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Walker J, Babyok OL, Saloman JL, Phillips AE. Recent advances in the understanding and management of chronic pancreatitis pain. JOURNAL OF PANCREATOLOGY 2024; 7:35-44. [PMID: 38524856 PMCID: PMC10959534 DOI: 10.1097/jp9.0000000000000163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Abdominal pain is the most common symptom of chronic pancreatitis (CP) and is often debilitating for patients and very difficult to treat. To date, there exists no cure for the disease. Treatment strategies focus on symptom management and on mitigation of disease progression by reducing toxin exposure and avoiding recurrent inflammatory events. Traditional treatment protocols start with medical management followed by consideration of procedural or surgical intervention on selected patients with severe and persistent pain. The incorporation of adjuvant therapies to treat comorbidities including psychiatric disorders, exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, mineral bone disease, frailty, and malnutrition, are in its early stages. Recent clinical studies and animal models have been designed to improve investigation into the pathophysiology of CP pain, as well as to improve pain management. Despite the array of tools available, many therapeutic options for the management of CP pain provide incomplete relief. There still remains much to discover about the neural regulation of pancreas-related pain. In this review, we will discuss research from the last 5 years that has provided new insights into novel methods of pain phenotyping and the pathophysiology of CP pain. These discoveries have led to improvements in patient selection for optimization of outcomes for both medical and procedural management, and identification of potential future therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Walker
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Olivia L. Babyok
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Jami L. Saloman
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
- Center for Pain Research, Center for Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Anna Evans Phillips
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
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Smith PA. K + Channels in Primary Afferents and Their Role in Nerve Injury-Induced Pain. Front Cell Neurosci 2020; 14:566418. [PMID: 33093824 PMCID: PMC7528628 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2020.566418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Accepted: 08/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Sensory abnormalities generated by nerve injury, peripheral neuropathy or disease are often expressed as neuropathic pain. This type of pain is frequently resistant to therapeutic intervention and may be intractable. Numerous studies have revealed the importance of enduring increases in primary afferent excitability and persistent spontaneous activity in the onset and maintenance of peripherally induced neuropathic pain. Some of this activity results from modulation, increased activity and /or expression of voltage-gated Na+ channels and hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN) channels. K+ channels expressed in dorsal root ganglia (DRG) include delayed rectifiers (Kv1.1, 1.2), A-channels (Kv1.4, 3.3, 3.4, 4.1, 4.2, and 4.3), KCNQ or M-channels (Kv7.2, 7.3, 7.4, and 7.5), ATP-sensitive channels (KIR6.2), Ca2+-activated K+ channels (KCa1.1, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, and 3.1), Na+-activated K+ channels (KCa4.1 and 4.2) and two pore domain leak channels (K2p; TWIK related channels). Function of all K+ channel types is reduced via a multiplicity of processes leading to altered expression and/or post-translational modification. This also increases excitability of DRG cell bodies and nociceptive free nerve endings, alters axonal conduction and increases neurotransmitter release from primary afferent terminals in the spinal dorsal horn. Correlation of these cellular changes with behavioral studies provides almost indisputable evidence for K+ channel dysfunction in the onset and maintenance of neuropathic pain. This idea is underlined by the observation that selective impairment of just one subtype of DRG K+ channel can produce signs of pain in vivo. Whilst it is established that various mediators, including cytokines and growth factors bring about injury-induced changes in DRG function and excitability, evidence presently available points to a seminal role for interleukin 1β (IL-1β) in control of K+ channel function. Despite the current state of knowledge, attempts to target K+ channels for therapeutic pain management have met with limited success. This situation may change with the advent of personalized medicine. Identification of specific sensory abnormalities and genetic profiling of individual patients may predict therapeutic benefit of K+ channel activators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter A. Smith
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
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Yang S, Huang Y, Ye Z, Li L, Zhang Y. The Efficacy of Nerve Growth Factor Antibody for the Treatment of Osteoarthritis Pain and Chronic Low-Back Pain: A Meta-Analysis. Front Pharmacol 2020; 11:817. [PMID: 32694993 PMCID: PMC7339523 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2020.00817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Accepted: 05/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nerve growth factor (NGF) plays a crucial role in pain modulation and is being considered as a new therapeutic target for pain therapy. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to study the efficacy of anti-NGF antibodies for the treatment of osteoarthritis pain and chronic low-back pain, and to provide evidence and direction for further research and practice. METHODS PubMed, Embase, Wanfang Data, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) were searched from inception to November 30, 2019. Eligible studies should include randomized clinical trial-based investigations of anti-NGF antibody treatment for osteoarthritis pain and chronic low-back pain. Pooled overall mean changes from baseline to check point in the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC) measures of pain, physical function, and Patient's Global Assessment (PGA) were calculated with either a fixed-effects model or a random-effects model, depending on the tests for heterogeneity. Sensitivity analysis and bias of publication were assessed. RESULTS A total of seven studies (3890 patients) were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled analysis showed a statistically significant reduction in the WOMAC pain (standardized mean difference (SMD) = -2.22, 95% confidence interval (CI) = -3.44 to -0.99, Z = -3.55, P = 0.0004; I2 = 99%), the WOMAC Physical Function (SMD = -2.76, 95% CI = -4.22 to -1.30, Z = -3.71, P = 0.0002; I2 = 99%), and the PGA Index (SMD = -2.76, 95% CI = -4.42 to -1.09, Z = -3.24, P = 0.0012; I2 = 99%). Pooled differences of adverse events rates in experimental and control groups was 0.11 (95% CI = 0.02 to 0.20, Z = 2.41, P = 0.016; I2 = 83%). CONCLUSION Our meta-analysis data indicate that anti-NGF antibodies can relieve pain and improve function in patients with osteoarthritis pain and chronic low-back pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Si Yang
