The mechanisms of microgliosis and pain following peripheral nerve injury.

Microglia are the resident macrophages in the central nervous system (CNS). Any insult to the CNS homeostasis will induce a rapid change in microglia morphology, gene expression profile and functional behaviour. These responses of microglia have been collectively known as 'microgliosis'. I...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Calvo, M, Bennett, D
Format: Journal article
Language:English
Published: 2012
_version_ 1797055313999822848
author Calvo, M
Bennett, D
author_facet Calvo, M
Bennett, D
author_sort Calvo, M
collection OXFORD
description Microglia are the resident macrophages in the central nervous system (CNS). Any insult to the CNS homeostasis will induce a rapid change in microglia morphology, gene expression profile and functional behaviour. These responses of microglia have been collectively known as 'microgliosis'. Interestingly, damage to the nervous system outside the CNS, such as axotomy of a peripheral nerve, can lead to microgliosis in the spinal cord. There is a variation in the degree of microgliosis depending on the model of nerve injury employed for instance this response is more marked following traumatic nerve injury than in models of chemotherapy induced neuropathy. Following peripheral nerve injury nociceptive inputs from sensory neurons appear to be critical in triggering the development of spinal microgliosis. A number of signalling pathways including growth factors such as Neuregulin-1, matrix metalloproteases such as MMP-9 and multiple chemokines enable direct communication between injured primary afferents and microglia. In addition, we describe a group of mediators which although not demonstrably shown to be released from neurons are known to modulate microglial phenotype. There is a great functional diversity of the microglial response to peripheral nerve injury which includes: Cellular migration, proliferation, cytokine release, phagocytosis, antigen presentation and recruitment of T cells. It should also be noted that in certain contexts microglia may have a role in the resolution of neuro-inflammation. Although there is still no direct evidence demonstrating that spinal microglia have a role in neuropathic pain in humans, these patients present a pro-inflammatory cytokine profile and it is a reasonable hypothesis that these cells may contribute to this inflammatory response. Modulating microglial functions offers a novel therapeutic opportunity following nerve injury which ideally would involve reducing the pro-inflammatory nature of these cells whilst retaining their potential beneficial functions.
first_indexed 2024-03-06T19:08:55Z
format Journal article
id oxford-uuid:161c8e87-6e93-47b8-914e-08b49038fb71
institution University of Oxford
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-06T19:08:55Z
publishDate 2012
record_format dspace
spelling oxford-uuid:161c8e87-6e93-47b8-914e-08b49038fb712022-03-26T10:29:20ZThe mechanisms of microgliosis and pain following peripheral nerve injury.Journal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:161c8e87-6e93-47b8-914e-08b49038fb71EnglishSymplectic Elements at Oxford2012Calvo, MBennett, DMicroglia are the resident macrophages in the central nervous system (CNS). Any insult to the CNS homeostasis will induce a rapid change in microglia morphology, gene expression profile and functional behaviour. These responses of microglia have been collectively known as 'microgliosis'. Interestingly, damage to the nervous system outside the CNS, such as axotomy of a peripheral nerve, can lead to microgliosis in the spinal cord. There is a variation in the degree of microgliosis depending on the model of nerve injury employed for instance this response is more marked following traumatic nerve injury than in models of chemotherapy induced neuropathy. Following peripheral nerve injury nociceptive inputs from sensory neurons appear to be critical in triggering the development of spinal microgliosis. A number of signalling pathways including growth factors such as Neuregulin-1, matrix metalloproteases such as MMP-9 and multiple chemokines enable direct communication between injured primary afferents and microglia. In addition, we describe a group of mediators which although not demonstrably shown to be released from neurons are known to modulate microglial phenotype. There is a great functional diversity of the microglial response to peripheral nerve injury which includes: Cellular migration, proliferation, cytokine release, phagocytosis, antigen presentation and recruitment of T cells. It should also be noted that in certain contexts microglia may have a role in the resolution of neuro-inflammation. Although there is still no direct evidence demonstrating that spinal microglia have a role in neuropathic pain in humans, these patients present a pro-inflammatory cytokine profile and it is a reasonable hypothesis that these cells may contribute to this inflammatory response. Modulating microglial functions offers a novel therapeutic opportunity following nerve injury which ideally would involve reducing the pro-inflammatory nature of these cells whilst retaining their potential beneficial functions.
spellingShingle Calvo, M
Bennett, D
The mechanisms of microgliosis and pain following peripheral nerve injury.
title The mechanisms of microgliosis and pain following peripheral nerve injury.
title_full The mechanisms of microgliosis and pain following peripheral nerve injury.
title_fullStr The mechanisms of microgliosis and pain following peripheral nerve injury.
title_full_unstemmed The mechanisms of microgliosis and pain following peripheral nerve injury.
title_short The mechanisms of microgliosis and pain following peripheral nerve injury.
title_sort mechanisms of microgliosis and pain following peripheral nerve injury
work_keys_str_mv AT calvom themechanismsofmicrogliosisandpainfollowingperipheralnerveinjury
AT bennettd themechanismsofmicrogliosisandpainfollowingperipheralnerveinjury
AT calvom mechanismsofmicrogliosisandpainfollowingperipheralnerveinjury
AT bennettd mechanismsofmicrogliosisandpainfollowingperipheralnerveinjury