Neuropeptides Involved in Pain Control

Dear Colleagues,

Neuropeptides are well-defined chemical molecules, produced and released by the central nervous system and peripheral. They are involved in the transmission, modulation, and perception of physiological, neuropathic, and inflammatory pain. The development of novel nonpeptide agonists/antagonists, molecular cloning techniques, and transgenic animal models helps to define their functions in the nociceptive cascade, revealing a complex pattern of molecular mechanisms. Often, they are co-localized with neurotransmitters at the same nerve ending, blocking or enhancing their effects. For example, the calcitonin-gene-related peptide (CGRP) and neuropeptide tyrosine (NPY) are expressed and released from non-neuronal cells, acting via the same receptors as their neuronal counterparts. Peptides are endowed with a pleiotropic function, which is responsible for their plasticity under normal and experimental conditions, and redundancy, which may account for the poor performance of individual neuropeptide inhibitors in clinical trials. Accordingly, this Special Issue is focused on the design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of novel neuropeptides with the hope to replace or, at least, complement the use of opiate drugs, leading to increased efficacy and reduced adverse effects.

Prof. Adriano Mollica
Dr. Azzurra Stefanucci
Guest Editors

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