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The release of a protein called HMGB1 from neurons can cause inflammation, according to a study published August 17 in PNAS. The researchers say this shows that neurons play an important role in initiating the immune response to injury and infection, and ushers in new ways of treating otherwise drug-resistant kinds of pain.
“There are a lot of cells that theoretically could use HMGB1 and probably do use HMGB1 for signaling. What’s interesting is that it’s involved in the nervous system,” notes David Pisetsky, an immunologist at the Duke University School of Medicine in North Carolina who studies the protein but was not involved in the new work. Pisetsky says he also thinks the result portends an increased focus on nerves for reducing immune-related pain.
Inflammation—an immune response characterized by heat, pain, redness, and swelling—helps the body repair tissues after infection or injury, as it assists ...
