Spinal GABAAand GABABReceptor Pharmacology in a Rat Model of Neuropathic Pain

2002 ◽  
Vol 96 (5) ◽  
pp. 1161-1167 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Philip Malan ◽  
Heriberto P. Mata ◽  
Frank Porreca

Background This study tests the hypothesis that loss of spinal activity of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) contributes to the allodynia and hyperalgesia observed after peripheral nerve injury. Methods Intrathecal catheters were implanted in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Antinociception was assessed by measuring withdrawal latency to immersion of the tail in a 52 degrees C water bath. Nerve injury was produced by ligation of the L5 and L6 spinal nerves. Testing was performed 4-14 days after spinal nerve ligation, when tactile allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia were established. Tactile allodynia was quantitated using the threshold to withdrawal of the hind paw on probing with von Frey filaments. Thermal hyperalgesia was quantitated using the latency to withdrawal of the hind paw from radiant heat. Motor function was tested using a rotarod apparatus. Results Spinal administration of the GABAA receptor antagonist bicuculline or the GABAB receptor antagonist phaclofen produced tactile allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia in normal rats. The GABAB receptor agonist baclofen, administered spinally, produced antinociception in the tail-flick test, whereas the GABAA receptor agonist isoguvacine did not. Isoguvacine and baclofen each reversed tactile allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia produced by spinal nerve ligation. Baclofen but not isoguvacine prolonged thermal withdrawal latency in nerve-injured rats beyond preoperative values. Baclofen but not isoguvacine impaired motor function. Conclusions Pharmacologic inhibition of intrinsic GABA tone in normal rats resulted in tactile allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia, consistent with the hypothesis being tested. Exogenous administration of GABA agonists reversed spinal nerve ligation-induced allodynia and hyperalgesia, also consistent with this hypothesis. Isoguvacine produced specific antihyperalgesic and antiallodynic effects, whereas assessment of the effects of baclofen was complicated by motor dysfunction. Spinal GABAA agonists may provide a specific therapy for neuropathic pain.

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xia Pan ◽  
Cheng Shen ◽  
Yayi Huang ◽  
Long Wang ◽  
Zhongyuan Xia ◽  
...  

Neuropathic pain is an intractable comorbidity of spinal cord injury. Increasing noncoding RNAs have been implicated in neuropathic pain development. lncRNAs have been recognized as significant regulators of neuropathic pain. lncRNA Small Nucleolar RNA Host Gene 4 (SNHG4) is associated with several tumors. However, the molecular mechanisms of SNHG4 in neuropathic pain remain barely documented. Here, we evaluated the function of SNHG4 in spinal nerve ligation (SNL) rat models. We observed that SNHG4 was significantly upregulated in SNL rat. Knockdown of SNHG4 was able to attenuate neuropathic pain progression via regulating behaviors of neuropathic pain including mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia. Moreover, knockdown of SNHG4 could repress the neuroinflammation via inhibiting IL-6, IL-12, and TNF-α while inducing IL-10 levels. Additionally, miR-423-5p was predicted as the target of SNHG4 by employing bioinformatics analysis. miR-423-5p has been reported to exert significantly poorer in several diseases. However, the role of miR-423-5p in the development of neuropathic pain is needed to be clarified. Here, in our investigation, RIP assay confirmed the correlation between miR-423-5p and SNHG4. Meanwhile, we found that miR-423-5p was significantly decreased in SNL rat models. SNHG4 regulated miR-423-5p expression negatively. As exhibited, the loss of miR-423-5p contributed to neuropathic pain progression, which was rescued by the silence of SNHG4. Therefore, our study indicated SNHG4 as a novel therapeutic target for neuropathic pain via sponging miR-423-5p.


