Sodium channel protein type 10 subunit alpha and Sodium channel protein type 7 subunit alpha (Nav1.8/Nav1.10)

The Voltage-gated sodium channel Nav1.8/Nav1.10 family consists of sodium channel alpha subunits primarily located in the peripheral nervous system, specifically within the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) and trigeminal ganglion. Nav1.8 (encoded by SCN10A) is a tetrodotoxin-resistant (TTX-R) voltage-gated channel that is essential for the initiation and maintenance of action potentials in nociceptive neurons, making it a primary target for the development of novel, non-opioid analgesics for chronic and acute pain. Nav1.10 (encoded by SCN7A, also known as Nax) is a related channel that functions as a concentration-sensitive sodium sensor rather than a traditional voltage-gated channel, playing a key role in body fluid homeostasis and salt-sensing. These channels, along with Nav1.9, are clustered on chromosome 3 and are critical for sensory transduction and the regulation of neuronal excitability. Therapeutic development has focused on highly selective Nav1.8 inhibitors, such as suzetrigine (VX-548), which aim to provide effective pain relief by blocking peripheral pain signals while avoiding the cardiac risks associated with Nav1.5 inhibition and the central side effects of opioids.

Other names

SCN10APN3SNShPN3SCN7ANaxNaGSCN6ANav2.1Nav2.3

Selective inhibition of the Nav1.8 voltage-gated sodium channel to prevent the influx of sodium ions, thereby reducing the excitability of nociceptive neurons and blocking the transmission of pain signals.