Microglia-independent peripheral neuropathic pain

Neuropathic pain arises as a direct consequence of a lesion or disease of the somatosensory system. A hallmark of neuropathic pain is the proliferation, morphological changes and activation of microglia in the spinal dorsal horn. Salter and cols discovered a form of neuropathic pain that is independent of microglia. Nucleus pulposus secrete soluble factor which recruit macrophages into the sciatic nerve where they release BDNF which induce pain hypersensitivity. These findings help to explain the limited success of microglial inhibitors on neuropathic pain in human clinical trials.

Authors

Tu, YuShan; Muley, Milind M.; Beggs, Simon; Salter, Michael W.