Urolithin A alleviates neuropathic pain and activates mitophagy

This study investigates the effect of urolithin A (UA) on neuropathic pain (NP) in mice, focusing on mitophagy, a process of removing damaged mitochondria. They found that NP is associated with blocked autophagy flow in the spinal cord. The researchers administered UA to mice with NP and observed that it activated mitophagy. This activation was linked to the PINK1/Parkin pathway, which is crucial for clearing damaged mitochondria. The study suggests that UA's ability to alleviate NP may be related to its activation of mitophagy, which promotes the creation of new mitochondria (mitobiogenesis) in neurons and microglia, potentially protecting nerve cells.

• 1
  Autophagy flow is blocked in the spinal dorsal horn of mice with chronic constriction injury (CCI), indicating impaired cellular cleaning processes during neuropathic pain.
• 2
  Urolithin A (UA) activates mitophagy via the PINK1/Parkin pathway in CCI mice, promoting the removal of damaged mitochondria.
• 3
  UA promotes mitobiogenesis (creation of new mitochondria) in both neurons and microglia within the spinal dorsal horn of CCI mice, suggesting a restorative effect on cellular energy production.