Study Highlights Safer, Non-Addictive Pain Management Approach - Video

Researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS), in collaboration with Peking University, China, have made a discovery regarding the TRPV1 (transient receptor potential vanilloid 1) ion channel and its role in pain perception. The study reveals how solvent molecules can modulate pain signals, offering a potential pathway for a safer, non-addictive pain management approach.

The TRPV1 ion channel, essential for pain sensing, undergoes pore expansion when activated, allowing ions and larger molecules to pass through.

The research team led by Professor LIU Xiaogang from the Department of Chemistry at NUS developed an upconversion nanoprobe capable of distinguishing between ordinary water (H₂O) and deuterated water (D₂O). This advanced technology enabled real-time tracking of water dynamics at both the single-cell and single-molecule levels.

The study showed that when D₂O passed through the TRPV1 channel, it suppressed pain signal transmission and achieved effective analgesia.

The findings were published in the journal Nature Biomedical Engineering.

Administering D₂O to pre-clinical models, the team successfully reduced both acute and chronic inflammatory pain transmission without affecting other neurological responses.

This solvent-mediated analgesia mechanism provides an effective, biocompatible, and non-addictive alternative to traditional pain medications, circumventing issues related to drug dependency and tolerance.

Reference: Y Liu; Y He; J Tong; S Guo; X Zhang; Z Luo; L Sun; C Chang*; B Zhuang*; X Liu*, “Solvent-mediated analgesia via the suppression of water permeation through TRPV1 ion channels” Nature Biomedical Engineering DOI: 10.1038/s41551-024-01288-2 Published: 2024.