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yu Huang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Hubei NO.3 People’s Hospital of Jianghan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Ziqi Ye
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lu Li
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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4
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Slow depolarizing stimuli differentially activate mechanosensitive and silent C nociceptors in human and pig skin. Pain 2020; 161:2119-2128. [DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2019] [Accepted: 04/08/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
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Saloman JL, Albers KM, Cruz-Monserrate Z, Davis BM, Edderkaoui M, Eibl G, Epouhe AY, Gedeon JY, Gorelick FS, Grippo PJ, Groblewski GE, Husain SZ, Lai KK, Pandol SJ, Uc A, Wen L, Whitcomb DC. Animal Models: Challenges and Opportunities to Determine Optimal Experimental Models of Pancreatitis and Pancreatic Cancer. Pancreas 2019; 48:759-779. [PMID: 31206467 PMCID: PMC6581211 DOI: 10.1097/mpa.0000000000001335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
At the 2018 PancreasFest meeting, experts participating in basic research met to discuss the plethora of available animal models for studying exocrine pancreatic disease. In particular, the discussion focused on the challenges currently facing the field and potential solutions. That meeting culminated in this review, which describes the advantages and limitations of both common and infrequently used models of exocrine pancreatic disease, namely, pancreatitis and exocrine pancreatic cancer. The objective is to provide a comprehensive description of the available models but also to provide investigators with guidance in the application of these models to investigate both environmental and genetic contributions to exocrine pancreatic disease. The content covers both nongenic and genetically engineered models across multiple species (large and small). Recommendations for choosing the appropriate model as well as how to conduct and present results are provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jami L. Saloman
- Department of Neurobiology, Pittsburgh Center for Pain Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Kathryn M. Albers
- Department of Neurobiology, Pittsburgh Center for Pain Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Zobeida Cruz-Monserrate
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition; Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH
| | - Brian M. Davis
- Department of Neurobiology, Pittsburgh Center for Pain Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Mouad Edderkaoui
- Basic and Translational Pancreas Research, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Guido Eibl
- Department of Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Ariel Y. Epouhe
- Department of Neurobiology, Pittsburgh Center for Pain Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Jeremy Y. Gedeon
- Department of Neurobiology, Pittsburgh Center for Pain Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Fred S. Gorelick
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Digestive Diseases & Department of Cell Biology Yale University School of Medicine; Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare, West Haven, CT
| | - Paul J. Grippo
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, UI Cancer Center, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
| | - Guy E. Groblewski
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI
| | | | - Keane K.Y. Lai
- Department of Pathology (National Medical Center), Department of Molecular Medicine (Beckman Research Institute), and Comprehensive Cancer Center, City of Hope, Duarte, CA
| | - Stephen J. Pandol
- Department of Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Aliye Uc
- Stead Family Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa, Stead Family Children’s Hospital, Iowa City, IA
| | - Li Wen
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA
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Blaszkiewicz M, Willows JW, Johnson CP, Townsend KL. The Importance of Peripheral Nerves in Adipose Tissue for the Regulation of Energy Balance. BIOLOGY 2019; 8:E10. [PMID: 30759876 PMCID: PMC6466238 DOI: 10.3390/biology8010010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2019] [Revised: 02/05/2019] [Accepted: 02/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Brown and white adipose tissues are essential for maintenance of proper energy balance and metabolic health. In order to function efficiently, these tissues require both endocrine and neural communication with the brain. Brown adipose tissue (BAT), as well as the inducible brown adipocytes that appear in white adipose tissue (WAT) after simulation, are thermogenic and energy expending. This uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1)-mediated process requires input from sympathetic nerves releasing norepinephrine. In addition to sympathetic noradrenergic signaling, adipose tissue contains sensory nerves that may be important for relaying fuel status to the brain. Chemical and surgical denervation studies of both WAT and BAT have clearly demonstrated the role of peripheral nerves in browning, thermogenesis, lipolysis, and adipogenesis. However, much is still unknown about which subtypes of nerves are present in BAT versus WAT, what nerve products are released from adipose nerves and how they act to mediate metabolic homeostasis, as well as which cell types in adipose are receiving synaptic input. Recent advances in whole-depot imaging and quantification of adipose nerve fibers, as well as other new research findings, have reinvigorated this field of research. This review summarizes the history of research into adipose innervation and brain⁻adipose communication, and also covers landmark and recent research on this topic to outline what we currently know and do not know about adipose tissue nerve supply and communication with the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Blaszkiewicz
- Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA.
