Glutamate receptor phosphorylation and trafficking in pain plasticity in spinal cord dorsal horn

Glutamate is the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. Considerable evidence suggests that both ionotropic and metabotropic glutamate receptors are involved in pain hypersensitivity. However, glutamate receptor-based therapies are limited by side-effects because the activities of glutamate receptors are essential for many important physiological functions. Here, we review recent key findings in molecular and cellular mechanisms of glutamate receptor regulation and their roles in triggering and sustaining pain hypersensitivity. Targeting these molecular mechanisms could form the basis for new therapeutic strategies for the treatment of chronic pain.