Synonyms
NA; interleukins; Lymphokines; chemokines
Definition
Extracellular signaling proteins within the immune system and between the immune system and nervous system.
Characteristics
Cytokines
Cytokines are a heterogeneous group of proteins that were originally found to mediate activation of the immune system and inflammatory responses. They are produced by white blood cells and a variety of other cells including neurons, Schwann cells and other glial cells. Most cytokines act on a variety of tissues, including the peripheral and central nervous systems. Cytokines are extracellular signaling proteins that form part of a bi-directional circuit between the immune system and the nervous system, acting at hormonal concentrations through high-affinity receptors, and producing endocrine, paracrine and autocrine effects. In contrast to circulating hormones, they exert their effects over short distances onto nearby cells. In vivoconcentrations are in the range of a few pg to ng per ml....
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Barnes PF, Chatterjee D, Brennan et al. (1992) Tumor Necrosis Factor Production in Patients with Leprosy. Infec Immun 60:1441–1446
Brisby H, Olmarker K, Larsson K et al. (2002) Proinflammatory Cytokines in Cerebrospinal Fluid and Serum in Patients with Disc Herniation and Sciatica. Eur Spine J 11:62–66
Ching DWT, McClintock A, Beswick F (2003) Successful Treatment with Low-Dose Thalidomide in a Patient with Both Behcet‘s Disease and Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Type I. J Clin Rheumatology 9:96–98
Diem R, Meyer R, Weishaupt JH et al. (2001) Reduction of Potassium Currents and Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase-Dependent AKT Phosphorylation by Tumor Necrosis Factor-(alpha) Rescues Axotomized Retinal Ganglion Cells from Retrograde Cell Death In Vivo. J Neurosci 21:2058–2066
Fukuoka H, Kawatani M, Hisamitsu T et al. (1994) Cutaneous Hyperalgesia Induced by Peripheral Injection of Interleukin-1β in the Rat. Brain Res 657:133–140
Junger H, Sorkin LS (2000) Nociceptive and Inflammatory Effects of Subcutaneous TNFalpha. Pain 85:145–151
Lindenlaub T, Sommer C (2003) Cytokines in Sural Nerve Biopsies from Inflammatory and Non-Inflammatory Neuropathies. Acta Neuropathol 105:593–602
Obreja O, Rathee PK, Lips KS et al. (2002) IL-1 Beta Potentiates Heat-Activated Currents in Rat Sensory Neurons: Involvement of IL-1RI, Tyrosine Kinase, and Protein Kinase C. FASEB J 16:1497–1503
Olmarker K, Nutu M, Storkson R (2003) Changes in Spontaneous Behavior in Rats Exposed to Experimental Disc Herniation are Blocked by Selective TNF-Alpha Inhibition. Spine 28:1635–1641
Onda A, Yabuki S, Kikuchi S (2003) Effects of Neutralizing Antibodies to Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha on Nucleus Pulposus-Induced Abnormal Nociresponses in Rat Dorsal Horn Neurons. Spine 28:967–972
Opree A, Kress M (2000) Involvement of the Proinflammatory Cytokines Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha, IL-1Beta, and IL-6 but not IL-8 in the Development of Heat Hyperalgesia: Effects on Heat-Evoked Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide Release from Rat Skin. J Neurosci 20:6289–6293
Poole S, Cunha FQ, Ferreira SH (1999) Hyperalgesia from Subcutaneous Cytokines. In: Watkins LR, Maier SF (eds) Cytokines and Pain. Birkhäuser, Basel, pp 59–87
Reeve AJ, Patel S, Fox A et al. (2000) Intrathecally Administered Endotoxin or Cytokines Produce Allodynia, Hyperalgesia and Changes in Spinal Cord Neuronal Responses to Nociceptive Stimuli in the Rat. Eur J Pain 4:247–257
Schäfers M, Geis C, Svensson CI et al. (2003) Selective Increase of Tumour Necrosis Factor-Alpha in Injured and Spared Myelinated Primary Afferents after Chronic Constrictive Injury of Rat Sciatic Nerve. Eur J Neurosci 17:791–804
Schäfers M, Lee DH, Brors D et al. (2003a) Increased Sensitivity of Injured and Adjacent Uninjured Rat Primary Sensory Neurons to Exogenous Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha after Spinal Nerve Ligation. J Neurosci 23:3028–3038
Sommer C (2001) Cytokines and Neuropathic Pain. In: Hansson P, Fields H, Hill R et al. (eds) Neuropathic Pain: Pathophysiology and Treatment. IASP Press, Seattle, pp 37–62
Wagner R, Janjigian M, Myers RR (1998) Anti-Inflammatory Interleukin-10 Therapy in CCI Neuropathy Decreases Thermal Hyperalgesia, Macrophage Recruitment, and Endoneurial TNF-Alpha Expression. Pain 74:35–42
Winkelstein BA, Rutkowski MD, Sweitzer SM et al. (2001) Nerve Injury Proximal or Distal to the DRG Induces Similar Spinal Glial Activation and Selective Cytokine Expression but Differential Behavioral Responses to Pharmacologic Treatment. J Comp Neurol 439:127–139
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2007 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this entry
Cite this entry
Sommer, C., Sorkin, L. (2007). Cytokines as Targets in the Treatment of Neuropathic Pain. In: Schmidt, R., Willis, W. (eds) Encyclopedia of Pain. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-29805-2_984
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-29805-2_984
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-540-43957-8
Online ISBN: 978-3-540-29805-2
eBook Packages: MedicineReference Module Medicine