Transmembrane member 16 A(TMEM16 A) is involved in many physiological functions, such as epithelial secretion, sensory conduction, nociception, control of neuronal excitability, and regulation of smooth muscle contrac...Transmembrane member 16 A(TMEM16 A) is involved in many physiological functions, such as epithelial secretion, sensory conduction, nociception, control of neuronal excitability, and regulation of smooth muscle contraction, and may be important in peripheral pain transmission. To explore the role of TMEM16 A in the persistent hyperalgesia that results from chronic constriction injury-induced neuropathic pain, a rat model of the condition was established by ligating the left sciatic nerve. A TMEM16 A selective antagonist(10 μg T16 Ainh-A01) was intrathecally injected at L5–6. For measurement of thermal hyperalgesia, the drug was administered once at 14 days and thermal withdrawal latency was recorded with an analgesia meter. For measurement of other indexes, the drug was administered at 12 days,once every 6 hours, totally five times. The measurements were performed at 14 days. Western blot assay was conducted to analyze TMEM16 A expression in the L4–6 dorsal root ganglion. Immunofluorescence staining was used to detect the immunoreactivity of TMEM16 A in the L4–6 dorsal root ganglion on the injured side. Patch clamp was used to detect electrophysiological changes in the neurons in the L4–6 dorsal root ganglion. Our results demonstrated that thermal withdrawal latency was shortened in the model rats compared with control rats.Additionally, TMEM16 A expression and the number of TMEM16 A positive cells in the L4–6 dorsal root ganglion were higher in the model rats, which induced excitation of the neurons in the L4–6 dorsal root ganglion. These findings were inhibited by T16 Ainh-A01 and confirm that TMEM16 A plays a key role in persistent chronic constriction injury-induced hyperalgesia. Thus, inhibiting TMEM16 A might be a novel pharmacological intervention for neuropathic pain. All experimental protocols were approved by the Animal Ethics Committee at the First Affiliated Hospital of Shihezi University School of Medicine, China(approval No. A2017-170-01) on February 27, 2017.展开更多
Sodium-potassium-chloride cotransporter 1 (NKCC1) and potassium-chloride cotransporter 2 (KCC2) are associated with the transmission of peripheral pain.We investigated whether the increase of NKCC1 and KCC2 is associa...Sodium-potassium-chloride cotransporter 1 (NKCC1) and potassium-chloride cotransporter 2 (KCC2) are associated with the transmission of peripheral pain.We investigated whether the increase of NKCC1 and KCC2 is associated with peripheral pain transmission in dorsal root ganglion neurons.To this aim,rats with persistent hyperalgesia were randomly divided into four groups.Rats in the control group received no treatment,and the rat sciatic nerve was only exposed in the sham group.Rats in the chronic constriction injury group were established into chronic constriction injury models by ligating sciatic nerve and rats were given bumetanide,an inhibitor of NKCC1,based on chronic constriction injury modeling in the chronic constriction injury + bumetanide group.In the experiment measuring thermal withdrawal latency,bumetanide (15 mg/kg) was intravenously administered.In the patch clamp experiment,bumetanide (10 μg/μL) and acutely isolated dorsal root ganglion neurons (on day 14) were incubated for 1 hour,or bumetanide (5 μg/μL) was intrathecally injected.The Hargreaves test was conducted to detect changes in thermal hyperalgesia in rats.We found that the thermal withdrawal latency of rats was significantly decreased on days 7,14,and 21 after model establishment.After intravenous injection of bumetanide,the reduction in thermal retraction latency caused by model establishment was significantly inhibited.Immunohistochemistry and western blot assay results revealed that the immune response and protein expression of NKCC1 in dorsal root ganglion neurons of the chronic constriction injury group increased significantly on days 7,14,and 21 after model establishment.No immune response or protein expression of KCC2 was observed in dorsal root ganglion neurons before and after model establishment.The Cl^– (chloride ion) fluorescent probe technique was used to evaluate the change of Cl^– concentration in dorsal root ganglion neurons of chronic constriction injury model rats.We found that the relative optical density of N-(ethoxycarbonylmethyl)-6-methoxyquinolinium bromide (a Cl^– fluorescent probe whose fluorescence Cenintensity