PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Genetic differences may influence sensitivity to pain, according to new study

A particular set of genes that interact with one another to regulate pain in humans has been identified by a team of scientists led by King's College London

2012-12-21
(Press-News.org) The study, published in PLOS Genetics on 20 December, adds to growing evidence that particular genes are involved in chronic pain and highlights this pathway as a potential target for more effective pain relief treatments for patients.

The collaborative study between King's, Pfizer Ltd and the Beijing Genomics Institute (BGI), used a new method to study and compare DNA, called 'exome sequencing', to identify genetic variations relating to pain sensitivity.

Lead author Dr Frances Williams, from the Department of Twin Research and Genetic Epidemiology at King's College London said: 'Chronic pain is a significant personal and socio-economic burden, with nearly one in five people experiencing it at some time in their lives. Current pain treatments often have either limited efficacy or side effects for many, so the possibility of a new approach to pain relief is an exciting development.

It is known that people who are most sensitive to pain encountered in everyday life are more likely to go on to develop chronic pain. To identify sensitivity levels, researchers tested 2,500 volunteers using a heating probe on the arm. Volunteers were asked to press a button when the heat became painful for them, which allowed the scientists to determine individuals' pain thresholds. Exome sequencing was then used to analyse the DNA of 200 of the most pain sensitive and 200 of the least pain sensitive people.

Xin Jin, project manager from BGI, said: 'More and more evidence supports our theory that rare variants, which were overlooked in genome-wide association study, play a very important role in complex diseases and traits. The next generation of sequencing will make it possible to explore these rare variants and will lead to a wave of new discoveries in biomedical research.'

The results showed different patterns of genetic variants in each group – the pain sensitive people had less variation in their DNA than those who were pain insensitive. Serena Scollen, Geneticist from Pfizer and co-author on the work said: 'Further studies are needed to understand fully the genetics that underlie pain sensitivity in humans, but early studies in this area are promising.'

Ruth McKernan, Chief Scientific Officer of Pfizer's Research Unit in Cambridge that works on new pain drugs said: 'This study demonstrates the value of collaborative efforts between academia and industry. The genetic influence on normal pain processing in human volunteer populations will add to other approaches and help us prioritise potential new mechanisms for treating pain.'

### CONTACT

For further information please or to request the full paper, contact Marianne Slegers, International Press Officer at King's College London. Notes to editors: King's College London King's College London is one of the top 30 universities in the world (2011/12 QS World University Rankings), and the fourth oldest in England. A research-led university based in the heart of London, King's has nearly 23,500 students (of whom more than 9,000 are graduate students) from nearly 140 countries, and some 6,000 employees. King's is in the second phase of a £1 billion redevelopment programme which is transforming its estate. King's has an outstanding reputation for providing world-class teaching and cutting-edge research. In the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise for British universities, 23 departments were ranked in the top quartile of British universities; over half of our academic staff work in departments that are in the top 10 per cent in the UK in their field and can thus be classed as world leading. The College is in the top seven UK universities for research earnings and has an overall annual income of nearly £450 million.


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

New whole plant therapy shows promise as an effective and economical treatment for malaria

New whole plant therapy shows promise as an effective and economical treatment for malaria
2012-12-21
Worcester, Mass. – In the worldwide battle to curtail malaria, one of the most prevalent and deadly infectious diseases of the developing world, drug after drug has fallen by the wayside as the malaria parasite has become resistant to it. Only artemisinin, derived from the sweet wormwood plant, Artemisia annua, remains as an effective treatment, but it is expensive to produce (particularly when combined with other antimalarial medications to make it less prone to resistance) and is frequently in short supply. A new study by scientists at Worcester Polytechnic Institute ...

Genetic defect causing fragile X-related disorders more common than thought

2012-12-21
A single genetic defect on the X chromosome that can result in a wide array of conditions — from learning and emotional difficulties to primary ovarian insufficiency in women and tremors in middle-aged men — occurs at a much greater frequency than previously thought, research led by the UC Davis MIND Institute has found. The research is based on the first large-scale, multi-center newborn screening effort for the defect in the United States, conducted in a group of more than 14,200 male and female infants at three research university medical centers piloting a new infant ...

BGI reports the new findings reveal blood pressure dugs may treat chronic pain

2012-12-21
December 20, 2012, Shenzhen, China – An international team, comprised King's College London, Pfizer, BGI and other organizations, has explored the genetic variation related with pain sensitivity in the normal population, revealing some existing discovery that treatments for high blood pressure may also be used to treat chronic pain in the future. The latest study was published online in the international journal PLoS Genetics. When the pain lasts a long time for six months or longer, it generally called chronic pain, one of the most costly health problems. Chronic pain ...

BGI reports bat genome provides new insights into the evolution of flight and immunity

2012-12-21
December 20, 2012, Shenzhen, China – BGI today announces the online publication in Science of the latest findings through genomic analysis of two distantly related bat species, the Black flying fox (Pteropus alecto) and David's Myotis (Myotis davidii). The work here provides new insight into the genetic mechanisms underlying the evolution of flight and immunity of bats, and also opens the way for addressing major gaps into understanding of bat biology and provides new directions for future research. Bats are often characterized as creepy, disease-carrying, and even blood-sucking ...

Discovery could eventually help diagnose and treat chronic pain

Discovery could eventually help diagnose and treat chronic pain
2012-12-21
Boston – More than 100 million Americans suffer from chronic pain. But treating and studying chronic pain is complex and presents many challenges. Scientists have long searched for a method to objectively measure pain and a new study from Brigham and Women's Hospital advances that effort. The study appears in the January 2013 print edition of the journal Pain. "While we need to be cautious in the interpretation of our results, this has the potential to be an exciting discovery for anyone who suffers from chronic pain," said Marco Loggia, PhD, the lead author of the ...

Field Museum studies rare meteorite possibly from the outer asteroid belt

2012-12-21
On April 22, 2012 a very fast-moving fireball was observed over large parts of California and Nevada. Equivalent to four kilotons of TNT, the fireball was photographed, and recorded by video and by weather Doppler-radars. The photographs and videos helped to trace back its orbit to the far reaches of the outer part of the asteroid belt. The radar data helped meteorite hunters to recover a total of 77 specimens, with the first ones found only two days after the fall. The meteorite was named Sutter's Mill, after the location where it fell. (Interestingly, Sutter's Mill ...

Better stroke care, everywhere: NIH-funded study boosts local hospitals' clotbuster use

Better stroke care, everywhere: NIH-funded study boosts local hospitals clotbuster use
2012-12-21
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — From the moment a stroke occurs, patients must race against the clock to get treatment that can prevent lasting damage. Now, a new study shows the promise – and the challenges – of getting them state-of-the-art treatment safely at their local hospital, saving precious minutes. The results come from an effort that tested methods to improve delivery of a time-sensitive, clot-busting drug in stroke patients at 24 community hospitals across Michigan. To date, clot-busting treatment has been mostly used at larger hospitals. The research effort was coordinated ...

Peacock love songs lure eavesdropping females from afar

Peacock love songs lure eavesdropping females from afar
2012-12-21
Durham, NC — Deep in the scrublands of Keoladeo National Park in northwest India, one thing was hard for biologist Jessica Yorzinski to ignore: It wasn't the heat. It wasn't the jackals. It was the squawks of peacocks in the throes of passion. From behind the trees in the distance, she could hear a loud two-part whoop, the distinctive call that male peacocks make right before mating. During the peacock courtship dance, a male announces that he's ready to make his move by dashing towards the object of his affection and emitting a singular squawk before mounting his ...

Not all gamers are low scorers on friendships, relationships

2012-12-21
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Not all video game players are destined for lives filled with failing relationships and dwindling friendships, according to Penn State researchers, who say that a lot depends on the role of the game-playing activity in the gamer's life. "There's a common stereotype that if you play video games, then you are a loner," said Benjamin Hickerson, assistant professor of recreation, parks and tourism management. "But it may have more to do with how a person is involved in gaming that determines how their social support is affected." In a study of people ...

Steering stem cells to become 2 different building blocks for new blood vessels

Steering stem cells to become 2 different building blocks for new blood vessels
2012-12-21
Growing new blood vessels in the lab is a tough challenge, but a Johns Hopkins engineering team has solved a major stumbling block: how to prod stem cells to become two different types of tissue that are needed to build tiny networks of veins and arteries. The team's solution is detailed in an article appearing in the January 2013 print edition of the journal Cardiovascular Research. The article also was published recently in the journal's online edition. The work is important because networks of new blood vessels, assembled in the lab for transplanting into patients, ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

AI deciphers plant DNA: language models set to transform genomics and agriculture

Endophytic fungi from halophyte Sesuvium portulacastrum enhance maize growth and salt tolerance

Quality of kids’ diets linked with dad’s eating habits as a teen

Alliance trial shows dual immunotherapy improves progression-free survival in advanced squamous cell skin cancer

Insights from immunotherapy trial inform new approaches to treating advanced skin cancer

Genome breakthrough reveals secrets behind rapid growth and invasiveness of tropical vine Merremia boisiana

Transforming the certification process of 3D-printed critical components

UC Davis clinical trial shows biomarkers hold clue in treating aggressive prostate cancer

UT Health San Antonio researchers discover new links between heart disease and dementia

AADOCR announces new SCADA/Dentsply Sirona Research Award

Mass General Brigham researchers present key findings at ASCO

Student researchers put UTA on national stage

Hertz Foundation and Breakthrough Energy partner to advance climate and energy solutions

New study reveals how tiny insects detect force

New 3D genome mapping technology sheds light on how plants regulate photosynthesis

Dinosaur eggshell study confirms biogenic origin of secondary eggshell units

Transforming immunotherapy design

New book with a global view of men’s experiences with partner violence

New research recovers evidence for lost mountains from Antarctica’s past

Scientists discover new evidence of intermediate-mass black holes

Predicting underwater landslides before they strike

What will it take to reduce primary care doctor burnout?

Small currents, big impact: Satellite breakthrough reveals hidden ocean forces

Single-atom catalysts change spin state when boosted by a magnetic field

Integrated metasurface for quantum analog computation: A new scheme to phase reconstruction

PolyU research reveals rising soil nitrous acid emissions driven by climate change and fertilisation accelerate global ozone pollution

The EU should allow gene editing to make organic farming more sustainable, researchers say

At-home heart attacks and cardiac deaths on the rise since COVID-19 pandemic

Projected outcomes of removing fluoride from U.S. public water systems

Parental education, own education, and cognitive function in middle-aged and older adults

[Press-News.org] Genetic differences may influence sensitivity to pain, according to new study
A particular set of genes that interact with one another to regulate pain in humans has been identified by a team of scientists led by King's College London