Heteromeric heat-sensitive transient receptor potential channels exhibit distinct temperature and chemical response

TRPV1 and TRPV3 are two heat-sensitive ion channels activated at distinct temperature ranges perceived by human as hot and warm, respectively. Compounds eliciting human sensations of heat or warmth can also potently activate these channels. In rodents, TRPV3 is expressed predominantly in skin keratinocytes, whereas in humans TRPV1 and TRPV3 are co-expressed in sensory neurons of dorsal root ganglia and trigeminal ganglion and are known to form heteromeric channels with distinct single channel conductances as well as sensitivities to TRPV1 activator capsaicin and inhibitor capsazepine. However, how heteromeric TRPV1/TRPV3 channels respond to heat and other stimuli remains unknown. In this study, we examined the behavior of heteromeric TRPV1/TRPV3 channels activated by heat, capsaicin, and voltage. Our results demonstrate that the heteromeric channels exhibit distinct temperature sensitivity, activation threshold, and heat-induced sensitization. Changes in gating properties apparently originate from interactions between TRPV1 and TRPV3 subunits. Our results suggest that heteromeric TRPV1/TRPV3 channels are unique heat sensors that may contribute to the fine-tuning of sensitivity to sensory inputs.