Washington : Scientists have discovered the structure of a protein linked to pain and heat perception, which plays a role in maintaining a healthy heart, helping dispose of pathogens and inducing cell death in some cancers, reports PTI.
The port-like structure is an ion channel in the cell surface membrane called TRPV2. “These receptors are gaining particular attention because they are so critical to how we sense and respond to our environment,” said Seok-Yong Lee from Duke University in US.
“Our results give a hint as to how one receptor works, a necessary component for developing new treatments for a variety of conditions involving sensation,” Lee added.
Ion channels are scattered across all cell membranes and act as gatekeepers of information flowing in and out of cells. In the case of TRPV (Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid), this information takes the form of calcium ions.
Like the turning of a valve, TRPV receptors open in response to noxious heat or other stimuli, allowing an influx of calcium ions that convey a signal through the nervous system to the brain.
Deducing the schematics of these valves can give the blueprint for designing drugs that target ion channels, researchers said.
Unlike TRPV1, which is only found in the nervous system, TRPV2 is present throughout the body and has been implicated in a variety of human conditions, including heart disease, the immune response, and cancer, they said.
It took researchers several years to work out the right conditions to keep the protein well dispersed and stable in biochemical solution, so it could be flash frozen and visualised by a technique known as cryo-electron microscopy.
