| First Author | Selescu T | Year | 2025 |
| Journal | Commun Biol | Volume | 9 |
| Issue | 1 | Pages | 101 |
| PubMed ID | 41422292 | Mgi Jnum | J:378386 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:8281208 | Doi | 10.1038/s42003-025-09370-4 |
| Citation | Selescu T, et al. (2025) Cold- and TRPM8-dependent shaking in mammals and birds. Commun Biol 9(1):101 |
| abstractText | Removing cold water from wet fur or feathers can help endothermic animals to thermoregulate. The "wet dog shakes" (WDS) behavior has been largely characterized in mammals but to a much lesser extent in birds. Although it is known that TRPM8 is the main molecular transducer of low temperature in mammals, it is not clear if wetness-induced shaking in furred and feathered animals is dependent on TRPM8. Here, we show that a novel TRPM8 agonist induces WDS in rodents, and also in birds, similar to the shaking behavior evoked by water-spraying. Furthermore, the WDS onset depends on TRPM8, as we show in water-sprayed mice. Overall, our results provide multiple evidence for a TRPM8 dependence of WDS behaviors in all tested species. These suggest that a convergent evolution selected similar shaking behaviors to expel water from fur and feathers, with TRPM8 being involved in cold wetness sensing in both mammals and birds. |
