Journal
FREE RADICAL BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
Volume 51, Issue 5, Pages 951-966Publisher
ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC
DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2011.01.026
Keywords
Superoxide; Peroxynitrite; Pain; Superoxide dismutase mimetics; Peroxynitrite decomposition catalysts; Rostral ventromedial medulla; Central sensitization; Glutamatergic neurotransmission; Neuroimmune activation; Free radicals
Funding
- NIH/NIDA [R01 DA024074]
- NIH/NIAMS [RC1 AR05823]
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Peroxynitrite (PN; ONOO-) and its reactive oxygen precursor superoxide (SO; O-2(-)) are critically important in the development of pain of several etiologies including pain associated with chronic use of opiates such as morphine (also known as opiate-induced hyperalgesia and antinociceptive tolerance). This is now an emerging field in which considerable progress has been made in terms of understanding the relative contributions of SO, PN, and nitroxidative stress in pain signaling at the molecular and biochemical levels. Aggressive research in this area is poised to provide the pharmacological basis for development of novel nonnarcotic analgesics that are based upon the unique ability to selectively eliminate SO and/or PN. As we have a better understanding of the roles of SO and PN in pathophysiological settings, targeting PN may be a better therapeutic strategy than targeting SO. This is because, unlike PN, which has no currently known beneficial role, SO may play a significant role in learning and memory [1]. Thus, the best approach may be to spare SO while directly targeting its downstream product, PN. Over the past 15 years, our team has spearheaded research concerning the roles of SO and PN in pain and these results are currently leading to the development of solid therapeutic strategies in this important area. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available