Su Nature Communications. the results of a study conducted by the European Brain Research Institute in collaboration with prof.'s team. Mauro Maccarrone
June 13, 2017 - Scientists no longer have any doubts: the vanilloid receptor is a molecule present in our brain and acts on neuronal and non-neuronal cells as one of the key players in the management of inflammation and pain. The discovery, made by Prof. Silvia Marinelli of Ebri (European Brain Research Institute) together with researchers UCBM led by prof. Mauro Maccarrone, was published in the magazine in recent days Nature Communications. and opens up one more possibility in the search for pain medications in the field of neuroinflammatory or neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's and ALS.
“We found that the vanilloid receptor actually acts as a sensor of inflammation and a marker of pain. A molecule that until the day before was not even accepted could be in the brain" explains prof. Mauro Maccarrone, full professor of Biochemistry at the Departmental Faculty of Medicine and Surgery of UCBM. “In particular, we have demonstrated that it is present on some non-neuronal cells, 'microglia', under normal conditions. But when the brain is subjected to damage, as in neuropathic pain, even the neurons - properly nerve cells - express this molecule to try to put up a barrier or in any case prepare a useful response to inflammation and pain". The study, coordinated by Prof. Silvia Marinelli and carried out also thanks to particular technologies present in the laboratories UCBM, therefore opens the door to new interventions to reduce or control the neuropathic pain, and increases scientific knowledge on the functioning and interaction between the different cells of the nervous system.
“For some years now it has been understood that the function of neurons is ideal if there are other non-neuronal cells that make it possible: these are precisely those of microglia and astrocytes. If the latter work well - continues prof. Maccarrone - then the neurons transmit electrical impulses correctly. Through the study we have verified that if the brain suffers damage, even the actual neuron (in addition to the microglia and astroglia) expresses the vanilloid receptor in an attempt to counteract the lesion as much as possible and contain the associated pain". This opens up a totally new perspective to possible interventions in the pharmaceutical field, aimed at reducing or controlling the conditions of inflammation and pain through a target that was not even known to exist. The good news is that many bullets to hit him are already known, so it will only be a question of understanding which ones will be more suitable for the purpose.
