American Pain Society's 27th Annual Scientific Meeting (May 8 – 10, 2008): Voltage-Gated Sodium Channels and Calcium Channels in Pain Transmission and Therapy

Voltage-gated sodium channels are central to both the generation and conduction of action potentials in mammalian neurons. Several sodium channel subunits have been shown to be critical contributors to normal and pathological pain sensation, and for some of these, their unique distribution in nociceptors has created great interest in their potential utility as a therapeutic target for treating pain. This workshop focuses on recent advances in our understanding of the role of voltage-gated sodium channels in pain. Drs. Wood and Dib-Hajj will discuss genetic mutations in voltage-gated sodium channel subunits that lead to the development of inherited pain disorders. Dr. Jarvis will speak about the role of Nav1.8 in pain states as well as the discovery of small molecule Nav1.8 blockers and their analgesic profile. Voltage-gated calcium channels allow rapid influx of extracellular calcium in response to membrane depolarization and thus play important roles in regulating numerous physiological processes, including nociceptive processing in both the normal and the disease settings. Mutations in voltage-gated calcium channels have been associated with inherited pain disorder. Research into the properties and function of calcium channels lead to the development of a new generation of drugs for the treatment of chronic pain. Dr. Ayata will talk about calcium channel mutations and cortical spreading depression in migraine pathophysiology. Dr. C.P. Taylor will discuss the evidence that the analgesic action of the drugs gabapentin and pregabalin requires drug binding to the calcium channel auxiliary subunit protein, alpha2-delta. In addition, he will discuss the anatomical distribution of alpha2-delta type 1 protein in forebrain and spinal cord, and the hypothesis that these drugs act by modifying neurotransmitter release in these areas. Dr. Snutch will discuss the new developments in targeting voltage-gated calcium channels in central and peripheral nociceptive pathways.