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. 2009 Jul;30(7):336-40.
doi: 10.1016/j.tips.2009.04.002. Epub 2009 Jun 10.

Matrix metalloprotease regulation of neuropathic pain

Ru-Rong Ji  1 , Zhen-Zhong Xu, Xiaoying Wang, Eng H Lo
Affiliations

Matrix metalloprotease regulation of neuropathic pain

Ru-Rong Ji et al. Trends Pharmacol Sci. 2009 Jul.

Abstract

Neuropathic pain affects millions of people globally and could be a disease on its own right. Current treatments focus on blocking neurotransmission and have resulted in limited success. Recent progress points to an important role of neuroinflammation in the pathogenesis of neuropathic pain. Matrix metalloproteases (MMPs) comprise a large family of zinc endopeptidases that have been implicated in the generation of neuroinflammation via cleavage of extracellular matrix proteins and activation of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines. However, little is known about the role of MMPs in chronic pain regulation. Our recent study has shown that neuropathic pain development in the early and late phase requires MMP-9 and MMP-2, respectively. Inhibition of MMP-9 or MMP-2 might provide a new strategy for the prevention and treatment of neuropathic pain.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Schematic showing MMP-9 and MMP-2 upregulation in the DRG (left box) and spinal cord (right box) after peripheral nerve injury and their contribution to early- and late-phase development of neuropathic pain. Transient upregulation of MMP-9 in DRG neurons and persistent MMP-2 upregulation in DRG satellite cells result in IL-1β activation and peripheral sensitization in the early- and late-phase, respectively. After nerve injury, activation of spinal microglia in the early phase by MMP-9 and activation of spinal astrocytes in the late-phase by MMP-2 also contribute to early- and late-phase development of central sensitization and neuropathic pain sensitization, respectively.
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