Nerve growth factor (NGF) antagonism is on the verge of becoming a powerful analgesic treatment for numerous conditions, including osteoarthritis and lower back pain. This review summarizes the historical research, both fundamental and clinical, that led to our current understanding of NGF biology. We also discuss the surprising number of questions that remain about NGF expression patterns and NGF's various functions and interaction partners in relation to persistent pain and the potential side effects of anti-NGF therapy.

中文翻译：

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神经生长因子和疼痛机制。

神经生长因子（NGF）拮抗作用即将成为一种强大的止痛药，可用于多种疾病，包括骨关节炎和下背部疼痛。这篇综述总结了历史研究，包括基础研究和临床研究，这些研究使我们对NGF生物学有了新的认识。我们还讨论了有关NGF表达模式以及NGF与持续性疼痛和抗NGF治疗的潜在副作用相关的各种功能和相互作用伙伴的令人惊讶的问题数量。