Therapeutic potential of matrix metalloprotease inhibitors in neuropathic pain.
BACKGROUND
Millions of people suffer from neuropathic pain (NP), but the treatment is empirical and results in transient relief in only a few patients. This is primarily because of the poor understanding of the molecular mechanism underlying NP. Following nerve injury, there is a differential and temporal pattern of MMPs expression that coincides with changes in levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, suggesting that MMPs not only act as mediators for neuroinflammation but might also be directly involved in pain associated with nerve damage.


METHODS
The present review describes the different mechanisms of NP. The main focus of the review is to highlight the importance of MMPs in NP and their inhibition as a novel approach for treating NP.


RESULTS
A comprehensive overview of the role of MMPs in the pathogenesis of NP and the potential of MMP inhibition as a therapeutic intervention for NP.


CONCLUSIONS
Targeted therapy using specific MMP inhibitors, siRNAs, peptide inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies can provide a better way of treatment by blocking a single MMP and can reduce the side effects of broad-spectrum MMP inhibitors.
Dev
Rishabh
R
Department of Pharmacology, New Drug Discovery Research, Ranbaxy Research Laboratories, Plot No. 20, Sector 18, Udyog Vihar, Gurgaon, 122015, Haryana, India.
Srivastava
Punit Kumar
PK
Iyer
Jitesh P
JP
Dastidar
Sunanda G
SG
Ray
Abhijit
A
D000818:Animals; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D061965:Matrix Metalloproteinase Inhibitors; D020782:Matrix Metalloproteinases / Q000378:metabolism; D009437:Neuralgia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology*; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000201:enzymology; D011480:Protease Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
D061965:Matrix Metalloproteinase Inhibitors; D011480:Protease Inhibitors; D020782:Matrix Metalloproteinases