scholarly journals Estrogen Elicits Dorsal Root Ganglion Axon Sprouting via a Renin-Angiotensin System

Endocrinology ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 149 (7) ◽  
pp. 3452-3460 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anuradha Chakrabarty ◽  
Audrey Blacklock ◽  
Stanislav Svojanovsky ◽  
Peter G. Smith

Many painful conditions occur more frequently in women, and estrogen is a predisposing factor. Estrogen may contribute to some pain syndromes by enhancing axon outgrowth by sensory dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons. The objective of the present study was to define mechanisms by which estrogen elicits axon sprouting. The estrogen receptor-α agonist propyl pyrazole triol induced neurite outgrowth from cultured neonatal DRG neurons, whereas the estrogen receptor-β agonist diarylpropionitrile was ineffective. 17β-Estradiol (E2) elicited sprouting from peripherin-positive unmyelinated neurons, but not larger NF200-positive myelinated neurons. Microarray analysis showed that E2 up-regulates angiotensin II (ANGII) receptor type 2 (AT2) mRNA in vitro, and studies in adult rats confirmed increased DRG mRNA and protein in vivo. AT2 plays a central role in E2-induced axon sprouting because AT2 blockade by PD123,319 eliminated estrogen-mediated sprouting in vitro. We assessed whether AT2 may be responding to locally synthesized ANGII. DRG from adult rats expressed mRNA for renin, angiotensinogen, and angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE), and protein products were present and occasionally colocalized within neurons and other DRG cells. We determined if locally synthesized ANGII plays a role in estrogen-mediated sprouting by blocking its formation using the ACE inhibitor enalapril. ACE inhibition prevented estrogen-induced neuritogenesis. These findings support the hypothesis that estrogen promotes DRG nociceptor axon sprouting by up-regulating the AT2 receptor, and that locally synthesized ANGII can induce axon formation. Therefore, estrogen may contribute to some pain syndromes by enhancing the pro-neuritogenic effects of AT2 activation by ANGII.

2003 ◽  
Vol 89 (3) ◽  
pp. 1588-1602 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chao Ma ◽  
Yousheng Shu ◽  
Zheng Zheng ◽  
Yong Chen ◽  
Hang Yao ◽  
...  

We investigated electrophysiological changes in chronically axotomized and neighboring intact dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons in rats after either a peripheral axotomy consisting of an L5 spinal nerve ligation (SNL) or a central axotomy produced by an L5 partial rhizotomy (PR). SNL produced lasting hyperalgesia to punctate indentation and tactile allodynia to innocuous stroking of the foot ipsilateral to the injury. PR produced ipsilateral hyperalgesia without allodynia with recovery by day 10. Intracellular recordings were obtained in vivo from the cell bodies (somata) of axotomized and intact DRG neurons, some with functionally identified peripheral receptive fields. PR produced only minor electrophysiological changes in both axotomized and intact somata in L5 DRG. In contrast, extensive changes were observed after SNL in large- and medium-sized, but not small-sized, somata of intact (L4) as well as axotomized (L5) DRG neurons. These changes included (in relation to sham values) higher input resistance, lower current and voltage thresholds, and action potentials with longer durations and slower rising and falling rates. The incidence of spontaneous activity, recorded extracellularly from dorsal root fibers in vitro, was significantly higher (in relation to sham) after SNL but not after PR, and occurred in myelinated but not unmyelinated fibers from both L4 (9.1%) and L5 (16.7%) DRGs. We hypothesize that the changes in the electrophysiological properties of axotomized and intact DRG neurons after SNL are produced by a mechanism associated with Wallerian degeneration and that the hyperexcitability of intact neurons may contribute to SNL-induced hyperalgesia and allodynia.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sampurna Chakrabarti ◽  
Luke A. Pattison ◽  
Balint Doleschall ◽  
Rebecca H. Rickman ◽  
Helen Blake ◽  
...  