2004 ◽  
Vol 100 (5) ◽  
pp. 1249-1257 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenji Takeda ◽  
Shigehito Sawamura ◽  
Hiroshi Sekiyama ◽  
Hisayoshi Tamai ◽  
Kazuo Hanaoka

Background Basic data are lacking regarding the efficacy and mechanisms of action of corticosteroids in neuropathic pain. Because recent studies indicate that spinal glial activation mediates the pathologic pain states, the authors sought to determine the effects of systemic and intrathecal methylprednisolone on the development and maintenance of neuropathic pain and spinal glial activation in a rat model. Methods Rats were anesthetized, and L5 and L6 spinal nerves were tightly ligated. Then, continuous infusion of systemic (4 mg x kg(-1) x day(-1)) or intrathecal (80 microg x kg(-1) x day(-1)) methylprednisolone or saline was started. Mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia were evaluated on days 4 and 7 postoperatively with von Frey and Hargreaves tests, respectively. Spinal astrocytic activation was evaluated with glial fibrillary acidic protein immunoreactivity on day 7. In other groups of rats, continuous 3-day treatment with intrathecal methylprednisolone or saline was started 7 days after spinal nerve ligation, when neuropathic pain had already developed. Behavioral tests and immunostaining were performed up to 3 weeks after the treatment. Results Spinal nerve ligation induced mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia on days 4 and 7 postoperatively. Glial fibrillary acidic protein immunoreactivity was remarkably enhanced on day 7. Both systemic and intrathecal methylprednisolone inhibited the development of neuropathic pain states and glial activation. Three-day treatment with intrathecal methylprednisolone reversed existing neuropathic pain state and glial activation up to 3 weeks after the treatment. Conclusion : Systemic and intrathecal methylprednisolone inhibited spinal glial activation and the development and maintenance of a neuropathic pain state in a rat model of spinal nerve ligation.


2001 ◽  
Vol 94 (2) ◽  
pp. 333-339 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vesa K. Kontinen ◽  
Louise C. Stanfa ◽  
Amlan Basu ◽  
Anthony H. Dickenson

Background Changes in the inhibitory activity mediated by gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glycine, acting at spinal GABAA receptors and strychnine-sensitive glycine receptors, are of interest in the development of neuropathic pain. There is anatomic evidence for changes in these transmitter systems after nerve injuries, and blocking either GABAA or glycine receptors has been shown to produce allodynia-like behavior in awake normal animals. Methods In this study, the possible changes in GABAergic and glycinergic inhibitory activity in the spinal nerve ligation model of neuropathic pain were studied by comparing the effects of the GABAA-receptor antagonist bicuculline and the glycine-receptor antagonist strychnine in neuropathic rats to their effects in sham-operated and nonoperated control rats. Results Bicuculline produced a dose-related facilitation of the Adelta-fiber-evoked activity in all study groups and increased C-fiber-mediated activity in the spinal nerve ligation group but not in either of the control groups. There were no differences in the effect of bicuculline on low threshold responses between the study groups. The glycine receptor antagonist strychnine did not have a statistically significant effect on any of the parameters studied in any of the control groups. Conclusions These results support the idea of an increased GABAergic inhibitory tone in the spinal cord of neuropathic rats, possibly as compensation for increased excitability after nerve injury.


2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (9) ◽  
pp. 2251 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wing Luu ◽  
James Bjork ◽  
Erin Salo ◽  
Nicole Entenmann ◽  
Taylor Jurgenson ◽  
...  

The ATP-sensitive K+ channel (KATP) is involved in hypersensitivity during chronic pain and is presumed to be a downstream target of mu opioid receptors. Multiple subtypes of KATP channels exist in the peripheral and central nervous system and their activity may be inversely correlated to chronic pain phenotypes in rodents. In this study, we investigated the different KATP channel subunits that could be involved in neuropathic pain in mice. In chronic pain models utilizing spinal nerve ligation, SUR1 and Kir6.2 subunits were found to be significantly downregulated in dorsal root ganglia and the spinal cord. Local or intrathecal administration of SUR1-KATP channel subtype agonists resulted in analgesia after spinal nerve ligation but not SUR2 agonists. In ex-vivo nerve recordings, administration of the SUR1 agonist diazoxide to peripheral nerve terminals decreased mechanically evoked potentials. Genetic knockdown of SUR1 through an associated adenoviral strategy resulted in mechanical hyperalgesia but not thermal hyperalgesia compared to control mice. Behavioral data from neuropathic mice indicate that local reductions in SUR1-subtype KATP channel activity can exacerbate neuropathic pain symptoms. Since neuropathic pain is of major clinical relevance, potassium channels present a target for analgesic therapies, especially since they are expressed in nociceptors and could play an essential role in regulating the excitability of neurons involved in pain-transmission.


