A Pain That Never Ends
Editor's Note: Based on the research he is conducting in his science research class, this paper by Joseph B. ('16) is about a nervous system disorder and was submitted to the Dupoint Essay Competition.
It was a day like any other before. Sally, a former horse rider, has just woken up from another restless night. As the sun begins to peek its way through the shades, forming radiant streaks of light across her face, she realizes it’s time for her to begin her day. Sally gets out of bed, grabs her favorite robe, and heads downstairs for a cup of coffee. She reaches for the railing with her left hand, but hesitates, remembering the pain. Working her way to the kitchen, she puts the materials in the coffee maker and waits. At the sound of that pleasant ting, she rushes to pour her coffee out, and in her carelessness some of it falls onto her hand. The pain shoots from her hand all the way to her shoulder, like something has just crushed her arm. (“Teaching the Nervous System to Forget Chronic Pain”). In the midst of all this, tears begin to stream down her face. However, these tears emanate not only from her current distress, but also from the ineluctable pain she has been sentenced to face for the weeks that follow.
Sally, like millions of people around the world, suffers from a condition called chronic pain. According to NIH Medline Plus, “chronic pain is a type of pain that persists or progresses over a long period of time”(MedlinePlus). As we are all aware, the sensation of pain plays a huge role in the choices that we make in life. When we touch a pan on the stove, we learn that we can’t touch things that are exceedingly hot. This is the type of pain that helps to protect us, making us aware of the actions that are harmful to our bodies. For those with chronic pain, something as simple as a pat on the back or no stimuli at all can engender unimaginable levels of pain. To make matters even worse, doctors possess a shockingly limited repertoire or resources to help these people live normal lives.
Although chronic pain has troubled mankind for as long as history has been recorded, its treatment has remained virtually the same since the 1900s (“Teaching the Nervous System to Forget Chronic Pain”). As it was in the previous century, morphine is still the most effective way of treating chronic pain. Morphine is a type of opioid that works by binding to the molecules of receptors the body naturally uses to counteract pain such as endorphins (Teaching the Nervous System to Forget Chronic Pain). The reason many doctors are considerably hesitant about prescribing their patients this drug is due to its notoriety for being addictive. Although it assuages the pain with incredible efficiency, it can make its users extremely dependent on the drug to go about their everyday lives. As a result, most people who suffer from chronic pain are forced to simply cope with their condition, hoping that one day the pain will miraculously disappear as suddenly as it appeared. Luckily, science holds much promise in improving the lives of these countless men and women.
One of the leading current methods being investigated to counteract chronic pain involves limiting the flow of ions through sodium gated ion channels (Holford, 2009). Ion channels are membrane proteins that assist in numerous bodily functions such as shaping action potentials and establishing a resting membrane. They achieve this feat by controlling the flow of ions across the cell membrane. As sodium ions are prominent components of the nervous system, they are the most promising subject for this area of study. Scientists believe that by preventing sodium ions from passing through sodium ion channels in a certain part of the body, they can prevent that person from feeling pain in that part of their body. This method also allows for the blockage of pain for longer periods of time than the traditional pain pill (Holford, 2009). Although manipulating ion channels has seen considerable promise, there are still some drawbacks which need to be sorted through.
Since scientists use venom from toxic animals such as cone snails and snakes to stop the flow of sodium ions, their main challenge is isolating the components that they need in order to prevent unwanted damage (McCormack, 2013). This is achieved by adding the venom to a solvent and purifying the mixture with high performance liquid chromatography (Fry, 2004). A toxin is a cocktail of different peptides that work together to have devastating results (Li, 2005) For example, when a cone snail stings you, it releases the peptides that prevent you from feeling pain in the area stung, but it also releases several other very harmful peptides (Guinea, 1983). Through the use of a method called mass spectrometry, scientists have been able to determine which peptides can be beneficial to humans.
Since scientists are able to identify the peptides present in the sample of venom that they are using, they are able to utilize the components that they need and disregard those that are harmful to the human body (Altelaar, 2013). The first step in mass spectrometry is ionizing the atoms in order to acquire a positive ion. Once this is complete, all of the ions are accelerated so that they have the same kinetic energy. The ions are then deflected by an electromagnet based on their masses and pass through a machine which detects them electrically (Steen, 2004). Using this method, scientists are gradually learning more and more about their peptides of interest, and eventually they will be able to produce this drug artificially, eliminating the need to kill venomous organisms (Fry, 2003).
With science advancing faster than ever before, it is only a matter of time before drugs extracted from venom become a common sight in hospitals around the world. This news brings a collective sigh of relief to the millions of people who have grown accustomed to waking up every morning in pain, a pain that many with this condition believed to be relentless. Contrary to this belief, I am happy to report that the future is bright, and you can sleep peacefully tonight knowing that soon your pain may only be a memory.
