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Neuropathic Pain Mechanisms: A Role for Chemokines
Author(s) -
White Fletcher A.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.22.1_supplement.240.4
Subject(s) - neuropathic pain , chemokine , chronic pain , medicine , neuroscience , chemokine receptor , inflammation , immunology , pharmacology , psychology , physical therapy
Chronic (neuropathic) pain is one of the most widespread and intractable of human complaints, as well as being one of the most difficult syndromes to treat successfully with drugs or surgery. The development of new therapeutic approaches to the treatment of painful neuropathies requires a better understanding of the mechanisms that underlie the development of these chronic pain syndromes. As inflammatory processes often accompany the development of neuropathic pain, I will discuss the role that chemokines might play in integrating the development of pain and inflammation. Importantly, chemokines in DRG neurons seem to act as upregulatable neurotransmitters that produce excitatory effects in the DRG and spinal cord through a variety of mechanisms. The ability of small molecule antagonists of CCR2 and CXCR4 receptors to ameliorate ongoing pain hypersensitivity in animal models clearly indicates the importance of chemokine signaling in this behavior. Taken together, targeting the chemokine system may provide a novel form of therapeutic intervention into states of chronic pain.