Channelopathies and Chronic Pain

This article is a stub.

Channelopathies are disorders caused by the dysfunction of ion channels, which play a crucial role in the transmission of electrical signals within cells. In the context of neuropathic pain, several channelopathies involving different ion channels have been identified as contributing factors. Some of the important channelopathies linked to chronic pain include:

Nav1.7-related disorders: Nav1.7 is a voltage-gated sodium channel predominantly expressed in peripheral sensory neurons. Mutations in the SCN9A gene, which encodes the Nav1.7 channel, have been linked to pain disorders like primary erythromelalgia, paroxysmal extreme pain disorder, and small fiber neuropathy.
Nav1.8-related disorders: Nav1.8 is another voltage-gated sodium channel, primarily found in nociceptive neurons. Dysfunctional Nav1.8 channels can cause painful peripheral neuropathies, and their upregulation has been associated with inflammatory and neuropathic pain.
TRPV1-related disorders: TRPV1 (transient receptor potential vanilloid 1) is a nonselective cation channel involved in detecting noxious heat and various chemical stimuli. It plays a key role in the development of inflammatory pain and has been implicated in chronic pain conditions, such as osteoarthritis, and neuropathic pain.
TRPA1-related disorders: TRPA1 (transient receptor potential ankyrin 1) is another nonselective cation channel involved in detecting noxious cold, mechanical, and chemical stimuli. It has been implicated in various pain conditions, including inflammatory, neuropathic, and migraine pain.
Kv7 (KCNQ)-related disorders: Kv7 potassium channels regulate neuronal excitability and have been linked to neuropathic pain. Mutations in KCNQ genes can lead to a reduction in potassium currents, increasing neuronal excitability and potentially contributing to chronic pain.
HCN-related disorders: Hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN) channels are involved in regulating neuronal excitability. Their dysregulation has been implicated in neuropathic pain and other pain conditions, such as migraine and fibromyalgia.
Cav3.2 (T-type calcium channel)-related disorders: Cav3.2 is a T-type calcium channel that contributes to neuronal excitability. Its upregulation has been linked to neuropathic and inflammatory pain, as well as pain associated with conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome