Transient Receptor Potential Cation Channel Subfamily M, Member 8 (TRPM8)

TRPM8 is an ion channel, upon activation it allows the entry of Na⁺ (sodium) and Ca²⁺ (calcium) ions to the cell that leads to depolarization and the generation of an action potential. This eventually leads to the feeling of cold. The TRPM8 protein is expresed in sensory neurons, and it is activated by cold temperatures and cooling agents, such as menthol and icilin where as WS-12 and CPS-369 are the most selective agonist of TRPM8.TRPM8 is also expressed in the prostate, lungs, and bladder where its function is not very well understood.TRPM8 upregulation in bladder tissues correlates with pain in patients with painful bladder syndromes.Furthermore, TRPM8 is upregulated in many prostate cancer cell lines and Dendreon/Genentech are pursuing an agonist approach to induce apoptosis and prostate cancer cell death.