skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Tear gasses CN, CR, and CS are potent activators of the human TRPA1 receptor

Journal Article · · Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology
; ; ; ; ;  [1]
  1. Department of Neuroscience, Johnson and Johnson Pharmaceutical Research and Development, Division of Janssen Pharmaceutica N.V., Turnhoutseweg 30, B2340 Beerse (Belgium)

The TRPA1 channel is activated by a number of pungent chemicals, such as allylisothiocyanate, present in mustard oil and thiosulfinates present in garlic. Most of the known activating compounds contain reactive, electrophilic chemical groups, reacting with cysteine residues in the active site of the TRPA1 channel. This covalent modification results in activation of the channel and has been shown to be reversible for several ligands. Commonly used tear gasses CN, CR and CS are also pungent chemicals, and in this study we show that they are extremely potent and selective activators of the human TRPA1 receptor. To our knowledge, these are the most potent TRPA1 agonists known to date. The identification of the molecular target for these tear gasses may open up possibilities to alleviate the effects of tear gasses via treatment with TRPA1 antagonists. In addition these results may contribute to the basic knowledge of the TRPA1 channel that is gaining importance as a pharmacological target.

OSTI ID:
21140938
Journal Information:
Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, Vol. 231, Issue 2; Other Information: DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2008.04.005; PII: S0041-008X(08)00174-9; Copyright (c) 2008 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0041-008X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English