| | - Jake W Willows
- School of Biology and Ecology, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA.
| | - Cory P Johnson
- Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA.
| | - Kristy L Townsend
- Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA.
- School of Biology and Ecology, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA.
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Enomoto M, Mantyh PW, Murrell J, Innes JF, Lascelles BDX. Anti-nerve growth factor monoclonal antibodies for the control of pain in dogs and cats. Vet Rec 2018; 184:23. [PMID: 30368458 PMCID: PMC6326241 DOI: 10.1136/vr.104590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2017] [Revised: 07/10/2018] [Accepted: 09/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Nerve growth factor (NGF) is essential for the survival of sensory and sympathetic neurons during development. However, in the adult, NGF and its interaction with tropomyosin receptor kinase A receptor (TrkA) has been found to play a critical role in nociception and nervous system plasticity in pain conditions. Thus, various monoclonal antibody (mAb) therapies targeting this pathway have been investigated in the development of new pharmacotherapies for chronic pain. Although none of the mAbs against NGF are yet approved for use in humans, they look very promising for the effective control of pain. Recently, species-specific anti-NGF mAbs for the management of osteoarthritis (OA)-associated pain in dogs and cats has been developed, and early clinical trials have been conducted. Anti-NGF therapy looks to be both very effective and very promising as a novel therapy against chronic pain in dogs and cats. This review outlines the mechanism of action of NGF, the role of NGF in osteoarthritis, research in rodent OA models and the current status of the development of anti-NGF mAbs in humans. Furthermore, we describe and discuss the recent development of species-specific anti-NGF mAbs for the treatment of OA-associated pain in veterinary medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masataka Enomoto
- Translational Research in Pain, Comparative Pain Research and Education Centre, Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
| | - Patrick W Mantyh
- Cancer Center's Cancer Biology Program, Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| | - Joanna Murrell
- School of Veterinary Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | | | - B Duncan X Lascelles
- Translational Research in Pain, Comparative Pain Research and Education Centre, Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA.,Comparative Medicine Institute, Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA.,Center for Pain Research and Innovation, UNC School of Dentistry, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.,Center for Translational Pain Research, Department of Anesthesiology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
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Liu L, Zhu Y, Noë M, Li Q, Pasricha PJ. Neuronal Transforming Growth Factor beta Signaling via SMAD3 Contributes to Pain in Animal Models of Chronic Pancreatitis. Gastroenterology 2018; 154:2252-2265.e2. [PMID: 29505748 PMCID: PMC5985212 DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2018.02.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2017] [Revised: 02/15/2018] [Accepted: 02/26/2018] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is characterized by pancreatic inflammation and fibrosis, associated with increased pancreatic expression of transforming growth factor beta (TGFB). It is not clear how these might contribute to pain. We investigated whether TGFB signaling via SMAD induces sensitization of pancreatic sensory neurons to increase nociception. METHODS CP was induced in Sprague-Dawley rats by infusion of trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid; some rats were given intrathecal infusions of TGFB1. CP was induced in control mice by administration of cerulein; we also studied β1glo/Ptf1acre-ER mice, which on induction overexpress TGFB1 in pancreatic acinar cells, and TGFBr1f/f-CGRPcreER mice, which have inducible disruption of TGFBr1 in calcitonin gene-related peptide-positive neurons. Dominant negative forms of human TGFBR2 and SMAD3 were overexpressed from viral vectors in rat pancreas. Some rats were given the SMAD3 inhibitors SIS3 or halofuginone. After induction of CP, mice were analyzed for pain in behavior tests or electrophysiologic studies of sensory neurons. Pancreatic nociceptor excitability was examined by patch-clamp techniques and nociception was measured by Von Frey Filament tests for referred somatic hyperalgesia and behavioral responses to pancreatic electrical stimulation. Pancreata were collected from mice and rats and analyzed histologically and by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS Overexpression of TGFB in pancreatic acinar cells of mice and infusion of TGFB1 into rats resulted in sensory neuron hyperexcitability, SMAD3 activation, and increased nociception. This was accompanied by a reduction in the transient A-type current in pancreas-specific sensory neurons in rats, a characteristic of nociceptive sensitization in animal models of CP. Conversely, pancreata from TGFBr1f/f-CGRPcreER mice, rats with pancreatic expression of