Loss of Neurons from Laminas I-III of the Spinal Dorsal Horn Is Not Required for Development of Tactile Allodynia in the Spared Nerve Injury Model of Neuropathic Pain

Abstract Background Neuropathic pain (NeuP) is a chronic and challenging clinical problem, with little effective treatment. Resveratrol has shown neuroprotection by inhibiting inflammatory response in NeuP. Recently, the triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) expressed by microglia was identified as a critical factor of inflammation in nervous system diseases. In this study, we explored whether resveratrol could ameliorate neuroinflammation and produce anti-mechanical allodynia effects via regulating TREM2 in spared nerve injury rats, as well as investigated the underlying mechanisms. Methods A spared nerve injury (SNI) rat model was performed to investigate whether resveratrol could exert anti-mechanism allodynia effects via inhibiting neuroinflammation. To evaluate the role of TREM2 in anti-neuroinflammatory function of resveratrol, Lentivirus coding TREM2 was intrathecal injected into SNI rats to activate TREM2 and the pain behavior was detected by the Von Frey test. Furthermore, 3-Methyladenine (3-MA, an autophagy inhibitor) was performed to analyze the molecular mechanisms of resveratrol-mediated anti-neuroinflammation using Western blot, qPCR, immunofluorescence. Results The TREM2 expression and number of the microglial cell was significantly increased in the ipsilateral spinal dorsal horn after SNI. We found that intrathecal administration of resveratrol (300ug/day) alleviated mechanical allodynia; obviously enhanced autophagy; and markedly reduced the levels of interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α in the ipsilateral spinal dorsal horn after SNI. Moreover, the number of Iba-1+ microglial cells and TREM2 expression were downregulated after resveratrol treatment. Intrathecal administration of lentivirus coding TREM2 and/or 3-methyladenine in those rats induced deficiencies in resveratrol-mediated anti-inflammation, leading to mechanical allodynia that could be rescued via administration of Res. Furthermore, 3-MA treatment contributed to TREM2-mediated mechanical allodynia. Conclusions Taken together, these data reveal that resveratrol relieves neuropathic pain through suppressing microglia-mediated neuroinflammation via regulating the TREM2-autophagy axis in SNI rats.

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Resveratrol mediates mechanical allodynia through modulating inflammatory response via the TREM2-autophagy axis in SNI rat model

Journal of Neuroinflammation ◽

10.1186/s12974-020-01991-2 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Yaping Wang ◽

Yu Shi ◽

Yongquan Huang ◽

Wei Liu ◽

Guiyuan Cai ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Neuropathic Pain ◽

Inflammatory Response ◽

Dorsal Horn ◽

Nerve Injury ◽

Rat Model ◽

Mechanical Allodynia ◽

Spinal Dorsal Horn ◽

Intrathecal Administration ◽

Spared Nerve Injury ◽

Spinal Dorsal

Abstract Background Neuropathic pain (NeuP) is a chronic and challenging clinical problem, with little effective treatment. Resveratrol has shown neuroprotection by inhibiting inflammatory response in NeuP. Recently, the triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) expressed by microglia was identified as a critical factor of inflammation in nervous system diseases. In this study, we explored whether resveratrol could ameliorate neuroinflammation and produce anti-mechanical allodynia effects via regulating TREM2 in spared nerve injury rats, as well as investigated the underlying mechanisms. Methods A spared nerve injury (SNI) rat model was performed to investigate whether resveratrol could exert anti-mechanical allodynia effects via inhibiting neuroinflammation. To evaluate the role of TREM2 in anti-neuroinflammatory function of resveratrol, lentivirus coding TREM2 was intrathecally injected into SNI rats to activate TREM2, and the pain behavior was detected by the von Frey test. Furthermore, 3-methyladenine (3-MA, an autophagy inhibitor) was applied to study the molecular mechanisms of resveratrol-mediated anti-neuroinflammation using Western blot, qPCR, and immunofluorescence. Results The TREM2 expression and number of the microglial cells were significantly increased in the ipsilateral spinal dorsal horn after SNI. We found that intrathecal administration of resveratrol (300ug/day) alleviated mechanical allodynia; obviously enhanced autophagy; and markedly reduced the levels of interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α in the ipsilateral spinal dorsal horn after SNI. Moreover, the number of Iba-1+ microglial cells and TREM2 expression were downregulated after resveratrol treatment. Intrathecal administration of lentivirus coding TREM2 and/or 3-MA in those rats induced deficiencies in resveratrol-mediated anti-inflammation, leading to mechanical allodynia that could be rescued via administration of Res. Furthermore, 3-MA treatment contributed to TREM2-mediated mechanical allodynia. Conclusions Taken together, these data reveal that resveratrol relieves neuropathic pain through suppressing microglia-mediated neuroinflammation via regulating the TREM2-autophagy axis in SNI rats.

