Linked Life Data

12624778

Source:http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/id/12624778

Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
12
pubmed:dateCreated
2003-3-7
pubmed:abstractText
During injury or inflammation, paracrine sensitization of peripheral sensory neurons by immune cells contributes to the sensation of pain. It is less clear whether this neural sensitization contributes to neuropathic pain after neural injury as well. Shingles (herpes zoster) is a common disease that leaves some patients with prolonged neuropathic pain known as postherpetic neuralgia (PHN). Sensitization of cutaneous neurons has been hypothesized to contribute to PHN. Langerhans cells (LC), the Ia(+) macrophages of the skin, contact epidermal neurites and, when activated, synthesize molecules with the ability to sensitize axons. For these reasons, we examined morphological evidence for activation of LC in subjects with established PHN. We also evaluated the relationship between numbers of LC and nociceptive epidermal nerve endings; these are markedly reduced in PHN. We used design-based stereology to estimate the number of CD1a(+) LC in biopsies of painful and non-painful skin from ten adults with or without PHN after shingles on the torso. There were no differences in the number of LC in previously shingles-affected and normal-control skin biopsies. The number of LC also remained at normal levels in biopsies with near-loss of innervation from shingles. LC numbers were unrelated to the presence or severity of pain. These data suggest that neuropathic pain in established PHN is not associated with increased numbers of cutaneous macrophages, and that the number of cutaneous macrophages in skin from the human torso is independent of the number of epidermal nerve endings.
pubmed:grant
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Mar
pubmed:issn
0340-3696
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
294
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
529-35
pubmed:dateRevised
2007-11-14
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
2003
pubmed:articleTitle
Number of Langerhans immune cells in painful and non-painful human skin after shingles.
pubmed:affiliation
Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S., Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't