Acid-Sensing Ion Channels and nociception in the peripheral and central nervous systems

Since their molecular cloning in the late 90's, Acid-Sensing Ion Channels (ASICs) have been shown to be involved in many aspects of nociception, both in peripheral and central neurons. In rodents, the combination of specific or non-specific pharmacological modulators of ASICs, together with in vivo knockdown and/or knockout animals has revealed their contribution to the detection, the modulation and the sensitization of the pain message by primary and secondary sensory neurons. Functional ASICs are homo or heterotrimers of different homologous subunits (ASIC1-3). Channels containing ASIC3 or ASIC1 subunits, appear to be important in peripheral nociceptors, where they are subject to intense regulation, while ASIC1a-containing channels also have a prominent role in central neurons, including spinal cord neurons that modulate and transmit the pain signal to the brain. In humans, experiments performed in healthy volunteers using drugs already used in the clinic and acting as poorly-selective inhibitors of ASICs, together with recent in vitro data obtained from stem cell-derived sensory neurons both support a role for these channels in nociception. These data thus suggest a real translational potential in the development of inhibitory strategies of ASICs for the treatment of pain. This article is part of the Special Issue entitled 'Acid-Sensing Ion Channels in the Nervous System'.