The Zylka Lab has several new findings that have implications for the treatment of chronic pain. The full paper was published in the Journal of Neuroscience in the August 4th edition. Some of the highlights from the paper will include:
- PIP2 levels in pain-sensing neurons are regulated by PAP, an adenosine-generating ectonucleotidase
- PAP acts through the adenosine A1 receptor to reduce PIP2 levels
- Spinal injection of PAP before injury/inflammation enduringly reduces symptoms associated with chronic pain (this has implications in a surgical setting, for example, it might be possible to inject PAP before surgery to preemptively block the chronic pain that develops following surgery).
- Thermosensation and pain sensitization are reduced when PIP2 levels are lowered in dorsal root ganglia neurons
- Conversely, pain sensitization is enhanced when PIP2 levels are elevated in dorsal root ganglia neurons
- An underlying phosphoinositide tone influences the magnitude of pain sensitization
UNC has also issued a press release that can be found at: