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Hanani M. Satellite Glial Cells in Human Disease. Cells 2024; 13:566. [PMID: 38607005 PMCID: PMC11011452 DOI: 10.3390/cells13070566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2024] [Revised: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Satellite glial cells (SGCs) are the main type of glial cells in sensory ganglia. Animal studies have shown that these cells play essential roles in both normal and disease states. In a large number of pain models, SGCs were activated and contributed to the pain behavior. Much less is known about SGCs in humans, but there is emerging recognition that SGCs in humans are altered in a variety of clinical states. The available data show that human SGCs share some essential features with SGCs in rodents, but many differences do exist. SGCs in DRG from patients suffering from common painful diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia, may contribute to the pain phenotype. It was found that immunoglobulins G (IgG) from fibromyalgia patients can induce pain-like behavior in mice. Moreover, these IgGs bind preferentially to SGCs and activate them, which can sensitize the sensory neurons, causing nociception. In other human diseases, the evidence is not as direct as in fibromyalgia, but it has been found that an antibody from a patient with rheumatoid arthritis binds to mouse SGCs, which leads to the release of pronociceptive factors from them. Herpes zoster is another painful disease, and it appears that the zoster virus resides in SGCs, which acquire an abnormal morphology and may participate in the infection and pain generation. More work needs to be undertaken on SGCs in humans, and this review points to several promising avenues for better understanding disease mechanisms and developing effective pain therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Menachem Hanani
- Laboratory of Experimental Surgery, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Mount Scopus, Jerusalem 91240, Israel; ; Tel.: +972-2-5844721
- Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
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2
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Becker J, Effraim PR, Dib-Hajj S, Rittner HL. Lessons learned in translating pain knowledge into practice. Pain Rep 2023; 8:e1100. [PMID: 37928204 PMCID: PMC10624476 DOI: 10.1097/pr9.0000000000001100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction During the past 2 decades, basic research deciphering the underlying mechanisms of nociception and chronic pain was thought to finally step beyond opioids and nonsteroidals and provide patients with new analgesics. But apart from calcitonin gene-related peptide antagonists, nothing arrived in hands of clinicians. Objectives To present existing evidence of 3 representative target molecules in the development of novel pain treatment that, so far, did not result in approved drugs. Methods This Clinical Update aligns with the 2022 IASP Global Year Translating Pain Knowledge into Practice and selectively reviews best available evidence and practice. Results We highlight 3 targets: a ion channel, a neuronal growth factor, and a neuropeptide to explore why these drug targets have been dropped in clinical phase II-III trials. Antibodies to nerve growth factor had very good effects in musculoskeletal pain but resulted into more patients requiring joint replacements. Blockers of NaV1.7 were often not effective enough-at least if patients were not stratified. Blockers of neurokinin receptor were similarly not successful enough. In general, failure was most often to the result of a lack of effect and to a lesser extend because of unexpected severe side effects. However, all studies and trials lead to an enormous move in the scientific community to better preclinical models and testing as well as revised methods to molecularly phenotype and stratify patients. Conclusion All stakeholders in the process can help in the future: better preclinical studies, phenotyping and stratifying patients, and participation in clinical trials to move the discovery of analgesics forward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliane Becker
- Department of Anesthesiology, Intensive Care, Emergency and Pain Medicine, Center for Interdisciplinary Pain Medicine, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Philip R. Effraim
- Department of Anesthesiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Neurology, Center for Neuroscience & Regeneration Research, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Sulayman Dib-Hajj
- Department of Neurology, Center for Neuroscience & Regeneration Research, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Rehabilitation Research Center, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
| | - Heike L. Rittner
- Department of Anesthesiology, Intensive Care, Emergency and Pain Medicine, Center for Interdisciplinary Pain Medicine, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
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3
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Perez-Sanchez J, Middleton SJ, Pattison LA, Hilton H, Awadelkareem MA, Zuberi SR, Renke MB, Hu H, Yang X, Clark AJ, Smith ESJ, Bennett DL. A humanized chemogenetic system inhibits murine pain-related behavior and hyperactivity in human sensory neurons. Sci Transl Med 2023; 15:eadh3839. [PMID: 37792955 PMCID: PMC7615191 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.adh3839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
