title: Spinal Mechanisms of Itch Transmission.
abstract: Peripheral itch stimuli are transmitted by sensory neurons to the spinal cord dorsal horn, which then transmits the information to the brain. The molecular and cellular mechanisms within the dorsal horn for itch transmission have only been investigated and identified during the past ten years. This review covers the progress that has been made in identifying the peptide families in sensory neurons and the receptor families in dorsal horn neurons as putative itch transmitters, with a focus on gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP)-GRP receptor signaling. Also discussed are the signaling mechanisms, including opioids, by which various types of itch are transmitted and modulated, as well as the many conflicting results arising from recent studies.
authors.affiliation: Center for the Study of Itch, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA.|Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA.
authors.forename: Devin M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Barry
authors.affiliation: Center for the Study of Itch, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA.|Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA.
authors.forename: Admire
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Munanairi
authors.affiliation: Center for the Study of Itch, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA. chenz@wustl.edu.|Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA. chenz@wustl.edu.|Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA. chenz@wustl.edu.|Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA. chenz@wustl.edu.
authors.forename: Zhou-Feng
authors.initials: ZF
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D011537:Pruritus / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D011984:Sensory Receptor Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000473:pathology*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid
keywords: DRG; GPCR signaling; Itch; Neuropeptides; Spinal cord