dominant negative forms of human TGFBR2 or SMAD3, and rats given small molecule inhibitors of SMAD3 had attenuated neuronal sensitization and pain behavior following induction of CP. In contrast to findings from peripheral administration of TGFB1, intrathecal infusion of TGFB1 reduced hyperalgesia in rats with CP. CONCLUSIONS In pancreata of mice and rats, TGFB promotes peripheral nociceptive sensitization via a direct effect on primary sensory neurons mediated by intra-neuronal SMAD3. This is distinct from the central nervous system, where TGFB reduces nociception. These results provide an explanation for the link between fibrosis and pain in patients with CP. This signaling pathway might be targeted therapeutically to reduce pain in patients with CP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liansheng Liu
- Johns Hopkins Center for Neurogastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Yaohui Zhu
- Johns Hopkins Center for Neurogastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Michaël Noë
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Qian Li
- Johns Hopkins Center for Neurogastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Pankaj Jay Pasricha
- Johns Hopkins Center for Neurogastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.
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9
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Towards a neurobiological understanding of pain in chronic pancreatitis: mechanisms and implications for treatment. Pain Rep 2017; 2:e625. [PMID: 29392239 PMCID: PMC5741325 DOI: 10.1097/pr9.0000000000000625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2017] [Revised: 08/30/2017] [Accepted: 09/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
We summarize the evidence for a neurobiological understanding of pain in patients with chronic pancreatitis and discuss its potential impact on prevention and treatment. Introduction: Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is a disease characterized by inflammation of the pancreas resulting in replacement of the normal functioning parenchyma by fibrotic connective tissue. This process leads to progressively impairment of exocrine and endocrine function and many patients develop a chronic pain syndrome. Objectives: We aimed to characterize the neurobiological signature of pain associated with CP and to discuss its implications for treatment strategies. Methods: Relevant basic and clinical articles were selected for review following an extensive search of the literature. Results: Pathophysiological changes in the peripheral (pancreatic gland) and central nervous system characterize the pain syndrome associated with CP; involved mechanisms can be broken down to 3 main branches: (1) peripheral sensitization, (2) pancreatic neuropathy, and (3) neuroplastic changes in the central pain pathways. Disease flares (recurrent pancreatitis) may accelerate the pathophysiological process and further sensitize the pain system, which ultimately results in an autonomous and self-perpetuating pain state that may become independent of the peripheral nociceptive drive. These findings share many similarities with those observed in neuropathic pain disorders and have important implications for treatment; adjuvant analgesics are effective in a subset of patients, and neuromodulation and neuropsychological interventions may prove useful in the future. Conclusion: Chronic pancreatitis is associated with abnormal processing of pain at the peripheral and central level of the pain system. This neurobiological understanding of pain has important clinical implications for treatment and prevention of pain chronification.
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Abstract
Reduction-oxidation factor 1-apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease (Ref-1/APE1) is a critical node in tumor cells, both as a redox regulator of transcription factor activation and as part of the DNA damage response. As a redox signaling protein, Ref-1/APE1 enhances the transcriptional activity of STAT3, HIF-1α, nuclear factor kappa B, and other transcription factors to promote growth, migration, and survival in tumor cells as well as inflammation and angiogenesis in the tumor microenvironment. Ref-1/APE1 is activated in a variety of cancers, including prostate, colon, pancreatic, ovarian, lung and leukemias, leading to increased aggressiveness. Transcription factors downstream of Ref-1/APE1 are key contributors to many cancers, and Ref-1/APE1 redox signaling inhibition slows growth and progression in a number of tumor types. Ref-1/APE1 inhibition is also highly effective when paired with other drugs, including standard-of-care therapies and therapies targeting pathways affected by Ref-1/APE1 redox signaling. Additionally, Ref-1/APE1 plays a role in a variety of other indications, such as retinopathy, inflammation, and neuropathy. In this review, we discuss the functional consequences of activation of the Ref-1/APE1 node in cancer and other diseases, as well as potential therapies targeting Ref-1/APE1 and related pathways in relevant diseases. APX3330, a novel oral anticancer agent and the first drug to target Ref-1/APE1 for cancer is entering clinical trials and will be explored in various cancers and other diseases bringing bench discoveries to the clinic.
