Activation of TRPA1 by farnesyl thiosalicylic acid.

The nonselective cation channel TRPA1 (ANKTM1, p120) is a potential mediator of pain, and selective pharmacological modulation of this channel may be analgesic. Although several TRPA1 activators exist, these tend to be either reactive or of low potency and/or selectivity. The aim of the present study, therefore, was to identify novel TRPA1 agonists. Using a combination of calcium fluorescent assays and whole-cell electrophysiology, we discovered several compounds that possess potent, selective TRPA1-activating activity, including several lipid compounds (farnesyl thiosalicylic acid, farnesyl thioacetic acid, 15-deoxy-Delta(12,14)-prostaglandin J(2), and 5,8,11,14-eicosatetraynoic acid), and two marketed drugs: disulfiram (Antabuse; a compound used in the treatment of alcohol abuse) and the antifungal agent chlordantoin. Farnesyl thiosalicylic acid activates the channel in excised patches and in the absence of calcium. Furthermore, using a quadruple TRPA1 mutant, we show that the mechanism of action of farnesyl thiosalicylic acid differs from that of the reactive electrophilic reagent allylisothiocyanate. As a TRPA1 agonist with a potentially novel mechanism of action, farnesyl thiosalicylic acid may be useful in the study of TRPA1 channels.