Suppression of inflammatory and neuropathic pain symptoms in mice lacking the N‐type Ca2+ channel
Year: 2001
Type: article
Abstract: The importance of voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels (VDCCs) in pain transmission has been noticed gradually, as several VDCC blockers have been shown to be effective in inhibiting this process. In particular, the N-type VDCC has attracted attention, because inhibitors of this channel are effective in various aspects of pain-related phenomena. To understand the genuine contribution of the N-type VDCC to the pain transmission system, we generated mice deficient in this channel by gene targeting. We report here that mice lacking N-type VDCCs show suppressed responses to a painful stimulus that induces inflammation and show markedly reduced symptoms of neuropathic pain, which is caused by nerve injury and is known to be difficult to treat by currently available therapeutic methods. This finding clearly demonstrates that the N-type VDCC is essential for development of neuropathic pain and, therefore, controlling the activity of this channel can be of great importance for the management of neuropathic pain.
Source: The EMBO Journal
Authors: Hironao Saegusa, Takashi Kurihara, Shuqin Zong, An‐a Kazuno, Yoshihiro Matsuda, Takahiro Nonaka, Wenhua Han, Hideyuki Toriyama, Tsutomu Tanabe
Institution: Tokyo Medical and Dental University
Language: English
Subfield: Physiology (medical)
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $7,990
OpenAlex ID: W1965547314