Unconventional Role of Caspase-6 in Spinal Microglia Activation and Chronic Pain

Figure 2

Caspases in microglial activation and chronic pain and schematic representation of the CASP6 neuroinflammatory mechanism. (a) Regulation of apoptotic and inflammatory caspases in microglia activation and chronic pain. (b) Tissue and nerve injury leads to the release of CASP6 from the central afferents of primary sensory neurons [1]; this leads to the microglial activation shown by the phosphorylation of p38 and production of TNFα [2]; consequently TNFα binds to the presynaptic TNFR increasing the release of glutamate and the excitatory synaptic transmission [3], which ultimately results in chronic pain [4].

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