DYNORPHINS
University of Toronto scientist Michael Salter and his team and scientist Josef Penninger from the Amgen Institute have explored a gene that carries information about the DREAM (downstream regulatory element antagonistic modulator) protein. DREAM protein is known to inhibit the production of dinorphins, one of the endorphins known as the hormone of happiness.
These natural albumin have pain relief effects. Scientists have produced mutant mice without the DREAM gene. These mice produced more dinorphins and became less susceptible to pain. Salter said that mice felt all sorts of pain, less in all kinds of tissues, and neuropathic pain caused by the destruction of the nerves that could not be prevented until today. Stating that the information they obtained in the study is very different from the results of the studies on pain treatment, Salter noted that pain therapy research is based on morphine and mimics the endorphine of morphine.
Salter emphasized that with the discovery of the DREAM gene, a completely new angle has emerged in the treatment of pain, after which treatment methods will be sought to block the DREAM gene or protein and thereby promote dinorphine production. Scientists reported that mice that did not feel pain seemed to be extremely healthy, physically or psychologically, unlike morphine and opiate pain relievers, mice did not become dependent on the endorphins they produce above normal.
