OBJECTIVES: Intra-articularly injected monosodium iodoacetate (MIA) induces joint pathology mimicking osteoarthritis (OA) and it is a widely used experimental model of OA. MIA induces acute inflammation, cartilage degradation and joint pain. Transient Receptor Potential Ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) is an ion channel known to mediate nociception and neurogenic inflammation. Here, we tested the hypothesis that TRPA1 would be involved in the development of MIA-induced acute inflammation, cartilage changes and joint pain. METHODS: The effects of pharmacological blockade (by TCS 5861528) and genetic depletion of TRPA1 were studied in MIA-induced acute paw inflammation. Cartilage changes (histological scoring) and joint pain (weight-bearing test) in MIA-induced experimental OA were compared between wild type and TRPA1 deficient mice. The effects of MIA were also studied in primary human OA chondrocytes and in mouse cartilage. RESULTS: MIA evoked acute inflammation, degenerative cartilage changes and joint pain in wild type mice. Interestingly, these responses were attenuated in TRPA1 deficient animals. MIA-induced paw inflammation was associated with increased tissue levels of substance P; and the inflammatory edema was reduced by pretreatment with catalase, with the TRPA1 antagonist TCS 5861528 and with the neurokinin 1 receptor antagonist L703,606. In chondrocytes, MIA enhanced interleukin-1 induced cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression, an effect that was blunted by pharmacological inhibition and genetic depletion of TRPA1. CONCLUSIONS: TRPA1 was found to mediate acute inflammation and the development of degenerative cartilage changes and joint pain in MIA-induced experimental OA in the mouse. The results reveal TRPA1 as a potential mediator and drug target in OA.