BOSTON, Jan 10: Researchers have identified a key protein that controls severe pain, a discovery that might someday allow more relief for those who suffer intractable pain from terminal cancer, chronic backaches and other problems, according to Thursday’s issue of the journal Cell.

The protein is known by the acronym DREAM. In tests on mice bred to have a defective form of DREAM, the researchers discovered the animals seem completely normal, except their sensitivity to pain was greatly diminished.

And while there are many types of pain, disabling the DREAM protein seems to reduce them all, said Dr Josef Penninger of the University of Toronto, a coauthor of the study.

Pain is vital to survival, allowing us to quickly draw away from scalding water or a sharp object. DREAM, according to the new research, keeps people sensitized to pain.

But over time, such as after a person experiences a cut, the sharp pain fades because the DREAM protein becomes disabled, Penninger said.

If researchers could find a way to disable the protein, it could lead to a new and perhaps more effective method of pain control, he said.

However, he cautioned that finding such a treatment could be challenging because the protein works deep inside individual cells, making it less accessible to drugs.

“This is simply a beginning,” Penninger said.—Reuters