Missed Call: A New Discovery Could Help Us Block Pain

Pain is essential to our survival. It alerts us to danger and tells us when something is wrong inside our bodies. But sometimes, this system malfunctions, and pain can become chronic. Chronic pain can result from injury or disease, but sometimes it has no clear source. Nearly 21% of adults in the United States experience chronic pain, which is comparable to the number of people who have diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes, and depression. Because pain is a personal and complex experience that is unique to each of us, it can be tough to treat pain effectively. Fortunately, new research is uncovering an unexpected target for reducing pain right at its source.

To better understand how we experience pain, and therefore how we can treat pain when it becomes harmful, scientists are studying the peripheral nervous system. The peripheral nervous system (PNS) includes all the nerves that extend from the spinal cord to the rest of our body. From feeling the heat from a hot stove to the sharp sting of a paper cut, we use our PNS to feel the world around us. There are specialized sensory cells in our skin called neurons that help us feel these sensations. The neurons send electrical signals through our nerves, up our spinal cord, and to the brain, where we can perceive pain. All of this happens at remarkable speeds— some pain signals can travel as fast as 180 feet per second! Researchers have recently discovered a new structure within neurons called the neuronal membrane proteasome (NMP), which is now a key target in the search for pain reduction.

 

 

All cell types in your body contain proteasomes. Proteasomes break down proteins into smaller pieces called peptides that the cell can recycle. Cells use the peptides to make new proteins. The cells use the proteins to perform their normal functions. For example, neurons use a protein called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) to help them connect with other neurons, which in turn helps us learn and form memories. However, the NMP does something different. Instead of staying inside the neuron, the NMP moves to the edge of the neuron and releases the peptides into the space outside of the neuron. Here, the peptides can communicate with nearby neurons. The exciting discovery? When researchers block the NMP and the NMP cannot release the peptides to communicate with nearby neurons, there is a reduction in pain sensitivity! This suggests that the NMP is playing an active role in how we sense pain, and it could be a promising target for future pain treatment.

As we continue to uncover how pain works and how peripheral neurons communicate, discoveries like the NMP advance our understanding. Researchers continue to investigate how the NMP functions in neurons to regulate pain sensation. With better understanding comes more effective tools and the potential to treat pain better than ever before!

 

Resources:

1. https://www.ninds.nih.gov/health-information/disorders/pain
2. https://www.medicinenet.com/pain_management/article.htm
3. https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/nih-study-finds-high-rates-persistent-chronic-pain-among-us-adults
4. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/23123-peripheral-nervous-system-pns
5. https://kaw.wallenberg.org/en/research/understanding-pain#:~:text=But%20all%20pain%20research%20to,at%20one%20meter%20per%20second.
6. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211124724003863?via%3Dihub
7. https://www.jove.com/science-education/v/14747/the-proteasome-structure
8. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1IieZAxBAo&ab_channel=NeuroscientificallyChallenged