scholarly journals Electroacupuncture Inhibits the Activity of Astrocytes in Spinal Cord in Rats with Visceral Hypersensitivity by Inhibiting P2Y1 Receptor-Mediated MAPK/ERK Signaling Pathway

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jingming Zhao ◽  
Hui Li ◽  
Chong Shi ◽  
Tiezheng Yang ◽  
Baoshi Xu
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Acetic Acid ◽  
Dorsal Horn ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Intrathecal Injection ◽  
Inhibitory Effect ◽  
Visceral Hypersensitivity ◽  
Spinal Cord Dorsal Horn ◽  
Male Rats ◽  
Spinal Cord Dorsal

Background. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic functional bowel disease characterized by abdominal pain and changes in bowel habits in the absence of organic disease. Electroacupuncture (EA) has been shown to alleviate visceral hypersensitivity (VH) in IBS rat models by inhibiting the activation of astrocytes in the spinal cord. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms mediated by P2Y1 receptor of this effect of electroacupuncture remain unclear. Aim. To explore whether EA inhibits the activity of astrocytes in the spinal cord dorsal horn of rat with visceral hypersensitivity by inhibiting P2Y1 receptor and its downstream mitogen activated protein kinase/extracellular regulated kinase 1 (MAPK/ERK) pathway. Methods. Ten-day-old Sprague-Dawley (SD) male rats were given an intracolonic injection of 0.2 ml of 0.5% acetic acid (AA) to establish a visceral hypersensitivity model. EA was performed at Zusanli (ST 36) and Shangjuxu (ST 37) at 100 Hz for 1.05 s and 2 Hz for 2.85 s alternately, pulse width for 0.1 ms, 1 mA, 30 min/d, once a day, for 1 week. Cytokines IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α were analyzed by ELISA. The expressions of the P2Y1 receptor and pERK1/2 were analyzed by Western Blot and real-time PCR in the model and EA treated animals to explore the molecular mechanism of EA in inhibiting the activity of spinal cord dorsal horn (L6-S2 segment) astrocytes in rats with IBS visceral hypersensitivity. Results. EA significantly reduced the behavioral abdominal withdrawal reflex score (AWRs) of IBS rats with visceral hypersensitivity induced by AA. For comparison, intrathecal injection of astrocytes activity inhibitor fluorocitrate (FCA) also reduced visceral hypersensitivity in IBS rats. EA at Zusanli and Shangjuxu inhibited the mRNA and protein expression of the glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and in rat spinal cord and reduced the release of inflammatory cytokines IL-6, IL-1, and TNF-α from astrocytes. EA also inhibited acetic acid-induced expression of the P2Y1 receptor in the spinal cord. Adenosine 5′-[β-thio]diphosphate trilithium salt (ADP), a selective agonist of the P2Y1 receptor, reversed the inhibitory effect of EA on visceral hypersensitivity. ADP also overrode the downregulation of GFAP by EA. Conversely, MRS2179 (MRS), a selective antagonist of the P2Y1 receptor, inhibited visceral hypersensitivity suggesting that EA negatively regulated the P2Y1 receptor in astrocytes. Acetic acid also upregulated the expression of pERK1/2 protein and mRNA in the spinal cord of rats with visceral hypersensitivity, which was inhibited by EA and the inhibitory effect of EA on pERK1/2 was reversed by ADP. We also found that SCH772984 (SCH), an ERK1/2 inhibitor (10 μg, 10 μl), reduced the AWRs. Compared to the SCH group, AWR scores in SCH + EA group were decreased. The application of P2Y1 agonists failed to increase the AWR scores after the intrathecal injection of SCH. GFAP level in the spinal cord in the SCH group was significantly reduced when compared to the Model group. The GFAP expression was further reduced in the SCH + EA group. Conclusion. EA inhibited astrocyte activity in the spinal cord dorsal horn of rat with IBS visceral hypersensitivity by inhibiting the P2Y1 receptor and its downstream, PKC, and MAPK/ERK1/2 pathways.

