Abstract
Neuropathic pain is a chronic pain condition caused by lesion or disease affecting the somatosensory system. The glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) family ligands (GFLs) alleviate symptoms of NP and stimulate regeneration of sensory neurons in vivo. Here we report the development of the compound BT18 that selectively activates GFLreceptors, alleviates pain and restores damaged dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons in rat models of NP.
Significance statement Neuropathic pain (NP) is a chronic syndrome caused by different diseases and lesions affecting nervous system. Earlier studies demonstrated that neurotrophic factors - the glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) and artemin - could reverse the damage done by lesions in animal models of NP. We demonstrate for the first time that a small molecule can activate receptor of GDNF and artemin, it alleviates pain symptoms in vivo in two animal models of NP and restores to normal the molecular markers expressed in sensory neurons. This compound, termed BT18, can pave way for creating novel disease modifying therapies for NP.