AbstractObjectiveJoint pain is the major clinical symptom of arthritis that affects millions of people. Controlling the excitability of knee-innervating dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons (knee neurons) could potentially provide pain relief. Therefore, our objective was to evaluate whether the newly engineered adeno-associated virus (AAV) serotype, AAV-PHP.S, can deliver functional artificial receptors to control knee neuron excitability following intra-articular knee injection.MethodsAAV-PHP.S virus packaged with dTomato fluorescent protein and either excitatory (Gq) or inhibitory (Gi) designer receptors activated by designer drugs (DREADDs) was injected into the knee joint of adult mice. Labelling of DRG neurons by AAV-PHP.S from the knee was evaluated using immunohistochemistry. Functionality of Gq- and Gi-DREADDs was evaluated using whole-cell patch clamp electrophysiology on acutely cultured DRG neurons. Pain behavior in mice was assessed using a digging assay, dynamic weight bearing and rotarod, before and after intra-peritoneal administration of the DREADD activator, Compound 21.ResultsWe show that AAV-PHP.S can deliver functional genes into the DRG neurons when injected into the knee joint in a similar manner to the well-established retrograde tracer, fast blue. Short-term activation of AAV-PHP.S delivered Gq-DREADD increases excitability of knee neurons in vitro, without inducing overt pain in mice when activated in vivo. By contrast, in vivo Gi-DREADD activation alleviated complete Freund’s adjuvant mediated knee inflammation-induced deficits in digging behavior, with a concomitant decrease in knee neuron excitability observed in vitro.ConclusionsWe describe an AAV-mediated chemogenetic approach to specifically control joint pain, which may be utilized in translational arthritic pain research.


2009 ◽  
Vol 110 (2) ◽  
pp. 387-400 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xue-Song Song ◽  
Zhi-Jiang Huang ◽  
Xue-Jun Song

Background B vitamins can effectively attenuate inflammatory and neuropathic pain in experimental animals, while their efficacy in treating clinical pain syndromes remains unclear. To understand possible mechanisms underlying B vitamin-induced analgesia and provide further evidence that may support the clinical utility of B vitamins in chronic pain treatment, this study investigated effects of thiamine (B1) on the excitability and Na currents of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons that have been altered by nerve injury. Methods Nerve injury was mimicked by chronic compression of DRG in rats. Neuropathic pain was evidenced by the presence of thermal hyperalgesia. Intracellular and patch-clamp recordings were made in vitro from intact and dissociated DRG neurons, respectively. Results (1) In vivo intraperitoneal administration of B1 (66 mg/kg/day, 10-14 doses) significantly inhibited DRG compression-induced neural hyperexcitability, in addition to suppressing thermal hyperalgesia. (2) In vitro perfusion of B1 (0.1, 1 and 10 mM) resulted in a dose-dependent inhibition of DRG neuron hyperexcitability. In addition, the DRG neurons exhibited size-dependent sensitivity to B1 treatment, i.e., the small and the medium-sized neurons, compared to the large neurons, were significantly more sensitive. (3) Both in vitro (1 mM) and in vivo application of B1 significantly reversed DRG compression-induced down-regulation of tetrodotoxin-resistant but not tetrodotoxin-sensitive Na current density in the small neurons. B1 at 1 mM also reversed the compression-induced hyperpolarizing shift of the inactivation curve of the tetrodotoxin-resistant currents and the upregulated ramp currents in small DRG neurons. Conclusion Thiamine can reduce hyperexcitability and lessen alterations of Na currents in injured DRG neurons, in addition to suppressing thermal hyperalgesia.


2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ming Zhang ◽  
Wenjuan Han ◽  
Jianyong Zheng ◽  
Fancheng Meng ◽  
Xiying Jiao ◽  
...  

Recently several lines of evidence demonstrated that methylcobalamin (MeCbl) might have potential analgesic effect in experimental and clinical studies. However, it was reported that MeCbl had no effect on treating lumbar spinal stenosis induced pain. Thus, the effects of short-term and long-term administration of MeCbl were examined in the chronic compression of dorsal root ganglion (CCD) model. We found that mechanical allodynia was significantly inhibited by a continuous application of high dose and a single treatment of a super high dose of MeCbl. Little is known about mechanisms underlying the analgesia of MeCbl. We examined the effect of MeCbl on the spontaneous activity (SA), the excitability, and hyperpolarization-activated nonselective cation ion current in compressed medium-sized dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons using extracellular single fiber recordingin vivoand whole-cell patch clampin vitro. We found that MeCbl significantly inhibited the SA of A-type sensory neurons in a dose-dependent manner and inhibited the excitability of medium-sized DRG neurons. In addition, MeCbl also decreasedIhcurrent density in injured medium-sized DRG neurons. Our results proved that MeCbl might exert an analgesic effect through the inhibitionIhcurrent and then might inhibit the hyperexcitability of primary sensory neurons under neuropathic pain state.


1998 ◽  
Vol 79 (5) ◽  
pp. 2668-2676 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. D. Dib-Hajj ◽  
J. A. Black ◽  
T. R. Cummins ◽  
A. M. Kenney ◽  
J. D. Kocsis ◽  
...  