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Atsawarungruangkit A, Pongprasobchai S. Current understanding of the neuropathophysiology of pain in chronic pancreatitis. World J Gastrointest Pathophysiol 2015; 6:193-202. [PMID: 26600977 PMCID: PMC4644883 DOI: 10.4291/wjgp.v6.i4.193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2015] [Revised: 07/22/2015] [Accepted: 09/16/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the pancreas. The main symptom of patients with CP is chronic and severe abdominal pain. However, the pathophysiology of pain in CP remains obscure. Traditionally, researchers believed that the pain was caused by anatomical changes in pancreatic structure. However, treatment outcomes based on such beliefs are considered unsatisfactory. The emerging explanations of pain in CP are trending toward neurobiological theories. This article aims to review current evidence regarding the neuropathophysiology of pain in CP and its potential implications for the development of new treatments for pain in CP.
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Abstract
Pancreatic nerves undergo prominent alterations during the evolution and progression of human chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer. Intrapancreatic nerves increase in size (neural hypertrophy) and number (increased neural density). The proportion of autonomic and sensory fibres (neural remodelling) is switched, and are infiltrated by perineural inflammatory cells (pancreatic neuritis) or invaded by pancreatic cancer cells (neural invasion). These neuropathic alterations also correlate with neuropathic pain. Instead of being mere histopathological manifestations of disease progression, pancreatic neural plasticity synergizes with the enhanced excitability of sensory neurons, with Schwann cell recruitment toward cancer and with central nervous system alterations. These alterations maintain a bidirectional interaction between nerves and non-neural pancreatic cells, as demonstrated by tissue and neural damage inducing neuropathic pain, and activated neurons releasing mediators that modulate inflammation and cancer growth. Owing to the prognostic effects of pain and neural invasion in pancreatic cancer, dissecting the mechanism of pancreatic neuroplasticity holds major translational relevance. However, current in vivo models of pancreatic cancer and chronic pancreatitis contain many discrepancies from human disease that overshadow their translational value. The present Review discusses novel possibilities for mechanistically uncovering the role of the nervous system in pancreatic disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ihsan Ekin Demir
- Department of Surgery, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Ismaninger Strasse 22, D-81675 Munich, Germany
| | - Helmut Friess
- Department of Surgery, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Ismaninger Strasse 22, D-81675 Munich, Germany
| | - Güralp O Ceyhan
- Department of Surgery, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Ismaninger Strasse 22, D-81675 Munich, Germany
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Pain is the most common symptom of chronic pancreatitis, with a profound socioeconomic impact. Historical management paradigms failed, as they did not adequately address the fundamental underlying mechanisms. The present article describes the neurobiology of pain and sensitization in this condition, in an effort to explain prior failings and provide future directions for managing pain in chronic pancreatitis. RECENT FINDINGS A number of recent advances have been made in understanding the neurobiology of pain for this condition. This has been coupled with clinical advances in assessing sensitization to pain in these patients, which has been shown to predict response to medical and surgical therapy. SUMMARY Pain in chronic pancreatitis is complex. Addressing the mechanical and morphological findings in chronic pancreatitis without addressing the underlying neurobiological mechanisms is destined to fail. New advances in our understanding of the neurobiology of pain in chronic pancreatitis helps to explain prior failings and provides future direction for managing pain in patients afflicted by this disease.
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Zhu L, Oh JH, Zhu Y. Upregulation of nav1.7 through high salt loading: (mol pain 2013;9:39). J Neurogastroenterol Motil 2014; 20:273-5. [PMID: 24840382 PMCID: PMC4015194 DOI: 10.5056/jnm.2014.20.2.273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2013] [Revised: 02/16/2014] [Accepted: 02/23/2014] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Lian Zhu
- Division of Pediatrics, Xiaogan Women and Children's Health Institute, Xiaogan, Hubei, China
| | - Jung Hwan Oh
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Yaohui Zhu
- Division of Gastroenterology, School of Medicine Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Opening paths to novel analgesics: the role of potassium channels in chronic pain. Trends Neurosci 2014; 37:146-58. [PMID: 24461875 PMCID: PMC3945816 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2013.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 202] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2013] [Revised: 12/13/2013] [Accepted: 12/17/2013] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Potassium (K+) channels are crucial determinants of neuronal excitability. Nerve injury or inflammation alters K+ channel activity in neurons of the pain pathway. These changes can render neurons hyperexcitable and cause chronic pain. Therapies targeting K+ channels may provide improved pain relief in these states.
