Data from: Sex-specific vascular effects of menthol: TRPM8 and TRPA1-dependent relaxation in female mouse aorta and pudendal arteries

Sexual dysfunction affects the quality of life for both men and women.
Menthol, a TRPM8 agonist, is widely used in products to enhance
sexual performance due to its cooling effect. Beyond this, menthol also
induces vascular effects in male arteries. To explore its effects on
female vasculature, we studied male and female C57BL/6 mice, along with
female TRPM8 knockout (KO) mice. We isolated the internal pudendal artery
and aorta to assess isometric contractile force. Menthol-induced
relaxation of the pudendal artery was reduced in both female
TRPM8 KO and male mice compared to female controls. Acetylcholine-induced
relaxation was not affected in females, but in males, it was attenuated by
menthol and enhanced by M8-B, a TRPM8 inhibitor. Menthol did not
alter responses to norepinephrine, serotonin, or histamine in
either sex. Notably, menthol-induced relaxation was also reduced
in the aortas of female TRPM8 KO mice. In both the aorta and
pudendal arteries of female mice, the TRPA1 inhibitor HC030031
significantly diminished menthol-induced relaxation.
These findings suggest that TRPM8 modulation plays a role in
acetylcholine-induced relaxation in male, but not female,
pudendal arteries. Moreover, the menthol vascular effect
in female arteries relies on TRPM8 and TRPA1 activation.