Title:Targeting Cytokines for Morphine Tolerance: A Narrative Review
Volume: 17
Issue: 4
Author(s): Dai-Qiang Liu, Ya-Qun Zhou and Feng Gao*
Affiliation:
- Anesthesiology Institute, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan,China
Keywords:
Morphine tolerance, pro-inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, anti-inflammatory cytokines, pain, glial cells.
Abstract: Background: Despite its various side effects, morphine has been widely used in clinics
for decades due to its powerful analgesic effect. Morphine tolerance is one of the major side effects,
hindering its long-term usage for pain therapy. Currently, the thorough cellular and molecular
mechanisms underlying morphine tolerance remain largely uncertain.
Methods: We searched the PubMed database with Medical subject headings (MeSH) including
‘morphine tolerance’, ‘cytokines’, ‘interleukin 1’, ‘interleukin 1 beta’, ‘interleukin 6’, ‘tumor necrosis
factor alpha’, ‘interleukin 10’, ‘chemokines’. Manual searching was carried out by reviewing the
reference lists of relevant studies obtained from the primary search. The searches covered the period
from inception to November 1, 2017.
Results: The expression levels of certain chemokines and pro-inflammatory cytokines were significantly
increased in animal models of morphine tolerance. Cytokines and cytokine receptor antagonist
showed potent effect of alleviating the development of morphine tolerance.
Conclusion: Cytokines play a fundamental role in the development of morphine tolerance. Therapeutics
targeting cytokines may become alternative strategies for the management of morphine
tolerance.