Cytokines can be divided into two types： proinflammatory cytokines and anti-inflammatory cytokines. Proinflammatory cytokines are a kind of small molecular peptides synthesized and excreted by immune and non-immune cells, which can regulate a variety of physiological functions and play an important role in the process of trauma, pain and infection. Proinflammatory cytokines include TNF, IL-1, IL-6 and IL-8. More and more evidences suggest that proinflammatory cytokines(PICs), such as interleukin-1β(IL-1β), interleukin-6(IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), are induced in the spinal cord(SC) and dorsal root ganglion (DRG) under various injury conditions, and contribute to pain hypersensitivity. In recent years, with the deepening of studies on neuropathic pain mechanism and the increasing expansion of the neuroinflammation study field, the action mechanisms of cytokines and molecules in regulating cytokines in neuropathic pain are expected to provide new targets for the development of analgesic drugs. This review aims to provide an overview of inflammatory mechanisms for proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, with a focus on neuropathic pain.
Keywords: IL-1β; IL-6; TNF-α; neuropathic pain; proinflammatory factor.
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