Neuropathic pain can result from many conditions, including arthritis. In a report published by Maganin et al in the Journal of Clinical Investigation (JCI), neuropathic pain was reduced by the kynurenine metabolic pathway (KYNPATH), initiated by the enzyme IDO1 (indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1), being inhibited either genetically or pharmacologically. The study authors wrote, “These data reveal what we believe is a previously unappreciated role for the KYNPATH as a critical link between the immune system (dendritic cells), spinal cord glial cells (astrocytes), and neuronal sensitization to perpetuate neuropathic pain. These mechanisms may offer novel targets for drug development against this type of chronic pain.”
May 25, 2023