New approaches for the treatment of pain: the GDNF family of neurotrophic growth factors.
This article focuses on the GDNF family of neurotrophic factors as a potential new class of therapeutics for neuropathic pain, with a particular emphasis on the ligands, artemin and GDNF. In vivo activity of the ligands, expression of ligands and receptors after peripheral nerve injury, and modulation of nerve injury-induced changes by the ligands are reviewed in detail. Structural considerations, particularly with regard to implications for binding interactions and biological activity are discussed.
Sah
Dinah W Y
DW
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 300 Third Street, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA.
Ossipov
Michael H
MH
Rossomando
Anthony
A
Silvian
Laura
L
Porreca
Frank
F
D000700:Analgesics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D015195:Drug Design; D051100:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D006801:Humans; D008024:Ligands; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000172:deficiency / Q000378:metabolism*; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000378:metabolism
D000700:Analgesics; C490887:Artn protein, rat; C495039:GDNF protein, human; D051100:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D008024:Ligands; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins