Osteen, J.Herzig, V.Gilchrist, J.Emrick, J.Zhang, C.Wang, X.Castro, J.Garcia-Caraballo, S.Grundy, L.Rychkov, G.Weyer, A.Dekan, Z.Undheim, E.Alewood, P.Stucky, C.Brierley, S.Basbaum, A.Bosmans, F.King, G.Julius, D.2016-10-112016-10-112016Nature, 2016; 534(7608):494-4990028-08361476-4687http://hdl.handle.net/2440/101733Voltage-gated sodium (Naᵥ) channels initiate action potentials in most neurons, including primary afferent nerve fibres of the pain pathway. Local anaesthetics block pain through non-specific actions at all Naᵥ channels, but the discovery of selective modulators would facilitate the analysis of individual subtypes of these channels and their contributions to chemical, mechanical, or thermal pain. Here we identify and characterize spider (Heteroscodra maculata) toxins that selectively activate the Naᵥ1.1 subtype, the role of which in nociception and pain has not been elucidated. We use these probes to show that Naᵥ1.1-expressing fibres are modality-specific nociceptors: their activation elicits robust pain behaviours without neurogenic inflammation and produces profound hypersensitivity to mechanical, but not thermal, stimuli. In the gut, high-threshold mechanosensitive fibres also express Naᵥ1.1 and show enhanced toxin sensitivity in a mouse model of irritable bowel syndrome. Together, these findings establish an unexpected role for Naᵥ1.1 channels in regulating the excitability of sensory nerve fibres that mediate mechanical pain.en© 2016 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reservedNaᵥ1.1 Voltage-Gated Sodium ChannelJournal article003004921510.1038/nature179760003782703000422-s2.0-84975781988253828Castro, J. [0000-0002-5781-2224]Grundy, L. [0000-0002-3900-7141]Rychkov, G. [0000-0002-2788-2977]Brierley, S. [0000-0002-2527-2905]