Chemokines under neuropathic pain
Journal Title: BÓL - Year 2014, Vol 15, Issue 1
Abstract
Neuropathic pain is a disorder that develops as a result of pathological lesions within the peripheral and central nervous system and affects a growing number of patients. Since no optimally efficient and long-acting medications have been identified to date, scientists broaden the scope of their research to focus on neuroimmune aspects. Studies conducted in various animal models provided much information on the mechanisms of action of cytokines in neuropathic pain. Pronociceptive properties of certain cytokines (chemotactic cytokines) were also identified recently. Despite the fact that nearly 50 chemokines and 20 chemokines receptors had been identified, only a few of them were studied in more detail with regard to their role in the development of neuropathic pain. For example, it was found that chemokine CCL2 (MCP-1) enhances microglial activation resulting in an increased expression of its receptor CCR2, which suggests an important role of this chemokine and its receptor in the development of neuropathic pain. Most detailed reports, however, were published on the properties of chemokine CX3CL1 (fractalkine) and its only receptor CX3CR1. It was shown the peripheral nerve injury induces increased spinal levels of the soluble form of CX3CL1 and enhanced expression of CX3CR1 within the microglia, which in turn lead to the typical pain symptoms of allodynia and hyperalgesia. Another interesting chemokine that is mentioned with increasing frequency in the context of neuropathic pain is CCL5, also referred to as RANTES. The detailed mechanism of action of this chemokines and its three receptors (CCR1, CCR3 and CCR5) has not been fully elucidated yet; however, first reports are already available suggesting that administration of an agonist of CCR1 and CCR5 receptors may modulate the influx of immune cells and cytokines, thus directly leading to reduced nociceptive responses. This opens up new, promising research perspectives; despite the fact that the long road to effective analgesic therapy has barely started, it may well be that chemokines will be involved in the discovery of novel methods for the treatment of neuropathic pain.
Authors and Affiliations
Klaudia Kwiatkowski, Joanna Mika
Keywords
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