Scientists Find a "Pain Switch": Blocking TRPM2 Relieved Arthritis Pain for Two Days

Researchers at the University of Warwick identified the protein TRPM2, which converts immune and inflammatory signals into pain impulses. In mice, a single injection blocking TRPM2 fully reversed arthritis pain for two days without suppressing inflammation. The study was published in PNAS.

• A single TRPM2-blocking injection relieved arthritis pain in mice for two days
• Joint inflammation persisted, suggesting pain can be treated separately
• TRPM2 responds to prostaglandin E2 and autoantibodies, turning them into pain
• Chronic pain affects more than a third of adults in the UK