Effects of β-estradiol on cold-sensitive receptor channel TRPM8 in ovariectomized rats

Transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily M member 8 (TRPM8) is associated with sensitivity to cold sensation in mammals. A previous study demonstrated that TRPM8 was overexpressed in the skin of ovariectomized (OVX) rats due to the loss of estrogen. In the present study, we investigated whether estrogen replacement restricts overexpression of the TRPM8 channel in the skin of OVX rats. We divided 15 Sprague Dawley rats into three groups: a non-operated group (NON-OPE), an ovariectomy group (OVX), and a group subjected to estrogen replacement during 4 weeks beginning 7 days after ovariectomy (OVX + E2). Five weeks later, TRPM8 channel mRNA and protein in lumbar skin were quantified by real-time RT-PCR, protein ELISA, and immunohistochemistry. The OVX + E2 group exhibited a trend for decreased expression of the TRPM8 channel in the lumbar skin in comparison with the OVX group, whereas ELISA data and immunohistochemistry data and immunohistochemistry graphs relating to TRPM8 protein did not show any obvious differences between the OVX group and the OVX + E2 group. Estrogen replacement may restrict the overexpression of TRPM8 in the dermis of OVX rats.