Transgenic models of pain: a brief review.
Early validation of novel targets for the treatment of pain remains a key challenge, despite the recent technological advances which aid more rapid generation of pharmacological tools and molecular techniques that allow in vivo manipulation of gene transcription. Use of genetically modified animals, particularly 'knockouts', has been critical in evaluating the function of targets for which pharmacological manipulation has proved difficult. This review discusses recent findings from such investigations for three of the larger target classes, and highlights the relative merits and drawbacks of this methodology compared with other methods for the functional investigation of the role of individual molecular targets in pain.
Hatcher
Jonathan P
JP
Neurology and GI Centre of Excellence for Drug Discovery, GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals, New Frontiers Science Park, Essex, UK. Jon_Hatcher-1@gsk.com
Chessell
Iain P
IP
D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D006801:Humans; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018048:Receptors, Purinergic P2 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D058469:Receptors, Purinergic P2X; D015222:Sodium Channels / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D050052:TRPC Cation Channels / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
D018048:Receptors, Purinergic P2; D058469:Receptors, Purinergic P2X; D015222:Sodium Channels; D050052:TRPC Cation Channels