The Heegaard lab focuses on translational research in malignant and non-malignant bone pain. Currently the group studies the role of purinergic signaling in cancer-induced bone pain. Pain from bone metastasis is a debilitating symptom in many cancer patients, and results from the group indicate that inhibition of the P2X7 receptor could alleviate the pain. The aim is to further elucidate the role of the P2X7 receptor in cancer-induced bone pain and the molecular effects of P2X7 receptor inhibition.
Key publications
Falk S, Schwab SD, Frøsig-Jørgensen M, Clausen RP, Dickenson AH, Heegaard AM (2015) P2X7 receptor-mediated analgesia in cancer-induced bone pain. Neuroscience 291:93-105
Hansen RR, Nasser A, Falk S, Baldvinsson SB, Ohlsson PH, Bahl JM, Jarvis MF, Ding M, and Heegaard AM (2012) Chronic administration of the selective P2X3, P2X2/3 receptor antagonist, A-317491, transiently attenuates cancer-induced bone pain in mice. Eur.J.Pharmacol. 688, 27-34.
Hansen RR, Nielsen CK, Nasser A, Thomsen SI, Eghorn LF, Pham Y, Schulenburg C, Syberg S, Ding M, Stojilkovic SS, Jorgensen NR, and Heegaard AM (2011) P2X7 receptor-deficient mice are susceptible to bone cancer pain. Pain 152, 1766-1776.