Systemic QX-314 Reduces Bone Cancer Pain through Selective Inhibition of Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid Subfamily 1–expressing Primary Afferents in Mice

Background The aim of this study was to determine whether systemic administration of QX-314 reduces bone cancer pain through selective inhibition of transient receptor potential vanilloid subfamily 1 (TRPV1)–expressing afferents. Methods A mouse model of bone cancer pain was used. The authors examined the effects of bolus (0.01 to 3 mg/kg, n = 6 to 10) and continuous (5 mg kg−1 h−1, n = 5) administration of QX-314 on both bone cancer pain–related behaviors and phosphorylated cyclic adenosine monophosphate response element–binding protein expression in dorsal root ganglion neurons (n = 3 or 6) and the effects of ablation of TRPV1-expressing afferents on bone cancer pain–related behaviors (n = 10). Results The numbers of flinches indicative of ongoing pain in QX-314–treated mice were smaller than those in vehicle-treated mice at 10 min (3 mg/kg, 4 ± 3; 1 mg/kg, 5 ± 3 vs. 12 ± 3; P < 0.001; n = 8 to 9), 24 h (3 ± 2 vs. 13 ± 3, P < 0.001), and 48 h (4 ± 1 vs. 12 ± 2, P < 0.001; n = 5 in each group) after QX-314 administration, but impaired limb use, weight-bearing including that examined by the CatWalk system, and rotarod performance indicative of movement-evoked pain were comparable. QX-314 selectively inhibited the increase in phosphorylated cyclic adenosine monophosphate response element–binding protein expression in TRPV1-positive, but not in TRPV1-negative, dorsal root ganglion neurons compared to that in the case of vehicle administration (32.2 ± 3.0% vs. 52.6 ± 5.9%, P < 0.001; n = 6 in each group). Ablation of TRPV1-expressing afferents mimicked the effects of QX-314. Conclusion This study showed that systemic administration of QX-314 in mice inhibits some behavioral aspects of bone cancer pain through selective inhibition of TRPV1-expressing afferents without coadministration of TRPV1 agonists.