Hyperexcitability in sensory neurons is known to underlie many of the maladaptive changes associated with persistent pain. Chemogenetics has shown promise as a means to suppress such excitability, yet chemogenetic approaches suitable for human applications are needed. PSAM4-GlyR is a modular system based on the human α7 nicotinic acetylcholine and glycine receptors, which responds to inert chemical ligands and the clinically approved drug varenicline. Here, we demonstrated the efficacy of this channel in silencing both mouse and human sensory neurons by the activation of large shunting conductances after agonist administration. Virally mediated expression of PSAM4-GlyR in mouse sensory neurons produced behavioral hyposensitivity upon agonist administration, which was recovered upon agonist washout. Stable expression of the channel led to similar reversible suppression of pain-related behavior even after 10 months of viral delivery. Mechanical and spontaneous pain readouts were also ameliorated by PSAM4-GlyR activation in acute and joint pain inflammation mouse models. Furthermore, suppression of mechanical hypersensitivity generated by a spared nerve injury model of neuropathic pain was also observed upon activation of the channel. Effective silencing of behavioral hypersensitivity was reproduced in a human model of hyperexcitability and clinical pain: PSAM4-GlyR activation decreased the excitability of human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived sensory neurons and spontaneous activity due to a gain-of-function NaV1.7 mutation causing inherited erythromelalgia. Our results demonstrate the contribution of sensory neuron hyperexcitability to neuropathic pain and the translational potential of an effective, stable, and reversible humanized chemogenetic system for the treatment of pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jimena Perez-Sanchez
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford; Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Steven J. Middleton
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford; Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Luke A. Pattison
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge; Cambridge CB2 1PD, UK
| | - Helen Hilton
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge; Cambridge CB2 1PD, UK
| | | | - Sana R. Zuberi
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford; Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Maria B. Renke
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford; Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Huimin Hu
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford; Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Xun Yang
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford; Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Alex J. Clark
- Blizard Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry; London E1 2AT, UK
| | | | - David L. Bennett
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford; Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
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Smith PA. Neuropathic pain; what we know and what we should do about it. FRONTIERS IN PAIN RESEARCH 2023; 4:1220034. [PMID: 37810432 PMCID: PMC10559888 DOI: 10.3389/fpain.2023.1220034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuropathic pain can result from injury to, or disease of the nervous system. It is notoriously difficult to treat. Peripheral nerve injury promotes Schwann cell activation and invasion of immunocompetent cells into the site of injury, spinal cord and higher sensory structures such as thalamus and cingulate and sensory cortices. Various cytokines, chemokines, growth factors, monoamines and neuropeptides effect two-way signalling between neurons, glia and immune cells. This promotes sustained hyperexcitability and spontaneous activity in primary afferents that is crucial for onset and persistence of pain as well as misprocessing of sensory information in the spinal cord and supraspinal structures. Much of the current understanding of pain aetiology and identification of drug targets derives from studies of the consequences of peripheral nerve injury in rodent models. Although a vast amount of information has been forthcoming, the translation of this information into the clinical arena has been minimal. Few, if any, major therapeutic approaches have appeared since the mid 1990's. This may reflect failure to recognise differences in pain processing in males vs. females, differences in cellular responses to different types of injury and differences in pain processing in humans vs. animals. Basic science and clinical approaches which seek to bridge this knowledge gap include better assessment of pain in animal models, use of pain models which better emulate human disease, and stratification of human pain phenotypes according to quantitative assessment of signs and symptoms of disease. This can lead to more personalized and effective treatments for individual patients. Significance statement: There is an urgent need to find new treatments for neuropathic pain. Although classical animal models have revealed essential features of pain aetiology such as peripheral and central sensitization and some of the molecular and cellular mechanisms involved, they do not adequately model the multiplicity of disease states or injuries that may bring forth neuropathic pain in the clinic. This review seeks to integrate information from the multiplicity of disciplines that seek to understand neuropathic pain; including immunology, cell biology, electrophysiology and biophysics, anatomy, cell biology, neurology, molecular biology, pharmacology and behavioral science. Beyond this, it underlines ongoing refinements in basic science and clinical practice that will engender improved approaches to pain management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter A. Smith
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute and Department of Pharmacology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
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Waxman SG, Dib-Hajj SD. Na V1.7: A central role in pain. Neuron 2023; 111:2615-2617. [PMID: 37678164 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.08.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023]
Abstract
Loss of function of sodium channel NaV1.7 produces pain insensitivity. In this issue, Deng et al.1 show that analgesia after NaV1.7 removal or pharmacological blockade is not driven by enkephalin overexpression. These results underscore the essential role, independent of endogenous opioids, of NaV1.7 for nociceptor firing and pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen G Waxman
- Department of Neurology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520; Center for Neuroscience & Regeneration Research, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520; Center for Rehabilitation Research, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT 06516.