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Calcitonin gene-related peptide regulates spinal microglial activation through the histone H3 lysine 27 trimethylation via enhancer of zeste homolog-2 in rats with neuropathic pain

Journal of Neuroinflammation ◽

10.1186/s12974-021-02168-1 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Qi An ◽

Chenyan Sun ◽

Ruidi Li ◽

Shuhui Chen ◽

Xinpei Gu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Neuropathic Pain ◽

Dorsal Horn ◽

Nerve Injury ◽

Spinal Dorsal Horn ◽

Microglial Activation ◽

Microglial Cells ◽

Gene Promoters ◽

Spinal Dorsal ◽

Related Peptide ◽

Calcitonin Gene

Abstract Background Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) as a mediator of microglial activation at the transcriptional level may facilitate nociceptive signaling. Trimethylation of H3 lysine 27 (H3K27me3) by enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) is an epigenetic mark that regulates inflammatory-related gene expression after peripheral nerve injury. In this study, we explored the relationship between CGRP and H3K27me3 in microglial activation after nerve injury, and elucidated the underlying mechanisms in the pathogenesis of chronic neuropathic pain. Methods Microglial cells (BV2) were treated with CGRP and differentially enrichments of H3K27me3 on gene promoters were examined using ChIP-seq. A chronic constriction injury (CCI) rat model was used to evaluate the role of CGRP on microglial activation and EZH2/H3K27me3 signaling in CCI-induced neuropathic pain. Results Overexpressions of EZH2 and H3K27me3 were confirmed in spinal microglia of CCI rats by immunofluorescence. CGRP treatment induced the increased of H3K27me3 expression in the spinal dorsal horn and cultured microglial cells (BV2) through EZH2. ChIP-seq data indicated that CGRP significantly altered H3K27me3 enrichments on gene promoters in microglia following CGRP treatment, including 173 gaining H3K27me3 and 75 losing this mark, which mostly enriched in regulation of cell growth, phagosome, and inflammation. qRT-PCR verified expressions of representative candidate genes (TRAF3IP2, BCL2L11, ITGAM, DAB2, NLRP12, WNT3, ADAM10) and real-time cell analysis (RTCA) verified microglial proliferation. Additionally, CGRP treatment and CCI increased expressions of ITGAM, ADAM10, MCP-1, and CX3CR1, key mediators of microglial activation in spinal dorsal horn and cultured microglial cells. Such increased effects induced by CCI were suppressed by CGRP antagonist and EZH2 inhibitor, which were concurrently associated with the attenuated mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia in CCI rats. Conclusion Our findings highly indicate that CGRP is implicated in the genesis of neuropathic pain through regulating microglial activation via EZH2-mediated H3K27me3 in the spinal dorsal horn.

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Liver X Receptor α Is Involved in Counteracting Mechanical Allodynia by Inhibiting Neuroinflammation in the Spinal Dorsal Horn

Anesthesiology ◽

10.1097/aln.0000000000001718 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 127 (3) ◽

pp. 534-547 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Jing Xu ◽

Yi-Wei Feng ◽

Ling Liu ◽

Wei Wang ◽

Xiong-Xiong Zhong ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Neuropathic Pain ◽

Dorsal Horn ◽

Glial Cells ◽

Mechanical Allodynia ◽

Spinal Dorsal Horn ◽

Liver X Receptor ◽

Spared Nerve Injury ◽

Wild Type ◽

Spinal Dorsal ◽

Liver X Receptor Α

Abstract Background Liver X receptors, including α and β isoforms, are ligand-activated transcription factors. Whether liver X receptor α plays a role in neuropathic pain is unknown. Methods A spared nerve injury model was established in adult male rats and mice. Von Frey tests were performed to evaluate the neuropathic pain behavior; Western blot and immunohistochemistry were performed to understand the underlying mechanisms. Results Intrathecal injection of a specific liver X receptor agonist T0901317 or GW3965 could either prevent the development of mechanical allodynia or alleviate the established mechanical allodynia, both in rats and wild-type mice. GW3965 could inhibit the activation of glial cells and the expression of tumor necrosis factor-α (mean ± SD: 196 ± 48 vs. 119 ± 57; n = 6; P < 0.01) and interleukin 1β (mean ± SD: 215 ± 69 vs. 158 ± 74; n = 6; P < 0.01) and increase the expression of interleukin 10 in the spinal dorsal horn. All of the above effects of GW3965 could be abolished by liver X receptor α mutation. Moreover, more glial cells were activated, and more interleukin 1β was released in the spinal dorsal horn in liver X receptor α knockout mice than in wild-type mice after spared nerve injury. Aminoglutethimide, a neurosteroid synthesis inhibitor, blocked the inhibitory effect of T0901317 on mechanical allodynia, on the activation of glial cells, and on the expression of cytokines. Conclusions Activation of liver X receptor α inhibits mechanical allodynia by inhibiting the activation of glial cells and rebalancing cytokines in the spinal dorsal horn via neurosteroids.