Sally, like millions of people around the world, suffers from a condition called chronic pain. According to NIH Medline Plus, “chronic pain is a type of pain that persists or progresses over a long period of time”(MedlinePlus). As we are all aware, the sensation of pain plays a huge role in the choices that we make in life. When we touch a pan on the stove, we learn that we can’t touch things that are exceedingly hot. This is the type of pain that helps to protect us, making us aware of the actions that are harmful to our bodies. For those with chronic pain, something as simple as a pat on the back or no stimuli at all can engender unimaginable levels of pain. To make matters even worse, doctors possess a shockingly limited repertoire or resources to help these people live normal lives.
Although chronic pain has troubled mankind for as long as history has been recorded, its treatment has remained virtually the same since the 1900s (“Teaching the Nervous System to Forget Chronic Pain”). As it was in the previous century, morphine is still the most effective way of treating chronic pain. Morphine is a type of opioid that works by binding to the molecules of receptors the body naturally uses to counteract pain such as endorphins (Teaching the Nervous System to Forget Chronic Pain). The reason many doctors are considerably hesitant about prescribing their patients this drug is due to its notoriety for being addictive. Although it assuages the pain with incredible efficiency, it can make its users extremely dependent on the drug to go about their everyday lives. As a result, most people who suffer from chronic pain are forced to simply cope with their condition, hoping that one day the pain will miraculously disappear as suddenly as it appeared. Luckily, science holds much promise in improving the lives of these countless men and women.
One of the leading current methods being investigated to counteract chronic pain involves limiting the flow of ions through sodium gated ion channels (Holford, 2009). Ion channels are membrane proteins that assist in numerous bodily functions such as shaping action potentials and establishing a resting membrane. They achieve this feat by controlling the flow of ions across the cell membrane. As sodium ions are prominent components of the nervous system, they are the most promising subject for this area of study. Scientists believe that by preventing sodium ions from passing through sodium ion channels in a certain part of the body, they can prevent that person from feeling pain in that part of their body. This method also allows for the blockage of pain for longer periods of time than the traditional pain pill (Holford, 2009). Although manipulating ion channels has seen considerable promise, there are still some drawbacks which need to be sorted through.
Since scientists use venom from toxic animals such as cone snails and snakes to stop the flow of sodium ions, their main challenge is isolating the components that they need in order to prevent unwanted damage (McCormack, 2013). This is achieved by adding the venom to a solvent and purifying the mixture with high performance liquid chromatography (Fry, 2004). A toxin is a cocktail of different peptides that work together to have devastating results (Li, 2005) For example, when a cone snail stings you, it releases the peptides that prevent you from feeling pain in the area stung, but it also releases several other very harmful peptides (Guinea, 1983). Through the use of a method called mass spectrometry, scientists have been able to determine which peptides can be beneficial to humans.
Since scientists are able to identify the peptides present in the sample of venom that they are using, they are able to utilize the components that they need and disregard those that are harmful to the human body (Altelaar, 2013). The first step in mass spectrometry is ionizing the atoms in order to acquire a positive ion. Once this is complete, all of the ions are accelerated so that they have the same kinetic energy. The ions are then deflected by an electromagnet based on their masses and pass through a machine which detects them electrically (Steen, 2004). Using this method, scientists are gradually learning more and more about their peptides of interest, and eventually they will be able to produce this drug artificially, eliminating the need to kill venomous organisms (Fry, 2003).
With science advancing faster than ever before, it is only a matter of time before drugs extracted from venom become a common sight in hospitals around the world. This news brings a collective sigh of relief to the millions of people who have grown accustomed to waking up every morning in pain, a pain that many with this condition believed to be relentless. Contrary to this belief, I am happy to report that the future is bright, and you can sleep peacefully tonight knowing that soon your pain may only be a memory.
Altelaar, A. M., Munoz, J., & Heck, A. J. (2013). Next-generation proteomics: towards an integrative view of proteome dynamics. Nature Reviews Genetics,14(1), 35-48.
Chronic Pain: MedlinePlus. Web. 19 Jan. 2015. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/chronicpain.html
Fry, B. G., & Wüster, W. (2004). Assembling an arsenal: origin and evolution of the snake venom proteome inferred from phylogenetic analysis of toxin sequences. Molecular biology and evolution, 21(5), 870-883.
Fry, B. G., Wüster, W., Ramjan, R., Fadil, S., Jackson, T., Martelli, P., & Kini, R. M. (2003). Analysis of Colubroidea snake venoms by liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry: evolutionary and toxinological implications. Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry, 17(18), 2047-2062.
