Abstract
Recent evidence implicates an adaptive immune response in the central nervous system (CNS) mechanisms of neuropathic pain. This review identifies how neuropathic pain alters CNS immune privilege to facilitate T cell infiltration. Once in the CNS, T cells may interact with the local antigen presenting cells, microglia, via the major histocompatibility complex and the costimulatory molecules CD40 and B7. In this way, T cells may contribute to the maintenance of neuropathic pain through pro-inflammatory interactions with microglia and by facilitating the activation of astrocytes in the spinal dorsal horn. Based on the evidence presented in this review, we suggest that this bidirectional, pro-inflammatory system of neurons, glia and T cells in neuropathic pain should be renamed the pentapartite synapse, and identifies the latest member as a potential disease-modifying therapeutic target.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 1322-1332 |
Number of pages | 11 |
Journal | Brain, behavior, and immunity |
Volume | 25 |
Issue number | 7 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Oct 2011 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Allodynia
- Central nervous system
- Glia
- Immunological synapse
- Neuropathic pain
- T cell
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Immunology
- Endocrine and Autonomic Systems
- Behavioral Neuroscience