2024-07-12 17:53:00
For the first time, researchers in the Department of Hematology and Oncology at the UNC School of Medicine have determined how a small protein called calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) affects the lymphatic system. , which contributes to the pain during migraine attacks.
CGRP, a protein often involved in pain transmission in neurons, is known to increase in the meninges, or layers of tissue surrounding the brain, during migraine attacks. The team found that increased levels of CGRP also had a significant effect on the brain’s vascular system, an important system that helps drain cerebrospinal fluid and creates pathways for immune cells to invade the lining of the brain. .
To study exactly how CGRP affects the lymphatic system and contributes to migraine pain, a group of researchers performed a large number of in vitro and in vivo, using mouse models immune to the effects of CGRP, is the first to confirm that they experience less pain and use. more time in the well-lit chamber compared to those vulnerable to CGRP. Bright light is a pain stimulus for migraine sufferers, and the ability to measure similar behaviors in mice confirms the translational impact of the study.
Using cell culture techniques, they evaluated how a specialized protein is organized within individual cells that make up the lymphatic vessels. The protein, called VE-Cadherin, helps hold the lymphatic endothelial cells together and controls the amount of fluid, such as cerebrospinal fluid, that can pass between the lymphatic endothelial cells and leave the vessels. The researchers found that lymphatic endothelial cells treated with CGRP rearranged their VE-cadherin proteins so that they lined up like a zipper on a jacket, maintaining a tight seal. This system prevents water from passing between the cells, which reduces the longevity of these cell layers.
They confirmed this finding in meningeal lymphatic cells from mouse models treated with migraine-induced nitroglycerin. When CGRP and a tracer dye were injected into the meningeal lymphatic vessels, they observed a significant reduction in the amount of cerebrospinal fluid leaving the skull.
Future studies are needed to reveal more information about the relationships between migraine, CGRP, and meningeal lymphatic vessels. The research team will work to understand how the flow of cerebrospinal fluid through the meningeal lymphatic vessels contributes to migraine in humans through studies with and without the use of new FDA-approved CGRP-targeting drugs, such as Nurtec, Emality, Ajovy , and so on.
Although CGRP has been identified as the main mediator of migraine-inducing changes in the lymphatic system, researchers do not fully understand the pathophysiology of migraine and the causes of pain. More research is needed to understand how meningeal lymphatic circulation and related hormonal life stages of women, such as menopause, pregnancy, and menopause, play a role in migraine production.
These results were published in the Journal of Clinical Research.
#Migraine #caused #poor #lymphatic #circulation #brain