Chronic pain is associated with abnormal excitability of the somatosensory system and remains poorly treated in the clinic. Potassium (K+) channels are crucial determinants of neuronal activity throughout the nervous system. Opening of these channels facilitates a hyperpolarizing K+ efflux across the plasma membrane that counteracts inward ion conductance and therefore limits neuronal excitability. Accumulating research has highlighted a prominent involvement of K+ channels in nociceptive processing, particularly in determining peripheral hyperexcitability. We review salient findings from expression, pharmacological, and genetic studies that have untangled a hitherto undervalued contribution of K+ channels in maladaptive pain signaling. These emerging data provide a framework to explain enigmatic pain syndromes and to design novel pharmacological treatments for these debilitating states.
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Kv2 dysfunction after peripheral axotomy enhances sensory neuron responsiveness to sustained input. Exp Neurol 2013; 251:115-26. [PMID: 24252178 PMCID: PMC3898477 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2013.11.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2013] [Revised: 10/21/2013] [Accepted: 11/07/2013] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Peripheral nerve injuries caused by trauma are associated with increased sensory neuron excitability and debilitating chronic pain symptoms. Axotomy-induced alterations in the function of ion channels are thought to largely underlie the pathophysiology of these phenotypes. Here, we characterise the mRNA distribution of Kv2 family members in rat dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and describe a link between Kv2 function and modulation of sensory neuron excitability. Kv2.1 and Kv2.2 were amply expressed in cells of all sizes, being particularly abundant in medium-large neurons also immunoreactive for neurofilament-200. Peripheral axotomy led to a rapid, robust and long-lasting transcriptional Kv2 downregulation in the DRG, correlated with the onset of mechanical and thermal hypersensitivity. The consequences of Kv2 loss-of-function were subsequently investigated in myelinated neurons using intracellular recordings on ex vivo DRG preparations. In naïve neurons, pharmacological Kv2.1/Kv2.2 inhibition by stromatoxin-1 (ScTx) resulted in shortening of action potential (AP) after-hyperpolarization (AHP). In contrast, ScTx application on axotomized neurons did not alter AHP duration, consistent with the injury-induced Kv2 downregulation. In accordance with a shortened AHP, ScTx treatment also reduced the refractory period and improved AP conduction to the cell soma during high frequency stimulation. These results suggest that Kv2 downregulation following traumatic nerve lesion facilitates greater fidelity of repetitive firing during prolonged input and thus normal Kv2 function is postulated to limit neuronal excitability. In summary, we have profiled Kv2 expression in sensory neurons and provide evidence for the contribution of Kv2 dysfunction in the generation of hyperexcitable phenotypes encountered in chronic pain states. Kv2.1 and Kv2.2 are expressed in rat dorsal root ganglion neurons. Kv2 subunits are most abundant in myelinated sensory neurons. Kv2.1 and Kv.2 subunits are downregulated in a traumatic nerve injury pain model. Kv2 inhibition ex vivo allows higher firing rates during sustained stimulation. We conclude that Kv2 channels contribute to limiting peripheral neuron excitability.
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Lerch MM, Gorelick FS. Models of acute and chronic pancreatitis. Gastroenterology 2013; 144:1180-93. [PMID: 23622127 DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2012.12.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 294] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2012] [Revised: 12/06/2012] [Accepted: 12/13/2012] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Animal models of acute and chronic pancreatitis have been created to examine mechanisms of pathogenesis, test therapeutic interventions, and study the influence of inflammation on the development of pancreatic cancer. In vitro models can be used to study early stage, short-term processes that involve acinar cell responses. Rodent models reproducibly develop mild or severe disease. One of the most commonly used pancreatitis models is created by administration of supraphysiologic concentrations of caerulein, an ortholog of cholecystokinin. Induction of chronic pancreatitis with factors thought to have a role in human disease, such as combinations of lipopolysaccharide and chronic ethanol feeding, might be relevant to human disease. Models of autoimmune chronic pancreatitis have also been developed. Most models, particularly of chronic pancreatitis, require further characterization to determine which features of human disease they include.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus M Lerch
- Department of Medicine A, University Medicine Greifswald, Ferdinand-Sauerbruch-Strasse, Greifswald, Germany.
