Srikar Pasala

The role of the KCC2 gene in regulating neuropathic pain: A review

Started Jan. 20, 2023

Abstract or project description

The Potassium-Chloride Cotransporter-2 (KCC2) gene helps regulate the electrochemical gradient of chloride ions in neurons, greatly modulating the transmission of GABAergic transmissions. Neuropathic pain occurs when there is damage to the somatosensory nervous system, affecting the sense of touch, temperature, pain, and pressure. There are currently limited long term treatments for neuropathic pain. KCC2 is implicated in the transmission of neuropathic pain by regulating GABA levels and thus the pain perceived by the brain. This review aims to assess the role of the KCC2 gene in regulating neuropathic pain and discuss its current and potential use in treatment modalities. A comprehensive PubMed search using the search term “KCC2 neuropathic pain medication,” was performed and filtered to articles published between 2013 - 2023 , resulting in a total of six eligible studies. Three drugs that were found to improve neuropathic pain were minocycline, trifluoro-icaritin, and K252a. There are conflicting results suggesting that both KCC2 upregulation and downregulation may improve neuropathic pain through the KCC2 pathway. Overall, targeting the KCC2 gene may better treat neuropathic pain. Future clinical trials evaluating drugs that target the KCC2 gene should be conducted to increase treatment validity and reliability.