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A novel therapeutic target called LPCAT2 may prove
effective against pain that is not receptive to the
current treatments. This new research has also
revealed the existence of a platelet alleviating
factor (PAF) pain loop, suggesting a possible role
for PAF-receptor antagonists.
"We hope this finding contributes to relief from
neuropathic pain in all people," said Hideo Shindou,
Ph.D., vice project leader at the Department of
Lipid Signaling, National Center for Global Health
and Medicine, in Tokyo, Japan.
"We hope this candidate newly categorized analgesic
drug will resolve human pain."
To make their discovery, Shindou and colleagues
conducted experiments using two groups of mice.
The first group (LPCAT2-KO mice) had a disrupted
LPCAT2 gene, which normally encodes the synthesis of
PAF.
The other group consisted of normal mice.
The researchers induced a partial sciatic ligation (PSL)
model of neuropathic pain in both groups of mice.
The PSL operation increased pain behaviors in WT
mice, but not in LPCAT2-KO mice.
These findings present a new concept of analgesic
drug development for neuropathic pain through the
inhibition of PAF biosynthetic enzyme, LPCAT2, and
reevaluation of PAFR antagonists.
LPCAT2 is a novel therapeutic target for newly
categorized analgesic drugs.
"The exciting thing about this discovery is that the
results were unanticipated" said Thoru Pederson,
Ph.D., Editor-in-Chief of The FASEB Journal.
"One has the sense that a new door has been opened
to the therapeutics of neuropathic pain."
For more information
Relief from neuropathic pain by blocking of the
platelet-activating factor-pain loop.
Hideo Shindou, Seiji Shiraishi, Suzumi M. Tokuoka,
Yoshikazu Takahashi, Takeshi Harayama, Takaya Abe,
Kana Bando, Kanako Miyano, Yoshihiro Kita, Yasuhito
Uezono, and Takao Shimizu.
FASEB J. doi:10.1096/fj.201601183R
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