Dib-Hajj, S. D., J. A. Black, T. R. Cummins, A. M. Kenney, J. D. Kocsis, and S. G. Waxman. Rescue of α-SNS sodium channel expression in small dorsal root ganglion neurons after axotomy by nerve growth factor in vivo. J. Neurophysiol. 79: 2668–2676, 1998. Small (18–25 μm diam) dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons are known to express high levels of tetrodotoxin-resistant (TTX-R) sodium current and the mRNA for the α-SNS sodium channel, which encodes a TTX-R channel when expressed in oocytes. These neurons also preferentially express the high affinity receptor for nerve growth factor (NGF), TrkA. Levels of TTX-R sodium current and of α-SNS mRNA are reduced in these cells after axotomy. To determine whether NGF participates in the regulation of TTX-R current and α-SNS mRNA in small DRG neurons in vivo, we axotomized small lumbar DRG neurons by sciatic nerve transection and administered NGF or Ringer solution to the proximal nerve stump using osmotic pumps. Ten to 12 days after pump implant, whole cell patch-clamp recording demonstrated that TTX-R current density was decreased in Ringer-treated axotomized neurons (154 ± 45 pA/pF; mean ± SE) compared with nonaxotomized control neurons (865 ± 123 pA/pF) and was restored partially toward control levels in NGF-treated axotomized neurons (465 ± 78 pA/pF). The V 1/2 for steady-state activation and inactivation of TTX-R currents were similar in control, Ringer- and NGF-treated axotomized neurons. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction revealed an upregulation of α-SNS mRNA levels in NGF-treated compared with Ringer-treated axotomized DRG. In situ hybridization showed that α-SNS mRNA levels were decreased significantly in small Ringer-treated axotomized DRG neurons in vivo and also in small DRG neurons that were dissociated and maintained in vitro, so as to correspond to the patch-clamp conditions. NGF-treated axotomized neurons had a significant increase in α-SNS mRNA expression, compared with Ringer-treated axotomized cells. These results show that the administration of exogenous NGF in vivo, to the proximal nerve stump of the transected sciatic nerve, results in an upregulation of TTX-R sodium current and of α-SNS mRNA levels in small DRG neurons. Retrogradely transported NGF thus appears to participate in the control of excitability in these cells via actions that include the regulation of sodium channel gene expression in vivo.


Author(s):  
Wu Zhaoxia ◽  
Chen Meixin ◽  
Li Yiqun ◽  
Yang Shuxuan ◽  
Wen Xianjie

Objective: To investigate whether CaMKⅡα participates in the dorsal root ganglion neurotoxicity induced by ropivacaine hydrochloride. Methods: DRG neurons were isolated from 1-day-old SD rats and cultured in vitro. pAd-shRNA-CaMKⅡα-DRG cells were constructed by RNA interference technique to inhibit the expression of CaMKⅡα. The experiment was divided into six groups: DRG group (DRG group), vector DRG group (vector group), pAd-shRNA- CaMKIIα-DRG group (pAd-shRNA group), DRG + ropivacaine group (DRG + R group), vector DRG + ropivacaine group (vector + R group), pAd-shRNA-CaMKII α - DRG + ropivacaine group (pAd-shRNA + R group), and the last three groups were treated with 3 mM ropivacaine hydrochloride for 4 hours. MTT assay was used to detect cell viability, flow cytometry was used to detect cell apoptosis rate, laser confocal microscopy was used to detect intracellular calcium level, and real-time PCR was used to detect the mRNA expression of CaMKⅡα, Cav3.2 and Cav3.3. Results: The cell viability of DRG+R group, vector+R group and pAd-shRNA+R group decreased significantly after 3 mM ropivacaine hydrochloride treatment for 4 h. Compared with DRG+R group, the cell viability of pAd-shRNA+R group was significantly higher. After 3 mM ropivacaine hydrochloride treatment for 4 h, the apoptosis rate of DRG + R group, vector + R group and pAd-shRNA + R group increased significantly. Compared with DRG+R group, the apoptosis rate in pAd shRNA+R group was significantly lower. After 3 mM ropivacaine hydrochloride treatment for 4 h, the intracellular calcium levels in DRG + R group, vector + R group and pAd-shRNA + R group were significantly increased, and the intracellular calcium levels in pAd-shRNA + R group were significantly lower than those in DRG + R group. The mRNA expressions of CaMKⅡα, Cav3.2 and Cav3.3 were significantly decreased in pAd- shRNA group. The mRNA expressions of CaMK Ⅱ α, Cav3.2 and Cav3.3 were up-regulated in DRG + R group, vector + R group and pAd-shRNA + R group after 3 mm ropivacaine treatment for 4 h. The mRNA expressions of CaMKⅡα, Cav3.2 and Cav3.3 in pAd-shRNA + R group were significantly lower than those in DRG + R group. Conclusion: Inhibition of CaMKⅡα expression can down regulate the expression of Cav3.2 and Cav3.3 mRNA, increase cell viability of DRG neurons, reduce the apoptosis rate, and improve the dorsal root ganglion neurotoxicity induced by ropivacaine hydrochloride.


