T Cells as Guardians of Pain Resolution

Annemieke Kavelaars, Cobi J. Heijnen

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

19 Scopus citations

Abstract

Despite successful research efforts aimed at understanding pain mechanisms, there is still no adequate treatment for many patients suffering from chronic pain. The contribution of neuroinflammation to chronic pain is widely acknowledged. Here, we summarize findings indicating that T cells play a key role in the suppression of pain. An active contribution of the immune system to resolution of pain may explain why immunosuppressive drugs are often not sufficient to control pain. This would also imply that dysregulation of certain immune functions promote transition to chronic pain. Conversely, stimulating the endogenous immune-mediated resolution pathways may provide a potent approach to treat chronic pain.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)302-313
Number of pages12
JournalTrends in Molecular Medicine
Volume27
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 2021

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Molecular Medicine
  • Molecular Biology

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