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Piedimonte G, Walton C, Samsell L. Vertical transmission of respiratory syncytial virus modulates pre- and postnatal innervation and reactivity of rat airways. PLoS One 2013; 8:e61309. [PMID: 23637810 PMCID: PMC3630224 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0061309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2013] [Accepted: 03/08/2013] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Environmental exposure to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a leading cause of respiratory infections in infants, but it remains unknown whether this infection is transmitted transplacentally from the lungs of infected mothers to the offspring. We sought to test the hypothesis that RSV travels from the respiratory tract during pregnancy, crosses the placenta to the fetus, persists in the lung tissues of the offspring, and modulates pre- and postnatal expression of growth factors, thereby predisposing to airway hyperreactivity. Methodology Pregnant rats were inoculated intratracheally at midterm using recombinant RSV expressing red fluorescent protein (RFP). Viral RNA was amplified by RT-PCR and confirmed by sequencing. RFP expression was analyzed by flow cytometry and viral culture. Developmental and pathophysiologic implications of prenatal infection were determined by analyzing the expression of genes encoding critical growth factors, particularly neurotrophic factors and receptors. We also measured the expression of key neurotransmitters and postnatal bronchial reactivity in vertically infected lungs, and assessed their dependence on neurotrophic signaling using selective biological or chemical inhibition. Principal Findings RSV genome was found in 30% of fetuses, as well as in the lungs of 40% of newborns and 25% of adults. RFP expression was also shown by flow cytometry and replicating virus was cultured from exposed fetuses. Nerve growth factor and its TrkA receptor were upregulated in RSV- infected fetal lungs and co-localized with increased cholinergic innervation. Acetylcholine expression and smooth muscle response to cholinergic stimulation increased in lungs exposed to RSV in utero and reinfected after birth, and blocking TrkA signaling inhibited both effects. Conclusions/Significance Our data show transplacental transmission of RSV from mother to offspring and persistence of vertically transmitted virus in lungs after birth. Exposure to RSV in utero is followed by dysregulation of neurotrophic pathways predisposing to postnatal airway hyperreactivity upon reinfection with the virus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Piedimonte
- Pediatric Institute and Children's Hospital, The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
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Demir IE, Schorn S, Schremmer-Danninger E, Wang K, Kehl T, Giese NA, Algül H, Friess H, Ceyhan GO. Perineural mast cells are specifically enriched in pancreatic neuritis and neuropathic pain in pancreatic cancer and chronic pancreatitis. PLoS One 2013; 8:e60529. [PMID: 23555989 PMCID: PMC3610867 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0060529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2012] [Accepted: 02/27/2013] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pancreatic neuritis is a histopathological hallmark of pancreatic neuropathy and correlates to abdominal neuropathic pain sensation in pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PCa) and chronic pancreatitis (CP). However, inflammatory cell subtypes that compose pancreatic neuritis and their correlation to the neuropathic pain syndrome in PCa and CP are yet unknown. METHODS Inflammatory cells within pancreatic neuritis lesions of patients with PCa (n = 20) and CP (n = 20) were immunolabeled and colorimetrically quantified with the pan-leukocyte marker CD45, with CD68 (macrophages), CD8 (cytotoxic T-lymphocytes), CD4 (T-helper cells), CD20 (B-lymphocytes), NCL-PC (plasma cells), neutrophil elastase, PRG2 (eosinophils), anti-mast cell (MC) tryptase and correlated to pain sensation. Perineural mast cell subtypes were analyzed by double immunolabeling with MC chymase. Expression and neural immunoreactivity of protease-activated receptor type 1 (PAR-1) and type 2 (PAR-2) were analyzed in PCa and CP and correlated to pain status of the patients. RESULTS In PCa and CP, nerves were predominantly infiltrated by cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (PCa: 35% of all perineural inflammatory cells, CP: 33%), macrophages (PCa: 39%, CP: 33%) and MC (PCa: 21%, CP: 27%). In both entities, neuropathic pain sensation was associated with a specific increase of perineural MC (PCa without pain: 14% vs. PCa with pain: 31%; CP without pain: 19% vs. CP with pain: 34%), not affecting the frequency of other inflammatory cell subtypes. The vast majority of these MC contained MC chymase. PAR-1 and PAR-2 expression did not correlate to the pain sensation of PCa and CP patients. CONCLUSION Pancreatic neuritis in PC and CP is composed of cytotoxic T-lymphocytes, macrophages and MC. The specific enrichment of MC around intrapancreatic nerves in neuropathic pain due to PCa and CP suggests the presence of MC-induced visceral hypersensitivity in the pancreas. Therefore, pancreatic and enteric neuropathies seem to share a similar type of neuro-immune interaction in the generation of visceral pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ihsan Ekin Demir
- Department of Surgery, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany.
