Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 5, 2026

A Simple and Inexpensive Method for Determining Cold Sensitivity and Adaptation in Mice
Published on: March 17, 2015
TRPM8 in the negative regulation of TNFα expression during cold stress
Xin-Pei Wang1, Xuan Yu1, Xiao-Jin Yan1
1MOE Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
Abstract:
Transient Receptor Potential Melastatin-8 (TRPM8) reportedly plays a fundamental role in a variety of processes including cold sensation, thermoregulation, pain transduction and tumorigenesis. However, the role of TRPM8 in inflammation under cold conditions is not well known. Since cooling allows the convergence of primary injury and injury-induced inflammation, we hypothesized that the mechanism of the protective effects of cooling might be related to TRPM8. We therefore investigated the involvement of TRPM8 activation in the regulation of inflammatory cytokines. The results showed that TRPM8 expression in the mouse hypothalamus was upregulated when the ambient temperature decreased; simultaneously, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα) was downregulated. The inhibitory effect of TRPM8 on TNFα was mediated by nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB). Specifically, cold stress stimulated the expression of TRPM8, which promoted the interaction of TRPM8 and NFκB, thereby suppressing NFκB nuclear localization. This suppression consequently led to the inhibition of TNFα gene transcription. The present data suggest a possible theoretical foundation for the anti-inflammatory role of TRPM8 activation, providing an experimental basis that could contribute to the advancement of cooling therapy for trauma patients.
Related Concept Videos
Thermosensation
T Cell Types and Functions
Th1 cells stimulate dendritic cells to express necessary co-stimulatory molecules on their surfaces for...
Repressible Operon: trp Operon
Other Stress Responses in Bacteria
NF-κB-dependent Signaling Pathway
NF-κB-dependent Signaling Mechanism
The...
Responses to Heat and Cold Stress