decreases as Cl– concentration increases) in the dorsal root ganglion neurons of the chronic constriction injury group was significantly decreased on days 7 and 14 after model establishment.The whole-cell patch clamp technique revealed that the resting potential and action potential frequency of dorsal root ganglion neurons increased,and the threshold and rheobase of action potentials decreased in the chronic constriction injury group on day 14 after model establishment.After bumetanide administration,the above indicators were significantly suppressed.These results confirm that CCI can induce abnormal overexpression of NKCC1,thereby increasing the Cl^– concentration in dorsal root ganglion neurons;this then enhances the excitability of dorsal root ganglion neurons and ultimately promotes hyperalgesia and allodynia.In addition,bumetanide can achieve analgesic effects.All experiments were approved by the Institutional Ethics Review Board at the First Affiliated Hospital,College of Medicine,Shihezi University,China on February 22,2017 (approval No.A2017-169-01).展开更多
Olfactory bulb tissue transplantation inhibits P2X2/3 receptor-mediated neuropathic pain. However, the olfactory bulb has a complex cellular composition, and the mechanism underlying the action of purified transplante...Olfactory bulb tissue transplantation inhibits P2X2/3 receptor-mediated neuropathic pain. However, the olfactory bulb has a complex cellular composition, and the mechanism underlying the action of purified transplanted olfactory ensheathing cells（OECs） remains unclear. In the present study, we microencapsulated OECs in alginic acid, and transplanted free and microencapsulated OECs into the region surrounding the injured sciatic nerve in rat models of chronic constriction injury. We assessed mechanical nociception in the rat models 7 and 14 days after surgery by measuring paw withdrawal threshold, and examined P2X2/3 receptor expression in L4–5 dorsal root ganglia using immunohistochemistry. Rats that received free and microencapsulated OEC transplants showed greater withdrawal thresholds than untreated model rats, and weaker P2X2/3 receptor immunoreactivity in dorsal root ganglia. At 14 days, paw withdrawal threshold was much higher in the microencapsulated OEC-treated animals. Our results confirm that microencapsulated OEC transplantation suppresses P2X2/3 receptor expression in L4–5 dorsal root ganglia in rat models of neuropathic pain and reduces allodynia, and also suggest that transplantation of microencapsulated OECs is more effective than transplantation of free OECs for the treatment of neuropathic pain.展开更多
Peripheral neuropathies are chronic painful syndromes characterized by allodynia,hyperalgesia and altered nerve functionality.Nerve tissue degeneration represents the microanatomical correlate of peripheral neuropathi...Peripheral neuropathies are chronic painful syndromes characterized by allodynia,hyperalgesia and altered nerve functionality.Nerve tissue degeneration represents the microanatomical correlate of peripheral neuropathies.Aimed to improve the therapeutic possibilities,this study investigated the hypersensitivity and the neuromorphological alterations related to the loose ligation of the sciatic nerve in rats.Effects elicited by treatment with acetyl-L-carnitine（ALCAR） in comparison to gabapentin were assessed.Axonal injury,reduction of myelin deposition and accumulation of inflammatory cells were detected in damaged nerve.A decrease of phosphorylated 200-k Da neurofilament（NFP） immunoreactivity and a redistribution in small clusters of myelin basic like-protein（MBP） were observed in ipsilateral nerves.Treatment with ALCAR（100 mg/kg intraperitoneally-i.p.） and gabapentin（70 mg/kg i.p.） administered bis in die for 14 days induced a significant pain relieving effect.ALCAR,but not gabapentin,significantly countered neuromorphological changes and increased axonal NFP immunoreactivity.These findings indicate that both ALCAR and gabapentin significantly decreased the hypersensitivity related to neuropathic lesions.The observation of the positive ALCAR effect on axonal and myelin sheath alterations in damaged nerve supports its use as neurorestorative agent against neuropathies through mechanism（s） consistent to those focused in this study.展开更多