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Hydrogen sulfide increases excitability through suppression of sustained potassium channel currents of rat trigeminal ganglion neurons. Mol Pain 2013; 9:4. [PMID: 23413915 PMCID: PMC3599800 DOI: 10.1186/1744-8069-9-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2012] [Accepted: 02/14/2013] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), an endogenous gaseotransmitter/modulator, is becoming appreciated that it may be involved in a wide variety of processes including inflammation and nociception. However, the role and mechanism for H2S in nociceptive processing in trigeminal ganglion (TG) neuron remains unknown. The aim of this study is to investigate distribution of endogenous H2S synthesizing enzyme cystathionine-β-synthetase (CBS) expression and role of H2S on excitability and voltage-gated potassium channels of TG neurons. Methods Immunofluorescence studies were carried out to determine whether CBS was co-expressed in Kv1.1 or Kv1.4-positive TG neurons. Whole cell patch clamp recordings were employed on acutely isolated TG neurons from adult male Sprague Dawley rats (6–8 week old). von Frey filaments were used to examine the pain behavioral responses in rats following injection of sodium hydrosulfide. Results In rat TG, 77.3±6.6% neurons were immunoreactive for CBS, 85.1±3.8% for Kv1.1 and 97.8±1.1% for Kv1.4. Double staining showed that all CBS labeled cells were Kv1.1 and Kv1.4 positive, but only 92.2±6.1% of Kv1.1 and 78.2±9.9% of Kv1.4 positive cells contained CBS. Application of H2S donor NaHS (250 μM) led to a significant depolarization of resting membrane potential recorded from TG neurons. NaHS application also resulted in a dramatic reduction in rheobase, hyperpolarization of action potential threshold, and a significant increase in the number of action potentials evoked at 2X and 3X rheobase stimulation. Under voltage-clamp conditions, TG neurons exhibited transient A-type (IA) and sustained outward rectifier K+ currents (IK). Application of NaHS did suppress IK density while did not change IA density of TG neurons (n=6). Furthermore, NaHS, a donor of hydrogen sulfide, produced a significant reduction in escape threshold in a dose dependent manner. Conclusion These data suggest that endogenous H2S generating enzyme CBS was co-localized well with Kv1.1 and Kv1.4 in TG neurons and that H2S produces the mechanic pain and increases neuronal excitability, which might be largely mediated by suppressing IK density, thus identifying for the first time a specific molecular mechanism underlying pain and sensitization in TG.
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Zhu Y, Colak T, Shenoy M, Liu L, Mehta K, Pai R, Zou B, Xie XS, Pasricha PJ. Transforming growth factor beta induces sensory neuronal hyperexcitability, and contributes to pancreatic pain and hyperalgesia in rats with chronic pancreatitis. Mol Pain 2012; 8:65. [PMID: 22963239 PMCID: PMC3515355 DOI: 10.1186/1744-8069-8-65] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2012] [Accepted: 09/07/2012] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) is upregulated in chronic inflammation, where it plays a key role in wound healing and promoting fibrosis. However, little is known about the peripheral effects of TGFβ on nociception. METHODS We tested the in vitro effects of TGFβ1 on the excitability of dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons and the function of potassium (K) channels. We also studied the effects of TGFβ1 infusion on pain responses to noxious electrical stimulation in healthy rats as well as the effects of neutralization of TGFβ1 on evoked pain behaviors in a rat model of chronic pancreatitis. RESULTS Exposure to TGFβ1 in vitro increased sensory neuronal excitability, decreased voltage-gated A-type K(+) currents (IA) and downregulated expression of the Kv1.4 (KCNA4) gene. Further TGFβ1 infusion into the naïve rat pancreas in vivo induces hyperalgesia and conversely, neutralization of TGFβ1 attenuates hyperalgesia only in rats with experimental chronic pancreatitis. Paradoxically, TGFβ1 neutralization in naïve rats results in pancreatic hyperalgesia. CONCLUSIONS TGFβ1 is an important and complex modulator of sensory neuronal function in chronic inflammation, providing a link between fibrosis and nociception and is a potentially novel target for the treatment of persistent pain associated with chronic pancreatitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaohui Zhu
- Johns Hopkins Center for Neurogastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
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Abstract
Chronic pancreatitis is typically a painful condition and it can be associated with a severe burden of disease. The pathogenesis of pain in this disorder is poorly understood and its treatment has been largely empirical, often consisting of surgical or other invasive methods, with an outcome that is variable and frequently unsatisfactory. Human and experimental studies have indicated a critical role for neuronal mechanisms that result in peripheral and central sensitization. The pancreatic nociceptor seems to be significantly affected in this condition, with increased excitability associated with downregulation of potassium currents. Some of the specific molecules implicated in this process include the vanilloid receptor, TRPV1, nerve growth factor, the protease activated receptor 2 and a variety of others that are discussed in this Review. Studies have also indicated novel therapeutic targets for this condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pankaj Jay Pasricha
- Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Drive, M211 Alway Building, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
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