Pro-inflammatory insult modulate phenotype and expression of inflammatory cytokines and p2rx4 genes in macrophages

Our research group demonstrated that activation of P2X4 receptors expressed in muscle macrophages are involved in the onset of chronic inflammatory muscle pain via polarization to a pro-inflammatory phenotype. However, the signaling pathway involved in the chronic pain process after P2X4 induced macrophages polarization to the pro-inflammatory phenotype is unknown.