Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40294084›Full record

ReviewThe Journal of general physiology2025

Sensory neuron sodium channels as pain targets; from cocaine to Journavx (VX-548, suzetrigine).

John N Wood, Nieng Yan, Jian Huang, Jing Zhao, Armen Akopian, James J Cox, C Geoffrey Woods, Mohammed A Nassar

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in The Journal of general physiology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Antigen-Detected NMR for Minimal Epitope Engineering and Structure-Guided Selection of a NaAdvanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany) · 2026
    Article
  2. The Excelsatoxin A-Receptor TMEM233 Modulates Nav1.8.FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology · 2026
    Article
  3. Targeting NaInternational journal of molecular sciences · 2026
    Review
  4. Suzetrigine, a NaMolecules (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026
    Review
  5. Not Just Neurons: Pain Is Orchestrated in Partnership with Many Non-neuronal Cells.The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience · 2025
    Review
  6. Beyond Opioids: A Review of Suzetrigine for Acute Pain Management.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025
    Review
  7. Review
  8. An approach to targeting Nav1.7 for pain sensations.The Journal of clinical investigation · 2025
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

John N WoodMolecular Nociception Group, Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, UCL , London, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-9166-8158
Nieng YanBeijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structures, State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University , Beijing, China.ORCID 0000-0003-4829-7416
Jian HuangInstitute of Bio-Architecture and Bio-Interactions (IBABI), Shenzhen Medical Academy of Research and Translation , Shenzhen, China.ORCID 0000-0002-6861-0425
Jing ZhaoMolecular Nociception Group, Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, UCL , London, UK.ORCID 0000-0003-2587-1198
Armen AkopianDepartment of Endodontics, The School of the Dentistry, UTHSCSA, San Antonio, TX, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-1066-253X
James J CoxMolecular Nociception Group, Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, UCL , London, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-9129-8011
C Geoffrey WoodsCambridge Institute for Medical Research , Cambridge, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-8077-2101
Mohammed A NassarSchool of Biosciences, Firth Court, University of Sheffield , Sheffield, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-6221-3496

Funding

Comprehensive functional phenotyping of trigeminal neurons innervating temporomandibular joint (TMJ) tissues in male, female and aged mice, primates, and humans with and without TMJ disorders (TMJD)..UC2AR082195 · NIAMS · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HLTH SCIENCE CENTER · PI ARMEN N AKOPIAN, LINDSEY J MACPHERSON · 2022 to 2026
$8.4M
Cancer Research UK DRCNPG-Jun22\100005Medical Research Council G1100340National Natural Science Foundation of China 32330052NIAMS NIH HHS UC2 AR082195
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Voltage-gated sodium channels underpin electrical signaling in sensory neurons. Their activity is an essential element in the vast majority of pain conditions, making them significant drug targets. Sensory neuron sodium channels play roles not only in afferent signaling but also in a range of efferent regulatory mechanisms. Side effects through actions on other cell types and efferent signaling are thus important issues to address during analgesic drug development. As an example, the human genetic evidence for NaV1.7 as an ideal pain target contrasts with the side effects of NaV1.7 antagonists. In this review, we describe the history and progress toward the development of useful analgesic drugs and the renewed focus on NaV1.8 as a key target in pain treatment. NaV1.8 antagonists alone or in combination with other analgesics are likely to provide new opportunities for pain relief for the vast number of people (about 33% of the population) impacted by chronic pain, particularly present in aging populations.

Indexed as

AnalgesicsCocainePainSensory Receptor CellsAnimalsHumansNAV1.8 Voltage-Gated Sodium ChannelAnalgesicsCocaineNAV1.8 Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel

Identifiers

PMID40294084
PMCPMC12036950

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.