1999 ◽  
Vol 81 (2) ◽  
pp. 803-810 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jenny Fjell ◽  
Theodore R. Cummins ◽  
Kaj Fried ◽  
Joel A. Black ◽  
Stephen G. Waxman

In vivo NGF deprivation reduces SNS expression and TTX-R sodium currents in IB4-negative DRG neurons. Recent evidence suggests that changes in sodium channel expression and localization may be involved in some pathological pain syndromes. SNS, a tetrodotoxin-resistant (TTX-R) sodium channel, is preferentially expressed in small dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons, many of which are nociceptive. TTX-R sodium currents and SNS mRNA expression have been shown to be modulated by nerve growth factor (NGF) in vitro and in vivo. To determine whether SNS expression and TTX-R currents in DRG neurons are affected by reduced levels of systemic NGF, we immunized adult rats with NGF, which causes thermal hypoalgesia in rats with high antibody titers to NGF. DRG neurons cultured from rats with high antibody titers to NGF, which do not bind the isolectin IB4 (IB4−) but do express TrkA, were studied with whole cell patch-clamp and in situ hybridization. Mean TTX-R sodium current density was decreased from 504 ± 77 pA/pF to 307 ± 61 pA/pF in control versus NGF-deprived neurons, respectively. In comparison, the mean TTX-sensitive sodium current density was not significantly different between control and NGF-deprived neurons. Quantification of SNS mRNA hybridization signal showed a significant decrease in the signal in NGF-deprived neurons compared with the control neurons. The data suggest that NGF has a major role in the maintenance of steady-state levels of TTX-R sodium currents and SNS mRNA in IB4− DRG neurons in adult rats in vivo.


2011 ◽  
Vol 106 (6) ◽  
pp. 3067-3072 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ni Fan ◽  
David F. Donnelly ◽  
Robert H. LaMotte

Chronic compression (CCD) of the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) is a model of human radicular pain produced by intraforaminal stenosis and other disorders affecting the DRG, spinal nerve, or root. Previously, we examined electrophysiological changes in small-diameter lumbar level 3 (L3) and L4 DRG neurons treated with CCD; the present study extends these observations to medium-sized DRG neurons, which mediate additional sensory modalities, both nociceptive and non-nociceptive. Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings were obtained from medium-sized somata in the intact DRG in vitro. Compared with neurons from unoperated control animals, CCD neurons exhibited a decrease in the current threshold for action potential generation. In the CCD group, current densities of TTX-resistant and TTX-sensitive Na+ current were increased, whereas the density of delayed rectifier voltage-dependent K+ current was decreased. No change was observed in the transient or “A” current after CCD. We conclude that CCD in the mouse produces hyperexcitability in medium-sized DRG neurons, and the hyperexcitability is associated with an increased density of Na+ current and a decreased density of delayed rectifier voltage-dependent K+ current.


Author(s):  
Kristina Rodionova ◽  
Karl F. Hilgers ◽  
Salman Rafii-Tabrizi ◽  
Johannes Doellner ◽  
Nada Cordasic ◽  
...  

AbstractPrevious data suggest that renal afferent nerve activity is increased in hypertension exerting sympathoexcitatory effects. Hence, we wanted to test the hypothesis that in renovascular hypertension, the activity of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons with afferent projections from the kidneys is augmented depending on the degree of intrarenal inflammation. For comparison, a nonhypertensive model of mesangioproliferative nephritis was investigated. Renovascular hypertension (2-kidney, 1-clip [2K1C]) was induced by unilateral clipping of the left renal artery and mesangioproliferative glomerulonephritis (anti-Thy1.1) by IV injection of a 1.75-mg/kg BW OX-7 antibody. Neuronal labeling (dicarbocyanine dye [DiI]) in all rats allowed identification of renal afferent dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons. A current clamp was used to characterize neurons as tonic (sustained action potential [AP] firing) or phasic (1–4 AP) upon stimulation by current injection. All kidneys were investigated using standard morphological techniques. DRG neurons exhibited less often tonic response if in vivo axonal input from clipped kidneys was received (30.4% vs. 61.2% control, p < 0.05). However, if the nerves to the left clipped kidneys were cut 7 days prior to investigation, the number of tonic renal neurons completely recovered to well above control levels. Interestingly, electrophysiological properties of neurons that had in vivo axons from the right non-clipped kidneys were not distinguishable from controls. Renal DRG neurons from nephritic rats also showed less often tonic activity upon current injection (43.4% vs. 64.8% control, p < 0.05). Putative sympathoexcitatory and impaired sympathoinhibitory renal afferent nerve fibers probably contribute to increased sympathetic activity in 2K1C hypertension.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document