Mol Pain
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A growing body of evidence suggests that ATP-gated P2X3 receptors (P2X3Rs) are implicated in chronic pain. We address the possibility that stable, synthetic analogs of diadenosine tetraphosphate (Ap4A) might induce antinociceptive effects by inhibiting P2X3Rs in peripheral sensory neurons. ⋯ Stable, synthetic Ap4A analogs (AppNHppA and AppCH2ppA) being weak partial agonist provoke potent high-affinity desensitization-mediated inhibition of homomeric P2X3Rs at low concentrations. Therefore, both analogs demonstrate clear potential as potent analgesic agents for use in the management of chronic pain associated with heightened P2X3R activation.
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Opioids are the gold standard for the treatment of acute pain despite serious side effects in the central and enteric nervous system. µ-opioid receptors (MOPs) are expressed and functional at the terminals of sensory axons, when activated by exogenous or endogenous ligands. However, the presence and function of MOP along nociceptive axons remains controversial particularly in naïve animals. Here, we characterized axonal MOPs by immunofluorescence, ultrastructural, and functional analyses. Furthermore, we evaluated hypertonic saline as a possible enhancer of opioid receptor function. ⋯ MOPs are present and functional in the axonal membrane from naïve animals. Hypertonic saline acutely decreases ligand-induced internalization of MOP and thereby might improve MOP function. Further studies should explore potential clinical applications of opioids together with enhancers for regional analgesia.
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Spared nerve injury is an important neuropathic pain model for investigating the role of intact primary afferents in the skin on pain hypersensitivity. However, potential cellular mechanisms remain poorly understood. In phosphoinositide-3 kinase pathway, pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 1 (PDK1) participates in the regulation of neuronal plasticity for central sensitization. The downstream cascades of PDK1 include: (1) protein kinase C gamma (PKCg) controls the trafficking and phosphorylation of ionotropic glutamate receptor; (2) protein kinase B (Akt)/the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling is responsible for local protein synthesis. Under these statements, we therefore hypothesized that an increase of PKCg activation and mTOR-dependent PKCg synthesis in intact primary afferents after SNI might contribute to pain hypersensitivity. ⋯ From results obtained in this study, we strongly recommend that the intact SENFs persistently increase PKCg activation and mTOR-dependent PKCg synthesis participate in the initiation and maintenance of mechanical hypersensitivity in spared nerve injury, which represents as a novel insight into the therapeutic strategy of pain in the periphery.
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Vincristine, a widely used chemotherapeutic agent, often induces painful peripheral neuropathy and there are currently no effective drugs to prevent or treat this side effect. Previous studies have shown that methylcobalamin has potential analgesic effect in diabetic and chronic compression of dorsal root ganglion model; however, whether methylcobalamin has effect on vincristine-induced painful peripheral neuropathy is still unknown. ⋯ Methylcobalamin attenuated vincrinstine-induced neuropathic pain, which was accompanied by inhibition of intraepidermal nerve fibers loss and mitochondria impairment. Inhibiting the activation of NADPH oxidase and the downstream NF-kB pathway, resulting in the rebalancing of proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines in the spinal dorsal horn might also be involved. These findings might provide potential target for preventing vincristine-induced neuropathic pain.
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Chronic pain associated with inflammation is an important clinical problem, and the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. 4-Nitrophenylphosphatase domain and nonneuronal SNAP25-like protein homolog (NIPSNAP) 1, an interacting protein with neuropeptide nocistatin, is implicated in the inhibition of tactile pain allodynia. Although nocistatin inhibits some inflammatory pain responses, whether NIPSNAP1 affects inflammatory pain appears to be unclear. Here, we examined the nociceptive behavioral response of NIPSNAP1-deficient mice and the expression of NIPSNAP1 following peripheral inflammation to determine the contribution of NIPSNAP1 to inflammatory pain. ⋯ These results suggest that changes in NIPSNAP1 expression may contribute to the pathogenesis of inflammatory pain.