Background:Pulsed radiofrequency(PRF),as a non-invasive treatment of neuropathic pain(NP),has been widely administered clinically.Previous studies have shown that PRF has the potential to improve hyperalgesia in anima...Background:Pulsed radiofrequency(PRF),as a non-invasive treatment of neuropathic pain(NP),has been widely administered clinically.Previous studies have shown that PRF has the potential to improve hyperalgesia in animal models of NP.However,there have been few reports to clarify whether the mechanism of PRF treatment of NP involves intervention in the expression of substance P(SP).Therefore,this study administered PRF treatment to chronic constriction injury(CCI)model rats and observed the sciatic nerve mechanical pain threshold and SP expression in the spinal cord to explore the mechanism of PRF treatment.Methods:A total of 96 Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into the sham-surgery-sham-treatment group(S-S group),the sham-surgery-PRF group(S-P group),the CCI-sham-treatment group(C-S group),and the CCI-PRF group(C-P group).The C-S group and the C-P group underwent sciatic nerve CCI,while the other groups received a sham operation.At 14 days after the operation,the C-P group and the S-P group were treated with PRF for 300 s.We recorded the hindpaw withdrawal threshold(HWT)and the thermal withdrawal latency(TWL)of rats in the various groups at baseline,before treatment(0 days),and at 1,7,14,and 28 days after treatment.L4 to L6 spinal cord tissues were taken before treatment(0 days)and 1,7,14,and 28 days after treatment.The transcription and translation of SP were measured by quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting,respectively.Results:The HWT and the TWL in the C-P group 28 days after PRF treatment were significantly higher than those in the C-S group(95%confidence interval[CI]:5.84–19.50,P<0.01;95%CI:2.58–8.69,P=0.01).The expression of SP in the C-P group 28 days after PRF treatment was significantly lower than that in the C-S group(95%CI:1.17–2.48,P<0.01).Conclusions:PRF may alleviate CCI-induced NP by down-regulating the expression of SP in the spinal cord of CCI model rats.展开更多
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.30160026(to JQS)the High Level Talent Research Project of Shihezi University of China,No.RCSX201705(to YW)
文摘Transmembrane member 16 A(TMEM16 A) is involved in many physiological functions, such as epithelial secretion, sensory conduction, nociception, control of neuronal excitability, and regulation of smooth muscle contraction, and may be important in peripheral pain transmission. To explore the role of TMEM16 A in the persistent hyperalgesia that results from chronic constriction injury-induced neuropathic pain, a rat model of the condition was established by ligating the left sciatic nerve. A TMEM16 A selective antagonist(10 μg T16 Ainh-A01) was intrathecally injected at L5–6. For measurement of thermal hyperalgesia, the drug was administered once at 14 days and thermal withdrawal latency was recorded with an analgesia meter. For measurement of other indexes, the drug was administered at 12 days,once every 6 hours, totally five times. The measurements were performed at 14 days. Western blot assay was conducted to analyze TMEM16 A expression in the L4–6 dorsal root ganglion. Immunofluorescence staining was used to detect the immunoreactivity of TMEM16 A in the L4–6 dorsal root ganglion on the injured side. Patch clamp was used to detect electrophysiological changes in the neurons in the L4–6 dorsal root ganglion. Our results demonstrated that thermal withdrawal latency was shortened in the model rats compared with control rats.Additionally, TMEM16 A expression and the number of TMEM16 A positive cells in the L4–6 dorsal root ganglion were higher in the model rats, which induced excitation of the neurons in the L4–6 dorsal root ganglion. These findings were inhibited by T16 Ainh-A01 and confirm that TMEM16 A plays a key role in persistent chronic constriction injury-induced hyperalgesia. Thus, inhibiting TMEM16 A might be a novel pharmacological intervention for neuropathic pain. All experimental protocols were approved by the Animal Ethics Committee at the First Affiliated Hospital of Shihezi University School of Medicine, China(approval No. A2017-170-01) on February 27, 2017.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.30160026(to JQS)the High Level Talent Research Project of Shihezi University of China,No.RCSX201705(to YW)
