University of Colorado Anschutz Researchers Link Exosomes to Lingering Shingles Pain
Researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz have identified extracellular vesicles, known as exosomes, as a likely cause of post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN), the persistent pain some individuals experience after a shingles infection. The study, led by Andrew Bubak, PhD, found that even after the varicella zoster virus (VZV) has cleared the body, exosomes released by nerve cells continue to transmit inflammatory signals. When healthy nerve cells were exposed to exosomes from PHN patients, they exhibited similar harmful changes seen during viral infection, despite the absence of the virus. This suggests that PHN may arise from a 'failure-to-resolve' model, where the body's healing response remains active, preventing nerves from recovering normally. The findings, published in *Annals of Neurology*, indicate that these exosomes sustain a state of inflammation and abnormal nerve remodeling, contributing to chronic pain.