Guinea, M. L., Tamiya, N., & Cogger, H. G. (1983). The neurotoxins of the sea snake Laticauda schistorhynchus. Biochemical Journal, 213(1), 39.
Holford, M., Zhang, M. M., Gowd, K. H., Azam, L., Green, B. R., Watkins, & Olivera, B. M. (2009). Pruning nature: Biodiversity-derived discovery of novel sodium channel blocking conotoxins from Conus bullatus. Toxicon, 53(1), 90-98.
Keough, T., Youngquist, R. S., & Lacey, M. P. (1999). A method for high-sensitivity peptide sequencing using postsource decay matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 96(13), 7131-7136
Li, M., Fry, B. G., & Kini, R. M. (2005). Eggs-only diet: its implications for the toxin profile changes and ecology of the marbled sea snake (Aipysurus eydouxii). Journal of Molecular Evolution, 60(1), 81-89.
McCormack, K., Santos, S., Chapman, M. L., Krafte, D. S., Marron, B. E., West, C. W., ... & Castle, N. A. (2013). Voltage sensor interaction site for selective small molecule inhibitors of voltage-gated sodium channels.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 110(29), E2724-E2732.
Pain Management for Chronic Back Pain. Web. 23 Jan. 2015. http://www.spine-health.com/treatment/pain-management/pain-management-chronic-back-pain
“Shin, M. Lessons from Chronic Pain.” Web. 23 Jan. 2015. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/m-shin/lessons-from-chronic-pain_b_6560026.html
Steen, H., & Mann, M. (2004). The ABC's (and XYZ's) of peptide sequencing.Nature reviews Molecular cell biology, 5(9), 699-711.
“Teaching the Nervous System to Forget Chronic Pain.” Web. 17 Jan. 2015 http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/next/body/chronic-pain/
“What Is Chronic Pain and What Are the Symptoms?” Web. 19 Jan. 2015. http://www.webmd.com/pain-management/guide/understanding-pain-management-chronic-pain.
“Voltage Gated Sodium Channels.” Web. 19 Jan. 2015. http://courses.washington.edu/conj/membrane/nachan.htm
Chronic Pain: MedlinePlus. Web. 19 Jan. 2015. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/chronicpain.html
Fry, B. G., & Wüster, W. (2004). Assembling an arsenal: origin and evolution of the snake venom proteome inferred from phylogenetic analysis of toxin sequences. Molecular biology and evolution, 21(5), 870-883.
Fry, B. G., Wüster, W., Ramjan, R., Fadil, S., Jackson, T., Martelli, P., & Kini, R. M. (2003). Analysis of Colubroidea snake venoms by liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry: evolutionary and toxinological implications. Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry, 17(18), 2047-2062.
Guinea, M. L., Tamiya, N., & Cogger, H. G. (1983). The neurotoxins of the sea snake Laticauda schistorhynchus. Biochemical Journal, 213(1), 39.
Holford, M., Zhang, M. M., Gowd, K. H., Azam, L., Green, B. R., Watkins, & Olivera, B. M. (2009). Pruning nature: Biodiversity-derived discovery of novel sodium channel blocking conotoxins from Conus bullatus. Toxicon, 53(1), 90-98.
Keough, T., Youngquist, R. S., & Lacey, M. P. (1999). A method for high-sensitivity peptide sequencing using postsource decay matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 96(13), 7131-7136
Li, M., Fry, B. G., & Kini, R. M. (2005). Eggs-only diet: its implications for the toxin profile changes and ecology of the marbled sea snake (Aipysurus eydouxii). Journal of Molecular Evolution, 60(1), 81-89.
McCormack, K., Santos, S., Chapman, M. L., Krafte, D. S., Marron, B. E., West, C. W., ... & Castle, N. A. (2013). Voltage sensor interaction site for selective small molecule inhibitors of voltage-gated sodium channels.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 110(29), E2724-E2732.
Pain Management for Chronic Back Pain. Web. 23 Jan. 2015. http://www.spine-health.com/treatment/pain-management/pain-management-chronic-back-pain
“Shin, M. Lessons from Chronic Pain.” Web. 23 Jan. 2015. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/m-shin/lessons-from-chronic-pain_b_6560026.html
Steen, H., & Mann, M. (2004). The ABC's (and XYZ's) of peptide sequencing.Nature reviews Molecular cell biology, 5(9), 699-711.
“Teaching the Nervous System to Forget Chronic Pain.” Web. 17 Jan. 2015 http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/next/body/chronic-pain/
“What Is Chronic Pain and What Are the Symptoms?” Web. 19 Jan. 2015. http://www.webmd.com/pain-management/guide/understanding-pain-management-chronic-pain.
“Voltage Gated Sodium Channels.” Web. 19 Jan. 2015. http://courses.washington.edu/conj/membrane/nachan.htm
