Glial Cells and Itch: Possible Targets for Novel Antipruritic Therapies

Glial cells, which are the non-neuronal cells of the nervous system, play essential roles in brain development, homeostasis, and diseases. Glial cells have attracted attention because of their active involvement in many neurological disorders. In recent years, substantial progress has been made in our understanding of the roles of glial cells in the pathogenesis of itch. Mechanistically, central and peripheral glial cells modulate acute and chronic pruritus via different mechanisms. In this review, we present the current knowledge about the involvement of glial cells in the modulation of itch processing and the mechanism of glial cell activation under itch stimuli. Targeting glial cells may provide novel approaches for itch therapy.