文摘Sodium-potassium-chloride cotransporter 1 (NKCC1) and potassium-chloride cotransporter 2 (KCC2) are associated with the transmission of peripheral pain.We investigated whether the increase of NKCC1 and KCC2 is associated with peripheral pain transmission in dorsal root ganglion neurons.To this aim,rats with persistent hyperalgesia were randomly divided into four groups.Rats in the control group received no treatment,and the rat sciatic nerve was only exposed in the sham group.Rats in the chronic constriction injury group were established into chronic constriction injury models by ligating sciatic nerve and rats were given bumetanide,an inhibitor of NKCC1,based on chronic constriction injury modeling in the chronic constriction injury + bumetanide group.In the experiment measuring thermal withdrawal latency,bumetanide (15 mg/kg) was intravenously administered.In the patch clamp experiment,bumetanide (10 μg/μL) and acutely isolated dorsal root ganglion neurons (on day 14) were incubated for 1 hour,or bumetanide (5 μg/μL) was intrathecally injected.The Hargreaves test was conducted to detect changes in thermal hyperalgesia in rats.We found that the thermal withdrawal latency of rats was significantly decreased on days 7,14,and 21 after model establishment.After intravenous injection of bumetanide,the reduction in thermal retraction latency caused by model establishment was significantly inhibited.Immunohistochemistry and western blot assay results revealed that the immune response and protein expression of NKCC1 in dorsal root ganglion neurons of the chronic constriction injury group increased significantly on days 7,14,and 21 after model establishment.No immune response or protein expression of KCC2 was observed in dorsal root ganglion neurons before and after model establishment.The Cl^– (chloride ion) fluorescent probe technique was used to evaluate the change of Cl^– concentration in dorsal root ganglion neurons of chronic constriction injury model rats.We found that the relative optical density of N-(ethoxycarbonylmethyl)-6-methoxyquinolinium bromide (a Cl^– fluorescent probe whose fluorescence Cenintensity decreases as Cl– concentration increases) in the dorsal root ganglion neurons of the chronic constriction injury group was significantly decreased on days 7 and 14 after model establishment.The whole-cell patch clamp technique revealed that the resting potential and action potential frequency of dorsal root ganglion neurons increased,and the threshold and rheobase of action potentials decreased in the chronic constriction injury group on day 14 after model establishment.After bumetanide administration,the above indicators were significantly suppressed.These results confirm that CCI can induce abnormal overexpression of NKCC1,thereby increasing the Cl^– concentration in dorsal root ganglion neurons;this then enhances the excitability of dorsal root ganglion neurons and ultimately promotes hyperalgesia and allodynia.In addition,bumetanide can achieve analgesic effects.All experiments were approved by the Institutional Ethics Review Board at the First Affiliated Hospital,College of Medicine,Shihezi University,China on February 22,2017 (approval No.A2017-169-01).
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.81260190the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangxi Province of China,No.20132BAB205023+1 种基金a grant from the Science and Technology Research Program of Department of Education of Jiangxi Province in China,No.GJJ13159a grant from the Science and Technology Program of Department of Health of Jiangxi Province,No.20132019
文摘Olfactory bulb tissue transplantation inhibits P2X2/3 receptor-mediated neuropathic pain. However, the olfactory bulb has a complex cellular composition, and the mechanism underlying the action of purified transplanted olfactory ensheathing cells（OECs） remains unclear. In the present study, we microencapsulated OECs in alginic acid, and transplanted free and microencapsulated OECs into the region surrounding the injured sciatic nerve in rat models of chronic constriction injury. We assessed mechanical nociception in the rat models 7 and 14 days after surgery by measuring paw withdrawal threshold, and examined P2X2/3 receptor expression in L4–5 dorsal root ganglia using immunohistochemistry. Rats that received free and microencapsulated OEC transplants showed greater withdrawal thresholds than untreated model rats, and weaker P2X2/3 receptor immunoreactivity in dorsal root ganglia. At 14 days, paw withdrawal threshold was much higher in the microencapsulated OEC-treated animals. Our results confirm that microencapsulated OEC transplantation suppresses P2X2/3 receptor expression in L4–5 dorsal root ganglia in rat models of neuropathic pain and reduces allodynia, and also suggest that transplantation of microencapsulated OECs is more effective than transplantation of free OECs for the treatment of neuropathic pain.
