Combating Pain

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Chronic pain afflicts millions of people, but for many, a reliable, non-addictive drug to ease their suffering remains out of reach. Some of the most effective drugs for treating severe pain, opioids, are highly addictive and have led to cascading public health crises. 

To open a new pathway for pain relief, University of Texas at Austin chemist Ken Hsu is addressing inflammation, the heart of pain. Inflammation begins when masses of immune cells travel to an injury site, building up and changing pain receptor activity. Endocannabinoids, compounds naturally produced by immune cells, take part in inflammation regulation – either as direct mediators or as carriers of omega-6 fatty acids that fuel inflammatory signaling. Hsu and his team used small molecule inhibitors to block enzymes that produce endocannabinoids. By reprogramming the energy state of the immune system, this strategy shuts off an inflammatory response and alleviates pain in mice.

“Immune cells known as macrophages are tricked into thinking they are starving,” said Hsu, an associate professor in the Department of Chemistry. “Changes in energy metabolism in the immune system can turn off inflammatory signaling and be effective in pain management.”

“Compared to existing pain treatments, this new approach may be more targeted.”

Compared to existing pain treatments, this new approach may be more targeted. And such a targeted approach can prevent crossing the “blood-brain barrier,” a factor that can lead to addiction.

“You’re going to affect these pathways where it matters, where the inflammation is happening,” Hsu said.

While the treatment so far has only been studied in animals, Hsu hopes it will lead to clinical translation in the future – meaning hopefully one day by reprogramming the energy state of the immune system a better treatment alternative for people dealing with chronic pain concerned about opioid addiction.