TY - JOUR
T1 - T Cells as Guardians of Pain Resolution
AU - Kavelaars, Annemieke
AU - Heijnen, Cobi J.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2021/4
Y1 - 2021/4
N2 - 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.
AB - 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.
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U2 - 10.1016/j.molmed.2020.12.007
DO - 10.1016/j.molmed.2020.12.007
M3 - Review article
C2 - 33431239
AN - SCOPUS:85099134692
SN - 1471-4914
VL - 27
SP - 302
EP - 313
JO - Trends in Molecular Medicine
JF - Trends in Molecular Medicine
IS - 4
ER -