Emerging role of Toll-like receptors in the control of pain and itch

作     者：Tong Liu Yong-Jing Gao Ru-Rong Ji 

作者机构：Sensory Plasticity LaboratoryPain Research CenterDepartment of AnesthesiologyPerioperative and Pain MedicineBrigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusetts 02115USA Institute of Nautical MedicineNantong UniversityNantong 226001China 

出 版 物：《Neuroscience Bulletin》 (神经科学通报（英文版）)

年 卷 期：2012年第28卷第2期

页      面：131-144页

核心收录：

学科分类：0710[理学-生物学] 081803[工学-地质工程] 07[理学] 08[工学] 071009[理学-细胞生物学] 09[农学] 0818[工学-地质资源与地质工程] 0901[农学-作物学] 090102[农学-作物遗传育种] 

基　　金：supported by the US National Institutes of Health (R01-DE17794  R01-NS54362 and R01-NS67686) 

主　　题：astrocytes microglia Toll-like receptor pain itch danger-associated molecular patterns pathogen-associatedmolecular patterns 

摘      要：Toll-like receptors （TLRs） are germline-encoded pattern-recognition receptors that initiate innate immune re- sponses by recognizing molecular structures shared by a wide range of pathogens, known as pathogen-associated molecular patterns （PAMPs）. After tissue injury or cellular stress, TLRs also detect endogenous ligands known as danger-associated molecular patterns （DAMPs）. TLRs are expressed in both non-neuronal and neuronal cell types in the central nervous system （CNS） and contribute to both infectious and non-infectious disorders in the CNS. Following tissue insult and nerve injury, TLRs （such as TLR2, TLR3, and TLR4） induce the activation of microglia and astrocytes and the production of the proinflammatory cytokines in the spinal cord, leading to the development and maintenance of inflammatory pain and neu- ropathic pain. In particular, primary sensory neurons, such as nociceptors, express TLRs （e.g., TLR4 and TLR7） to sense exogenous PAMPs and endogenous DAMPs released after tissue injury and cellular stress. These neuronal TLRs are new players in the processing of pain and itch by increasing the excitability of primary sensory neurons. Given the prevalence of chronic pain and itch and the suffering of affected people, insights into TLR signaling in the nervous system will open a new avenue for the management of clinical pain and itch.