IL-4, JAK-STAT signaling, and pain

JAKSTAT. 2013 Oct 1;2(4):e27638. doi: 10.4161/jkst.27638. Epub 2014 Jan 2.

Abstract

During inflammation, several mediators directly or indirectly induce pain including pro-inflammatory cytokines and there is evidence that the JAK-STAT pathway is involved in the formation of pronociceptive cytokines. The same pathway, however, is also of importance for anti-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-4 to counteract the inflammatory reaction and-as it seems based on the current literature-nociceptive symptoms. Current therapeutic approaches targeting molecules of the JAK-STAT signaling cascade are auspicious but as this review demonstrates, more experimental and clinical studies are required to decipher the specific contribution of this pathway in the modulation of pain.

Keywords: anti-inflammatory cytokines; antinociception; inflammation; opioids; pro-inflammatory cytokines.

Publication types

  • Review