Chemokines key to sunburn
Chronic pain could be a thing of the past, thanks to a discovery that will help to numb the excruciating pain associated with sunburn. The brains behind the new pain-busting breakthrough is a team of scientists at Kings College in London, who identified the very molecule that triggers sunburn discomfort – namely a protein called […]
Chronic pain could be a thing of the past, thanks to a discovery that will help to numb the excruciating pain associated with sunburn. The brains behind the new pain-busting breakthrough is a team of scientists at Kings College in London, who identified the very molecule that triggers sunburn discomfort – namely a protein called CXCL5, which is categorised as a chemokine molecule.
To determine and prove the significance of CXCL5 in relation to inflammatory pain, the molecule was injected into healthy rats without exposing them to UV. The study showed that the rats’ pain threshold matched that of sunburn. An antibody with neutralising properties was used to reverse the sensitivity caused by the molecule. Significantly, the new discovery could potentially lead to a new breed of painkillers that may be used to bust pain related to chronic conditions such as arthritis.
