title: Purinoceptors in microglia and neuropathic pain.
abstract: Emerging evidence indicates that microglia play a critical role in the pathogenesis of neuropathic pain, a debilitating chronic pain condition that can occur after peripheral nerve damage caused by disease, infection, or physical injury. Microglia are immunocompetent cells of the central nervous system and express various ionotropic P2X and metabotropic P2Y purinoceptors. After injury to a peripheral nerve, microglia in the spinal cord become activated and upregulate expression of the P2X4 receptor. Recent findings suggest that activation of P2X4 receptors evokes release of brain-derived neurotrophic factor from microglia and that this mediates microglia-neuron signaling leading to pain hypersensitivity. Thus, P2X4 receptors and the intracellular signaling mediators in microglia are promising therapeutic targets for the development of novel pharmacological agents in the management of neuropathic pain.
authors.affiliation: University of Toronto Centre for the Study of Pain, Programmes in Brain and Behaviour and Cell Biology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1X8, Canada.
authors.forename: Tuan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Trang
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Beggs
authors.forename: Michael W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Salter
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D006941:Hyperesthesia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D017628:Microglia / Q000378:metabolism*; D009437:Neuralgia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018048:Receptors, Purinergic P2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D018048:Receptors, Purinergic P2