| | - Sulayman D Dib-Hajj
- Department of Neurology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520; Center for Neuroscience & Regeneration Research, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520; Center for Rehabilitation Research, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT 06516
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Marchi M, Salvi E, Andelic M, Mehmeti E, D'Amato I, Cazzato D, Chiappori F, Lombardi R, Cartelli D, Devigili G, Dalla Bella E, Gerrits M, Almomani R, Malik RA, Ślęczkowska M, Mazzeo A, Gentile L, Dib-Hajj S, Waxman SG, Faber CG, Vecchio E, de Tommaso M, Lauria G. TRPA1 rare variants in chronic neuropathic and nociplastic pain patients. Pain 2023; 164:2048-2059. [PMID: 37079850 PMCID: PMC10443199 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 04/22/2023]
Abstract
Supplemental Digital Content is Available in the Text. TRPA1 gene is significantly enriched of rare variants in neuropathic pain and fibromyalgia patients, with itch or cold-induced pain as the most common features, opening new treatment opportunities. Missing aspects of the heritability of chronic neuropathic pain, as a complex adult-onset trait, may be hidden within rare variants with low effect on disease risk, unlikely to be resolved by a single-variant approach. To identify new risk genes, we performed a next-generation sequencing of 107 pain genes and collapsed the rare variants through gene-wise aggregation analysis. The optimal unified sequence kernel association test was applied to 169 patients with painful neuropathy, 223 patients with nociplastic pain (82 diagnosed with chronic widespread pain and 141 with fibromyalgia), and 216 healthy controls. Frequency and features of variants in TRPA1 , which was the most significant gene, were further validated in 2 independent cohorts of 140 patients with chronic pain (90 with painful neuropathy and 50 with chronic widespread pain) and 34 with painless neuropathy. The effect of aminoacidic changes were modeled in silico according to physicochemical characteristics. TRPA1 was significantly enriched of rare variants which significantly discriminated chronic pain patients from healthy controls after Bonferroni correction (P = 6.7 × 10−4, ρ = 1), giving a risk of 4.8-fold higher based on the simple burden test (P = 0.0015, OR = 4.8). Among the 32 patients harboring TRPA1 variants, 24 (75%) were diagnosed with nociplastic pain, either fibromyalgia (12; 37.5%) or chronic widespread pain (12; 37.5%), whereas 8 (25%) with painful neuropathy. Irrespective of the clinical diagnosis, 12 patients (38%) complained of itch and 10 (31.3%) of cold-induced or cold-accentuated pain, mostly episodic. Our study widens the spectrum of channelopathy-related chronic pain disorders and contributes to bridging the gap between phenotype and targeted therapies based on patients' molecular profile. 1_tzjjvsic Kaltura
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Affiliation(s)
- Margherita Marchi
- Neuroalgology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Erika Salvi
- Neuroalgology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Mirna Andelic
- Neuroalgology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
- School of Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Elkadia Mehmeti
- Neuroalgology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Ilaria D'Amato
- Neuroalgology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Daniele Cazzato
- Clinical Neurophysiology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Federica Chiappori
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Tecnologie Biomediche (CNR-ITB), Segrate (Milan), Italy
| | - Raffaella Lombardi
- Neuroalgology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Daniele Cartelli
- Neuroalgology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Grazia Devigili
- Movement Disorders Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Eleonora Dalla Bella
- Neuroalgology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Monique Gerrits
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Rowida Almomani
- Department of Neurology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, the Netherlands
- Department of Toxicogenomics, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Rayaz A. Malik
- Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, Cardiac Centre, Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences, The University of Manchester and NIHR/WellcomeTrust Clinical Research Facility, Manchester, United Kingdom
- Research Division, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Qatar Foundation, Education City, Doha, Qatar
| | - Milena Ślęczkowska
- School of Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
- Department of Toxicogenomics, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Anna Mazzeo
- Unit of Neurology and Neuromuscular Diseases, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Luca Gentile
- Unit of Neurology and Neuromuscular Diseases, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Sulayman Dib-Hajj
- Department of Neurology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Stephen G. Waxman
- Department of Neurology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Catharina G. Faber
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Eleonora Vecchio
- Neurophysiopathology Unit, DiBrain Department, Aldo Moro University, Bari, Italy
| | - Marina de Tommaso
- Neurophysiopathology Unit, DiBrain Department, Aldo Moro University, Bari, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Lauria
- Neuroalgology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
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7
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Estacion M, Liu S, Cheng X, Dib-Hajj S, Waxman SG. Kv7-specific activators hyperpolarize resting membrane potential and modulate human iPSC-derived sensory neuron excitability. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1138556. [PMID: 36923357 PMCID: PMC10008904 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1138556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic pain is highly prevalent and remains a significant unmet global medical need. As part of a search for modulatory genes that confer pain resilience, we have studied two family cohorts where one individual reported much less pain than other family members that share the same pathogenic gain-of-function Nav1.7 mutation that confers hyperexcitability on pain-signaling dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons. In each of these kindreds, the pain-resilient individual carried a gain-of-function variant in Kv7.2 or Kv7.3, two potassium channels that stabilize membrane potential and reduce excitability. Our observation in this molecular genetic study that these gain-of-function Kv7.2 and 7.3 variants reduce DRG neuron excitability suggests that agents that activate or open Kv7 channels should attenuate sensory neuron firing. In the present study, we assess the effects on sensory neuron excitability of three Kv7 modulators-retigabine (Kv7.2 thru Kv7.5 activator), ICA-110381 (Kv7.2/Kv7.3 specific activator), and as a comparator ML277 (Kv7.1 specific activator)-in a "human-pain-in-a-dish" model (human iPSC-derived sensory neurons, iPSC-SN). Multi-electrode-array (MEA) recordings demonstrated inhibition of firing with retigabine and ICA-110381 (but not with ML277), with the concentration-response curve indicating that retigabine can achieve a 50% reduction of firing with sub-micromolar concentrations. Current-clamp recording demonstrated that retigabine hyperpolarized iPSC-SN resting potential and increased threshold. This study implicates Kv7.2/Kv7.3 channels as effective modulators of sensory neuron excitability, and suggest that compounds that specifically target Kv7.2/Kv7.3 currents in sensory neurons, including human sensory neurons, might provide an effective approach toward pain relief.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Estacion
- Department of Neurology and Center for Neuroscience and Regeneration Research, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
- Rehabilitation Research Center, Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, United States
| | - Shujun Liu
- Department of Neurology and Center for Neuroscience and Regeneration Research, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
- Rehabilitation Research Center, Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, United States
| | - Xiaoyang Cheng
- Department of Neurology and Center for Neuroscience and Regeneration Research, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
- Rehabilitation Research Center, Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, United States
| | - Sulayman Dib-Hajj
- Department of Neurology and Center for Neuroscience and Regeneration Research, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
- Rehabilitation Research Center, Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, United States
| | - Stephen G. Waxman
- Department of Neurology and Center for Neuroscience and Regeneration Research, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
- Rehabilitation Research Center, Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, United States
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Zeidler M, Kummer KK, Kress M. Towards bridging the translational gap by improved modeling of human nociception in health and disease. Pflugers Arch 2022; 474:965-978. [PMID: 35655042 PMCID: PMC9393146 DOI: 10.1007/s00424-022-02707-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Despite numerous studies which have explored the pathogenesis of pain disorders in preclinical models, there is a pronounced translational gap, which is at least partially caused by differences between the human and rodent nociceptive system. An elegant way to bridge this divide is the exploitation of human-induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) reprogramming into human iPSC-derived nociceptors (iDNs). Several protocols were developed and optimized to model nociceptive processes in health and disease. Here we provide an overview of the different approaches and summarize the knowledge obtained from such models on pain pathologies associated with monogenetic sensory disorders so far. In addition, novel perspectives offered by increasing the complexity of the model systems further to better reflect the natural environment of nociceptive neurons by involving other cell types in 3D model systems are described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian Zeidler
- Institute of Physiology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Kai K Kummer
- Institute of Physiology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Michaela Kress
- Institute of Physiology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
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