2005 ◽  
Vol 103 (4) ◽  
pp. 837-844 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenji Takeda ◽  
Shigehito Sawamura ◽  
Hisayoshi Tamai ◽  
Hiroshi Sekiyama ◽  
Kazuo Hanaoka

Background Lines of evidence have indicated that cyclooxygenase 2 plays a role in the pathophysiology of neuropathic pain. However, the site and mechanism of its action are still unclear. Spinal glia has also been reported to mediate pathologic pain states. The authors evaluated the effect of continuous intrathecal or systemic cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor on the development and maintenance of neuropathic pain and glial activation in a spinal nerve ligation model of rats. Methods Continuous intrathecal infusion of meloxicam (32 or 320 mug . kg . day) or saline was started immediately after L5-L6 spinal nerve ligation. Mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia were evaluated on days 4 and 7 postoperatively. Spinal astrocytic activation was evaluated with glial fibrially acidic protein immunoreactivity on day 7. In other groups of rats, continuous intrathecal meloxicam was started 7 days after spinal nerve ligation, and effects on established neuropathic pain and glial activation were evaluated. Last, effects of continuous systemic meloxicam (16 mg . kg . day) on existing neuropathic pain and glial activation were examined. Results Intrathecal meloxicam prevented the development of mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia induced by spinal nerve ligation. It also inhibited spinal glial activation responses. In contrast, when started 7 days after the nerve ligation, intrathecal meloxicam did not reverse established neuropathic pain and glial activation. Systemic meloxicam started 7 days after ligation partially reversed neuropathic behaviors but not glial activation. Conclusions Spinal cyclooxygenase 2 mediates the development but not the maintenance of neuropathic pain and glial activation in rats. Peripheral cyclooxygenase 2 plays a part in the maintenance of neuropathic pain.


2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Takayuki Seto ◽  
Hidenori Suzuki ◽  
Tomoya Okazaki ◽  
Yasuaki Imajo ◽  
Norihiro Nishida ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The spinal nerve ligation (SNL) rat is well known as the most common rodent model of neuropathic pain without motor deficit. Researchers have performed analyses using only the von Frey and thermal withdrawal tests to evaluate pain intensity in the rat experimental model. However, these test are completely different from the neurological examinations performed clinically. We think that several behavioral reactions must be observed following SNL because the patients with neuropathic pain usually have impaired coordination of the motions of the right–left limbs and right–left joint motion differences. In this study, we attempted to clarify the pain behavioral reactions in SNL rat model as in patients. We used the Kinema-Tracer system for 3D kinematics gait analysis to identify new characteristic parameters of each joint movement and gait pattern. Results The effect of SNL on mechanical allodynia was a 47 ± 6.1% decrease in the withdrawal threshold during 1–8 weeks post-operation. Sagittal trajectories of the hip, knee and ankle markers in SNL rats showed a large sagittal fluctuation of each joint while walking. Top minus bottom height of the left hip and knee that represents instability during walking was significantly larger in the SNL than sham rats. Both-foot contact time, which is one of the gait characteristics, was significantly longer in the SNL versus sham rats: 1.9 ± 0.15 s vs. 1.03 ± 0.15 s at 4 weeks post-operation (p = 0.003). We also examined the circular phase time to evaluate coordination of the right and left hind-limbs. The ratio of the right/left circular time was 1.0 ± 0.08 in the sham rats and 0.62 ± 0.15 in the SNL rats at 4 weeks post-operation. Conclusions We revealed new quantitative parameters in an SNL rat model that are directly relevant to the neurological symptoms in patients with neuropathic pain, in whom the von Frey and thermal withdrawal tests are not used at all clinically. This new 3D analysis system can contribute to the analysis of pain intensity of SNL rats in detail similar to human patients’ reactions following neuropathic pain.


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