Hemokinin-1 plays a potent pronociceptive role in acute and chronic models in mice

The Tac1 gene-encoded Substance P (SP) acting at the tachykinin NK1 receptor is involved in different pain states, but NK1 antagonists failed in clinical trials. The Tac4 gene-derived hemokinin-1 (HK-1) is present in pain-related brain regions and also activates the NK1 receptor with binding site and signaling pathways different from SP, but other mechanisms of action have been proposed. We investigated its involvement in pain conditions of distinct mechanisms in C57Bl/6 wildtype (WT), Tac4 and NK1 gene-deleted (Tac4-/-; NK1-/-) mice.

Source: Neuropeptides - October 1, 2017 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Eva Borbely, Zsofia Hajna, Balint Scheich, Agnes Hunyady, Katinka Bekefi, Timea Gubanyi, Alexandra Berger, Christopher J Paige, Jason McDougall, John Quinn, Janos Szolcsanyi, Erika Pinter, Zsuzsanna Helyes Source Type: research