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Peripheral Neuroimmune Interactions and Neuropathic Pain

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Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration

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Abstract

Neuropathic pain often results from damage to peripheral nerves, which can mobilize the immune system, as in Guillain-Barré syndrome, postherpetic neuralgia, or trauma. Although most studies focused on detrimental effects of neuroinflammation, recent experimental data provide evidence on analgesic effects of leukocytes. Pain-ameliorating actions involve anti-inflammatory cytokines and immune cell-derived opioid peptides, which activate opioid receptors on peripheral terminals of sensory neurons in injured nerves. In addition, endocannabinoids are present in leukocytes, and mechanisms involved in the resolution of inflammation are mounted, but their significance to neuropathic pain modulation is yet to be examined. Clinical evidence is less compelling, although in some conditions the occurrence of pain seems to be associated with lowered numbers of macrophages or T lymphocytes. This chapter discusses studies addressing both unfavorable and beneficial actions of neuroinflammation in the regulation of painful neuropathies.

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Abbreviations

CCI:

Chronic constriction injury

CRF:

Corticotropin-releasing factor

CXCL:

Chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand

DRG:

Dorsal root ganglion

ICAM-1:

Intercellular adhesion molecule-1

IL:

Interleukin

PSNL:

Partial sciatic nerve ligation

SNL:

Spinal nerve ligation

TNF:

Tumor necrosis factor

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Klinik für Anäesthesiologie und operative Intensivmedizin, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Hindenburgdamm 30, 12203, Berlin, Germany

    Halina Machelska

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  1. Halina Machelska
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Correspondence to Halina Machelska .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

    Phillip K. Peterson

  2. Department of Biochemistry Department of Molecular Biology, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA

    Michal Toborek

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Machelska, H. (2014). Peripheral Neuroimmune Interactions and Neuropathic Pain. In: Peterson, P., Toborek, M. (eds) Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-1071-7_6

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