Open AccessThe Capsaicin Receptor TRPV1 as a Novel Modulator of Neural Precursor Cell Proliferation
Author(s) -
Stock Kristin,
Garthe Alexander,
de Almeida Sassi Felipe,
Glass Rainer,
Wolf Susanne A.,
Kettenmann Helmut
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
stem cells
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.159
H-Index - 229
eISSN - 1549-4918
pISSN - 1066-5099
DOI - 10.1002/stem.1805
Subject(s) - trpv1 , neurogenesis , capsaicin , transient receptor potential channel , biology , resiniferatoxin , microbiology and biotechnology , neural stem cell , neuroscience , trpm8 , receptor , precursor cell , central nervous system , stem cell , cell , biochemistry
The capsaicin receptor (TRPV1, transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1) was first discovered in the peripheral nervous system as a detector of noxious chemical and thermal stimuli including the irritant chili pepper. Recently, there has been increasing evidence of TRPV1 expression in the central nervous system. Here, we show that TRPV1 is expressed in neural precursor cells (NPCs) during postnatal development, but not in the adult. However, expression of TRPV1 is induced in the adult in paradigms linked to an increase in neurogenesis, such as spatial learning in the Morris water maze or voluntary exercise. Loss of TRPV1 expression in knockout mice leads to an increase in NPC proliferation. Functional TRPV1 expression has been confirmed in cultured NPCs. Our results indicate that TRPV1 expression influences both postnatal and activity‐induced neurogenesis in adulthood. S tem C ells 2014;32:3183–3195