Where MCAS Meets Chronic Pain

[Remy]

Interesting that there is a connection between mast cells and glial cells in the brain...seems like these seemingly unrelated disease syndromes are tying together more and more.

Even more interesting that a natural substance available OTC, palmitoylethanolamide (PEAPure) acts to maintain cellular homeostasis against external stressors promoting inflammation.

Wonder if PeaPure is on Dr Younger's radar too?

Mast cell - glia dialogue in chronic pain and neuropathic pain: blood-brain barrier implications.

Skaper SD. CNS Neurol Disord Drug Targets. 2016.
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Abstract

Mast cells and microglia, working singly and in partnership, elaborate pro-inflammatory molecules which play key roles in a wide array of nervous system disorders.

Such neuroinflammatory settings may compromise integrity of both the blood-nerve barrier and blood-brain barrier (BBB) and blood-spinal cord barrier. While both belong to the innate immune system mast cells are far more ubiquitous, are resident in peripheral nerves and the central nervous system, and can influence blood-nerve barrier characteristics. Mast cells, being near the perivasculature especially within the dura, on the brain side of the BBB, are strategically located to play havoc with the BBB.

Mast cells and glia possess endogenous homeostatic mechanisms/molecules which are up-regulated following tissue damage. Such molecules include the N-acylethanolamine family.

In particular, N-palmitoylethanolamine is proposed to have a key role in maintaining cellular homeostasis against external stressors provoking, for example, inflammation.

This review will provide an overview relating to the pathobiology of neuroinflammation in the context of mast cells and microglia, their role in BBB integrity, and therapeutic perspectives in targeting these cells to preserve BBB function.
PMID

27573801 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]