Search

Neuropathic pain is a frequent feature of diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) and small fiber neuropathy (SFN). Resolving the genetic architecture of these painful neuropathies will lead to better disease management strategies, counselling and intervention. Our aims were to profile ten sodium channel genes (SCG) expressed in a nociceptive pathway in painful and painless DPN and painful and painless SFN patients, and to provide a perspective for clinicians who assess patients with painful peripheral neuropathy. Between June 2014 and September 2016, 1125 patients with painful-DPN (n = 237), painless-DPN (n = 309), painful-SFN (n = 547) and painless-SFN (n = 32), recruited in four different centers, were analyzed for SCN3A, SCN7A-SCN11A and SCN1B-SCN4B variants by single molecule Molecular inversion probes-Next Generation Sequence. Patients were grouped based on phenotype and the presence of SCG variants. Screening of SCN3A, SCN7A-SCN11A, and SCN1B-SCN4B revealed 125 different (potential) pathogenic variants in 194 patients (17.2%, n = 194/1125). A potential pathogenic variant was present in 18.1% (n = 142/784) of painful neuropathy patients vs. 15.2% (n = 52/341) of painless neuropathy patients (17.3% (n = 41/237) for painful-DPN patients, 14.9% (n = 46/309) for painless-DPN patients, 18.5% (n = 101/547) for painful-SFN patients, and 18.8% (n = 6/32) for painless-SFN patients). Of the variants detected, 70% were in SCN7A, SCN9A, SCN10A and SCN11A. The frequency of SCN9A and SCN11A variants was the highest in painful-SFN patients, SCN7A variants in painful-DPN patients, and SCN10A variants in painless-DPN patients. Our findings suggest that rare SCG genetic variants may contribute to the development of painful neuropathy. Genetic profiling and SCG variant identification should aid in a better understanding of the genetic variability in patients with painful and painless neuropathy, and may lead to better risk stratification and the development of more targeted and personalized pain treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neuropathic pain is a characteristic feature of small fiber neuropathy (SFN), which in 18% of the cases is caused by genetic variants in voltage-gated sodium ion channels. In this study, we assessed the role of fifteen other ion channels in neuropathic pain. Patients with SFN (n = 414) were analyzed for ANO1, ANO3, HCN1, KCNA2, KCNA4, KCNK18, KCNN1, KCNQ3, KCNQ5, KCNS1, TRPA1, TRPM8, TRPV1, TRPV3 and TRPV4 variants by single-molecule molecular inversion probes–next-generation sequencing. These patients did not have genetic variants in SCN3A, SCN7A-SCN11A and SCN1B-SCN4B. In twenty patients (20/414, 4.8%), a potentially pathogenic heterozygous variant was identified in an ion-channel gene (ICG). Variants were present in seven genes, for two patients (0.5%) in ANO3, one (0.2%) in KCNK18, two (0.5%) in KCNQ3, seven (1.7%) in TRPA1, three (0.7%) in TRPM8, three (0.7%) in TRPV1 and two (0.5%) in TRPV3. Variants in the TRP genes were the most frequent (n = 15, 3.6%), partly in patients with high mean maximal pain scores VAS = 9.65 ± 0.7 (n = 4). Patients with ICG variants reported more severe pain compared to patients without such variants (VAS = 9.36 ± 0.72 vs. VAS = 7.47 ± 2.37). This cohort study identified ICG variants in neuropathic pain in SFN, complementing previous findings of ICG variants in diabetic neuropathy. These data show that ICG variants are central in neuropathic pain of different etiologies and provides promising gene candidates for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small fibre neuropathy is a common pain disorder, which in many cases fails to respond to treatment with existing medications. Gain-of-function mutations of voltage-gated sodium channel Nav1.7 underlie dorsal root ganglion neuronal hyperexcitability and pain in a subset of patients with small fibre neuropathy. Recent clinical studies have demonstrated that lacosamide, which blocks sodium channels in a use-dependent manner, attenuates pain in some patients with Nav1.7 mutations; however, only a subgroup of these patients responded to the drug. Here, we used voltage-clamp recordings to evaluate the effects of lacosamide on five Nav1.7 variants from patients who were responsive or non-responsive to treatment. We show that, at the clinically achievable concentration of 30 μM, lacosamide acts as a potent sodium