Opening paths to novel analgesics: the role of potassium channels in chronic pain

TY - JOUR

T1 - Opening paths to novel analgesics

T2 - the role of potassium channels in chronic pain

AU - Tsantoulas, Christoforos

AU - McMahon, Stephen B.

PY - 2014/3

Y1 - 2014/3

N2 - Chronic pain is associated with abnormal excitability of the somatosensory system and remains poorly treated in the clinic. Potassium (K+) channels are crucial determinants of neuronal activity throughout the nervous system. Opening of these channels facilitates a hyperpolarizing K+ efflux across the plasma membrane that counteracts inward ion conductance and therefore limits neuronal excitability. Accumulating research has highlighted a prominent involvement of K+ channels in nociceptive processing, particularly in determining peripheral hyperexcitability. We review salient findings from expression, pharmacological, and genetic studies that have untangled a hitherto undervalued contribution of K+ channels in maladaptive pain signaling. These emerging data provide a framework to explain enigmatic pain syndromes and to design novel pharmacological treatments for these debilitating states.

AB - Chronic pain is associated with abnormal excitability of the somatosensory system and remains poorly treated in the clinic. Potassium (K+) channels are crucial determinants of neuronal activity throughout the nervous system. Opening of these channels facilitates a hyperpolarizing K+ efflux across the plasma membrane that counteracts inward ion conductance and therefore limits neuronal excitability. Accumulating research has highlighted a prominent involvement of K+ channels in nociceptive processing, particularly in determining peripheral hyperexcitability. We review salient findings from expression, pharmacological, and genetic studies that have untangled a hitherto undervalued contribution of K+ channels in maladaptive pain signaling. These emerging data provide a framework to explain enigmatic pain syndromes and to design novel pharmacological treatments for these debilitating states.

KW - potassium channel

KW - pain

KW - dorsal root ganglia

KW - pharmacotherapy

KW - DORSAL-ROOT GANGLION

KW - PRIMARY SENSORY NEURONS

KW - PRIMARY AFFERENT NEURONS

KW - SATELLITE GLIAL-CELLS

KW - SENSITIVE K+ CHANNELS

KW - N-TYPE INACTIVATION

KW - NERVE GROWTH-FACTOR

KW - BONE CANCER PAIN

KW - NEUROPATHIC PAIN

KW - ACQUIRED NEUROMYOTONIA

U2 - 10.1016/j.tins.2013.12.002

DO - 10.1016/j.tins.2013.12.002

M3 - Literature review

SN - 0166-2236

VL - 37

SP - 146

EP - 158

JO - Trends in Neurosciences

JF - Trends in Neurosciences

IS - 3

M1 - N/A

ER -