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Spinal Dorsal Horn Calcium Channel 2 -1 Subunit Upregulation Contributes to Peripheral Nerve Injury-Induced Tactile Allodynia

Journal of Neuroscience ◽

10.1523/jneurosci.2982-04.2004 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 24 (39) ◽

pp. 8494-8499 ◽

Cited By ~ 154

Author(s):

C.-Y. Li

Keyword(s):

Peripheral Nerve ◽

Calcium Channel ◽

Dorsal Horn ◽

Nerve Injury ◽

Peripheral Nerve Injury ◽

Spinal Dorsal Horn ◽

Tactile Allodynia ◽

Spinal Dorsal

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158 COLD SENSITIVITY IS INCREASED IN SPINAL DORSAL HORN WIDE DYNAMIC RANGE (WDR) NEURONS IN SPARED NERVE INJURY (SNI) RATS

European Journal of Pain ◽

10.1016/j.ejpain.2007.03.173 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 11 (S1) ◽

pp. S68-S69

Author(s):

L. Luo ◽

H. Gustafsson ◽

K. Hygge Blakeman ◽

K. Angeby-Moller ◽

O.-G. Berge

Keyword(s):

Dorsal Horn ◽

Nerve Injury ◽

Spinal Dorsal Horn ◽

Dynamic Range ◽

Cold Sensitivity ◽

Spared Nerve Injury ◽

Wide Dynamic Range ◽

Spinal Dorsal ◽

Wdr Neurons

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Spinal α2-Adrenoceptor-mediated Analgesia in Neuropathic Pain Reflects Brain-derived Nerve Growth Factor and Changes in Spinal Cholinergic Neuronal Function

Anesthesiology ◽

10.1097/aln.0b013e3181de6d2c ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 113 (2) ◽

pp. 406-412 ◽

Cited By ~ 27

Author(s):

Ken-ichiro Hayashida ◽

James C. Eisenach

Keyword(s):

Neuropathic Pain ◽

Dorsal Horn ◽

Nerve Injury ◽

Choline Acetyltransferase ◽

Spinal Dorsal Horn ◽

Acetylcholine Release ◽

Cholinergic Neurons ◽

Male Rats ◽

Spinal Dorsal ◽

Alpha2 Adrenoceptor

Introduction Spinal alpha2-adrenoceptor stimulation produces analgesia in neuropathic pain states, and this effect in animals is blocked by the inhibitors of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) function. In rats, alpha2-adrenoceptor stimulation normally inhibits acetylcholine release, but it excites release after nerve injury. The authors examined the roles of BDNF and excitatory Gs-protein in this change. Methods Male rats underwent L5-L6 spinal nerve ligation (SNL), and their lumbar spinal dorsal horns with or without spinal BDNF infusion were used for either synaptosome preparation for acetylcholine release or immunostaining for choline acetyltransferase. Results SNL did not alter spontaneous release from synaptosomes or choline acetyltransferase immunoreactivity in the spinal dorsal horn, but it reduced KCl-evoked acetylcholine release. Dexmedetomidine inhibited KCl-evoked acetylcholine release in synaptosomes from normal rats, but it excited KCl-evoked release in synaptosomes from SNL rats, and both effects were blocked by the alpha2-adrenoceptor antagonist idazoxan. Spinal infusion of an antibody to BDNF reduced choline acetyltransferase immunoreactivity in the spinal dorsal horn in both normal and SNL rats and abolished facilitation of KCl-evoked acetylcholine release by dexmedetomidine in SNL rats. Dexmedetomidine facilitation of acetylcholine release was also blocked by the inhibitors of Gs function. Discussion The increased reliance of spinal alpha2 adrenoceptors on cholinergic stimulation to cause analgesia after nerve injury reflects in part a shift from direct inhibition to direct excitation of spinal cholinergic neurons. The authors' results suggest that this shift relies on an interaction with Gs-proteins and BDNF.

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