channel inhibitor of Nav1.7 variants carried by responsive patients, via a hyperpolarizing shift of voltage-dependence of both fast and slow inactivation and enhancement of use-dependent inhibition. By contrast, the effects of lacosamide on slow inactivation and use-dependence in Nav1.7 variants from non-responsive patients were less robust. Importantly, we found that lacosamide selectively enhances fast inactivation only in variants from responders. Taken together, these findings begin to unravel biophysical underpinnings that contribute to responsiveness to lacosamide in patients with small fibre neuropathy carrying select Nav1.7 variants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Symptomatic treatment of neuropathic pain in small fibre neuropathy is often disappointing. The finding of voltage-gated sodium channel mutations in small fibre neuropathy (with mutations in SCN9A, encoding for Nav1.7) being most frequently reported suggest a specific target for therapy. The anticonvulsant lacosamide acts on Nav1.3, Nav1.7, and Nav1.8. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of lacosamide as a potential treatment for pain in Nav1.7-related small fibre neuropathy. The Lacosamide-Efficacy-'N'-Safety in SFN (LENSS) was a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover-design study. Subjects were recruited in the Netherlands between November 2014 and July 2016. Patients with Nav1.7-related small fibre neuropathy were randomized to start with lacosamide followed by placebo or vice versa. In both 8-week treatment phases, patients received 200 mg two times a day (BID), preceded by a titration period, and ended by a tapering period. The primary outcome was efficacy, defined as the proportion of patients with 1-point average pain score reduction compared to baseline using the Pain Intensity Numerical Rating Scale. The trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01911975. Twenty-four subjects received lacosamide, and 23 received placebo. In 58.3% of patients receiving lacosamide, mean average pain decreased by at least 1 point, compared to 21.7% in the placebo group [sensitivity analyses, odds ratio 5.65 (95% confidence interval: 1.83-17.41); P = 0.0045]. In the lacosamide group, 33.3% reported that their general condition improved versus 4.3% in the placebo group (P-value = 0.0156). Additionally, a significant decrease in daily sleep interference, and in surface pain intensity was demonstrated. No significant changes in quality of life or autonomic symptoms were found. Lacosamide was well tolerated and safe in use. This study shows that lacosamide has a significant effect on pain, general wellbeing, and sleep quality. Lacosamide was well tolerated and safe, suggesting that it can be used for pain treatment in Nav1.7-related small fibre neuropathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Neuropathic pain is common in peripheral neuropathy. Recent genetic studies have linked pathogenic voltage-gated sodium channel (VGSC) variants to human pain disorders. Our aims are to determine the frequency of SCN9A, SCN10A and SCN11A variants in patients with pure small fibre neuropathy (SFN), analyse their clinical features and provide a rationale for genetic screening.Methods: Between September 2009 and January 2017, 1139 patients diagnosed with pure SFN at our reference centre were screened for SCN9A, SCN10A and SCN11A variants. Pathogenicity of variants was classified according to established guidelines of the Association for Clinical Genetic Science and frequencies were determined. Patients with SFN were grouped according to the VGSC variants detected, and clinical features were compared.Results: Among 1139 patients with SFN, 132 (11.6%) patients harboured 73 different (potentially) pathogenic VGSC variants, of which 50 were novel and 22 were found in ≥ 1 patient. The frequency of (potentially) pathogenic variants was 5.1% (n=58/1139) for SCN9A, 3.7% (n=42/1139) for SCN10A and 2.9% (n=33/1139) for SCN11A. Only erythromelalgia-like symptoms and warmth-induced pain were significantly more common in patients harbouring VGSC variants.Conclusion: (Potentially) pathogenic VGSC variants are present in 11.6% of patients with pure SFN. Therefore, genetic screening of SCN9A, SCN10A and SCN11A should be considered in patients with pure SFN, independently of clinical features or underlying conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]