajino, K. Articles by Kobayashi, S.

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SLEEP AND TEMPERATURE REGULATION

Application of menthol to the skin of whole trunk in mice induces autonomic and behavioral heat-gain responses

¹Deptartment of Intelligence Science and Technology, Graduate School of Informatics, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan; ²Faculty of Information Science and Technology, Osaka Institute of Technology, Hirakata, Osaka, Japan; and ³Laboratory of Nutrition Chemistry, Division of Food Science and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan

Submitted 29 May 2007 ; accepted in final form 25 August 2007

ABSTRACT

When ambient temperature is decreased in mammals, autonomic and behavioral heat-gain responses occur to maintain their core temperatures. However, what molecules in cutaneous sensory nerve endings mediate cooling-induced responses is unclear. Recently, transient receptor potential melastatin-8 (TRPM8) has been identified in cell bodies of sensory neurons as low-temperature and menthol-activated cation channel. We hypothesized that TRPM8 mediates cooling-induced autonomic and behavioral heat-gain responses. To activate TRPM8 specifically, we applied 1–10% menthol to the skin of whole trunk in mice instead of cooling and measured core temperatures and autonomic and behavioral heat-gain responses. Solvent of menthol (100% ethanol) was used as control. Significant elevation of core temperatures was observed between 20 and 120 min after menthol application. Pretreatment with diclofenac sodium, an antipyretic drug, did not affect this hyperthermia, indicating that the menthol-induced hyperthermia is not fever. Menthol application induced a rise in oxygen consumption, shivering-like muscle activity, tail skin vasoconstriction (autonomic responses), and heat-seeking behavior. All of them are typical heat-gain responses. These results support the hypothesis that TRPM8 mediates cooling-induced autonomic and behavioral heat-gain responses.

thermoregulation; transient receptor potential channel(s); metabolism

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S. F. Morrison, K. Nakamura, and C. J. Madden Central control of thermogenesis in mammals Exp Physiol, July 1, 2008; 93(7): 773 - 797. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]