Malcolm Henry
An experimental gene therapy for spinal cord pain shows promise in mice, researchers say.
About half of spinal cord injury patients have neuropathy, which is chronic or debilitating pain, tingling, numbness or muscle weakness caused by damaged or malfunctioning nerves.
Treatment of neuropathy can be challenging. For example, medications often require complex, continuous delivery and can cause side effects such as sedation and motor weakness. Prescription opioid painkillers can be effective, but may lead to increased tolerance and the risk of misuse or abuse, the researchers explained.
It’s possible to pinpoint the precise location of a spinal cord injury and origin of neuropathic pain, so scientists are trying to develop treatments that target malfunctioning or damaged neurons in affected areas of the spine.
The gene therapy tested in this study involves injection of a harmless virus that carries a pair of transgenes — GAD65 and VGAT — that encode for gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a neurotransmitter that blocks pain signals between nerve cells.
The therapy was tested on mice with sciatic nerve injuries that caused significant neuropathic pain, and it triggered measurable suppression of pain-signaling neurons. The effects lasted for at least 2.5 months after treatment.
Because the therapy targeted the specific location of sciatic nerve injury in the mice, they had no detectable side effects, according to the authors.
“One of the prerequisites of a clinically acceptable antinociceptive [pain-blocking] therapy is minimal or no side effects like muscle weakness, general sedation or development of tolerance for the treatment,” said senior study author Dr. Martin Marsala, a professor in the Department of Anesthesiology at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine.
“A single treatment invention that provides long-lasting therapeutic effect is also highly desirable. These findings suggest a path forward on both,” Marsala added in a university news release.
It’s noted, however, that research on animals does not always produce the same effect in humans.
The study was published online recently in the journal Molecular Therapy.
More information
There’s more on spinal cord injury at the U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
SOURCE: University of California, San Diego, news release, May 9, 2022
This is a topic close to my heart cheers, where are your contact details though?
You really make it appear so easy along with your presentation but I in finding this matter to be actually something which I believe I would by no means understand. It kind of feels too complex and very wide for me. I’m having a look forward to your subsequent submit, I will attempt to get the cling of it!
It’s really a nice and useful piece of info. I’m glad that you shared this helpful info with us. Please keep us informed like this. Thanks for sharing.
Good web site you have got here.. It’s difficult to find high-quality writing like yours nowadays. I honestly appreciate people like you! Take care!!
Thanks again for the article post. Much obliged.
I always was interested in this topic and still am, appreciate it for posting.
Excellent read, I just passed this onto a friend who was doing a little research on that. And he actually bought me lunch since I found it for him smile Thus let me rephrase that: Thank you for lunch! “Life is a continual upgrade.” by J. Mark Wallace.
Hi, Neat post. There is an issue together with your site in internet explorer, may test thisK IE nonetheless is the marketplace leader and a big component of people will leave out your excellent writing due to this problem.
Good write-up, I am regular visitor of one’s blog, maintain up the excellent operate, and It is going to be a regular visitor for a lengthy time.
I reckon something genuinely special in this website.
Hello, you used to write wonderful, but the last several posts have been kinda boring… I miss your super writings. Past few posts are just a bit out of track! come on!
I like this blog its a master peace ! Glad I detected this on google .
You have mentioned very interesting points! ps decent web site. “The appearance of right oft leads us wrong.” by Horace.
81296 613471Beneficial information and exceptional style you got here! I want to thank you for sharing your ideas and putting the time into the stuff you publish! Wonderful function! 628422
Hi there would you mind sharing which blog platform you’re working with? I’m planning to start my own blog in the near future but I’m having a hard time making a decision between BlogEngine/Wordpress/B2evolution and Drupal. The reason I ask is because your layout seems different then most blogs and I’m looking for something unique. P.S Apologies for getting off-topic but I had to ask!
I have recently started a blog, the info you provide on this site has helped me tremendously. Thanks for all of your time & work.
I like the efforts you have put in this, thankyou for all the great blog posts.
What i don’t realize is actually how you’re no longer actually a lot more neatly-preferred than you may be now. You are very intelligent. You already know therefore considerably in relation to this topic, made me personally consider it from numerous numerous angles. Its like women and men aren’t involved until it is something to accomplish with Woman gaga! Your own stuffs excellent. At all times deal with it up!
98051 619352Thank you for this. Thats all I can say. You most surely have produced this into something thats eye opening and essential. You clearly know so much about the subject, youve covered so many bases. Fantastic stuff from this part of the internet. 937682