基金funded by the Italian Ministry of Instruction,University and Research(MIUR)the Universities of Florence and Camerino
文摘Peripheral neuropathies are chronic painful syndromes characterized by allodynia,hyperalgesia and altered nerve functionality.Nerve tissue degeneration represents the microanatomical correlate of peripheral neuropathies.Aimed to improve the therapeutic possibilities,this study investigated the hypersensitivity and the neuromorphological alterations related to the loose ligation of the sciatic nerve in rats.Effects elicited by treatment with acetyl-L-carnitine（ALCAR） in comparison to gabapentin were assessed.Axonal injury,reduction of myelin deposition and accumulation of inflammatory cells were detected in damaged nerve.A decrease of phosphorylated 200-k Da neurofilament（NFP） immunoreactivity and a redistribution in small clusters of myelin basic like-protein（MBP） were observed in ipsilateral nerves.Treatment with ALCAR（100 mg/kg intraperitoneally-i.p.） and gabapentin（70 mg/kg i.p.） administered bis in die for 14 days induced a significant pain relieving effect.ALCAR,but not gabapentin,significantly countered neuromorphological changes and increased axonal NFP immunoreactivity.These findings indicate that both ALCAR and gabapentin significantly decreased the hypersensitivity related to neuropathic lesions.The observation of the positive ALCAR effect on axonal and myelin sheath alterations in damaged nerve supports its use as neurorestorative agent against neuropathies through mechanism（s） consistent to those focused in this study.
基金This study was supported by a grant from the Foundation for the Excellent Medical Staff of Beijing(No.2014-3-035).
文摘Background:Pulsed radiofrequency(PRF),as a non-invasive treatment of neuropathic pain(NP),has been widely administered clinically.Previous studies have shown that PRF has the potential to improve hyperalgesia in animal models of NP.However,there have been few reports to clarify whether the mechanism of PRF treatment of NP involves intervention in the expression of substance P(SP).Therefore,this study administered PRF treatment to chronic constriction injury(CCI)model rats and observed the sciatic nerve mechanical pain threshold and SP expression in the spinal cord to explore the mechanism of PRF treatment.Methods:A total of 96 Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into the sham-surgery-sham-treatment group(S-S group),the sham-surgery-PRF group(S-P group),the CCI-sham-treatment group(C-S group),and the CCI-PRF group(C-P group).The C-S group and the C-P group underwent sciatic nerve CCI,while the other groups received a sham operation.At 14 days after the operation,the C-P group and the S-P group were treated with PRF for 300 s.We recorded the hindpaw withdrawal threshold(HWT)and the thermal withdrawal latency(TWL)of rats in the various groups at baseline,before treatment(0 days),and at 1,7,14,and 28 days after treatment.L4 to L6 spinal cord tissues were taken before treatment(0 days)and 1,7,14,and 28 days after treatment.The transcription and translation of SP were measured by quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting,respectively.Results:The HWT and the TWL in the C-P group 28 days after PRF treatment were significantly higher than those in the C-S group(95%confidence interval[CI]:5.84–19.50,P<0.01;95%CI:2.58–8.69,P=0.01).The expression of SP in the C-P group 28 days after PRF treatment was significantly lower than that in the C-S group(95%CI:1.17–2.48,P<0.01).Conclusions:PRF may alleviate CCI-induced NP by down-regulating the expression of SP in the spinal cord of CCI model rats.
