Phosphorylation of extracellular signal-related protein kinase is required for rapid facilitation of heat-induced currents in rat dorsal root ganglion neurons

A subgroup of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons responds to noxious heat with an influx of cations carried by specific ion channels such as the transient receptor potential channel of the vanilloid receptor type, subtype 1 (TRPV1). Application of capsaicin induces a reversible facilitation of these currents. This facilitation could be an interaction of two agonists at their common receptor or be caused by an influx of calcium ions into the cell. Calcium influx into the cell can activate protein kinases such as the extracellular signal-related protein kinase (ERK) pathway. This study explored the kinetics, calcium-dependency and intracellular signals following application of capsaicin and l…