Ion channels: Metabolite targets sodium channels in diabetic pain.

摘要

Neuropathic pain is a common but poorly understood complication in diabetic patients. A new study reveals a mechanism whereby increased plasma levels of methylglyoxal, a metabolite produced under hyperglycaemic conditions, results in multiple effects on voltage-gated sodium channels (VGSCs) that drive nociceptor hyperactivity and diabetic neuropathy.