Comparison of the Effects of Treatment with Intrathecal Lidocaine Given before and after Formalin on Both Nociception and Fos Expression in the Spinal Cord Dorsal Horn 

1998 ◽  
Vol 88 (1) ◽  
pp. 157-164 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kiran Yashpal ◽  
Patrick Mason ◽  
John E. McKenna ◽  
Sushil K. Sharma ◽  
James L. Henry ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Dorsal Horn ◽  
Intrathecal Injection ◽  
Post Treatment ◽  
Spinal Cord Dorsal Horn ◽  
Formalin Injection ◽  
Second Phase ◽  
Nociceptive Responses ◽  
Spinal Cord Dorsal ◽  
Fos Expression

Background It has been proposed that the measure of noxious stimulus-induced Fos (the protein product of the immediate early gene c-fos) expression in the spinal cord dorsal horn of laboratory animals may provide an estimate of the potential of specific treatments to produce preemptive analgesia. The present study examined this hypothesis by comparing the effects of intrathecal lidocaine given before and after hindpaw formalin injection on persistent nociceptive responses and Fos expression in spinal cord dorsal horn of rats. Methods Formalin-induced nociception and Fos expression in the spinal cord, in response to a 50-microl injection of 2.5% formalin into the hind paw, were assessed in rats given an intrathecal injection of 50 microl 2% lidocaine by lumbar puncture between the L5 and L6 vertebrae, either 3 min before (pretreatment) or 5 min after (post-treatment) formalin injection. Results Pain behaviors (hindpaw licking, elevation, and favoring) in the second phase of the formalin test were significantly reduced by pretreatment, but were unaffected by post-treatment. The number of immunocytochemically stained Fos-positive cells and the immunoprecipitation of the Fos antibodies were reduced by pretreatment, and were also reduced, to a lesser extent, by post-treatment. Conclusions The finding that persistent nociceptive behaviors and Fos expression were suppressed by intrathecal lidocaine pretreatment suggests that nociception in the second phase of the formalin test depends on increases in central hyperexcitability generated during the first phase. On the other hand, the finding that the intrathecal injection of lidocaine after formalin treatment reduced Fos expression but not nociceptive responses indicates an uncoupling of the behavioral and Fos protein responses to formalin and suggests that changes in Fos expression may not be a good predictor of the ability of agents to produce preemptive analgesia.

scholarly journals Delta Opioid Receptors Presynaptically Regulate Cutaneous Mechanosensory Neuron Input to the Spinal Cord Dorsal Horn

Neuron ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 81 (6) ◽  
pp. 1443 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rita Bardoni ◽  
Vivianne L. Tawfik ◽  
Dong Wang ◽  
Amaury François ◽  
Carlos Solorzano ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Dorsal Horn ◽  
Opioid Receptors ◽  
Spinal Cord Dorsal Horn ◽  
Mechanosensory Neuron ◽  
Delta Opioid Receptors ◽  
Spinal Cord Dorsal

scholarly journals Intrathecal Injection of the ς1Receptor Antagonist BD1047 Blocks Both Mechanical Allodynia and Increases in Spinal NR1 Expression during the Induction Phase of Rodent Neuropathic Pain

2008 ◽  
Vol 109 (5) ◽  
pp. 879-889 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dae-Hyun Roh ◽  
Hyun-Woo Kim ◽  
Seo-Yeon Yoon ◽  
Hyoung-Sig Seo ◽  
Young-Bae Kwon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Neuropathic Pain ◽  
Dorsal Horn ◽  
Mechanical Allodynia ◽  
Maintenance Phase ◽  
Spinal Cord Dorsal Horn ◽  
Induction Phase ◽  
Receptor Subunit ◽  
Aspartate Receptor ◽  
Spinal Cord Dorsal

Background Selective blockade of spinal sigma(1) receptors (Sig-1R) suppresses nociceptive behaviors in the mouse formalin test. The current study was designed to verify whether intrathecal Sig-1R antagonists can also suppress chronic neuropathic pain. Methods Neuropathic pain was produced by chronic constriction injury (CCI) of the right sciatic nerve in rats. The Sig-1R antagonist BD1047 was administered intrathecally twice daily from postoperative days 0 to 5 (induction phase of neuropathic pain) or from days 15 to 20 (maintenance phase). Western blot and immunohistochemistry were performed to determine changes in Sig-1R expression and to examine the effect of BD1047 on N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor subunit 1 expression and phosphorylation in spinal cord dorsal horn from neuropathic rats. Results BD1047 administered on postoperative days 0-5 significantly attenuated CCI-induced mechanical allodynia, but not thermal hyperalgesia, and this suppression was blocked by intrathecal administration of the Sig-1R agonist PRE084. In contrast, BD1047 treatment during the maintenance phase of neuropathic pain had no effect on mechanical allodynia. Sig-1R expression significantly increased in the ipsilateral spinal cord dorsal horn from days 1 to 3 after CCI. Importantly, BD1047 (30 nmol) administered intrathecally during the induction, but not the maintenance phase, blocked the CCI-induced increase in N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor subunit 1 expression and phosphorylation. Conclusions These results demonstrate that spinal Sig-1Rs play a critical role in both the induction of mechanical allodynia and the activation of spinal N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors in CCI rats and suggest a potential therapeutic role for the use of Sig-1R antagonists in the clinical management of neuropathic pain.

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