Articles: hyperalgesia.
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Nerve injury induces a state of prolonged thermal and mechanical hypersensitivity in the innervated area, causing distress in affected individuals. Nerve injury-induced hypersensitivity is partially due to increased activity and thereby sustained release of neurotransmitters from the injured fibers. Glutamate, a prominent neurotransmitter in primary afferents, plays a major role in development of hypersensitivity. ⋯ In contrast, the development of cold hypersensitivity after nerve injury was unaltered. Here, we show that, VGLUT2-mediated glutamatergic transmission from Trpv1-Cre neurons selectively mediates heat and mechanical hypersensitivity associated with nerve injury. Our data clarifies the role of the Trpv1-Cre population and the dependence of VGLUT2-mediated glutamatergic transmission in nerve injury-induced hyperalgesia.
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Restor. Neurol. Neurosci. · Jan 2015
Changes of voltage-gated sodium channels in sensory nerve regeneration and neuropathic pain models.
The present study was conducted to determine changes in the expression of voltage-gated sodium channels (VGSCs) α-subunits after nerve injury and their relation with development of neuropathic pain. ⋯ Shifts in VGSCs expression occur in parallel to neuropathic pain behavior in rats early after injury, while at later times they appear to be more related to sensory nerve degeneration and regeneration processes.
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Neuropsychopharmacology · Jan 2015
Therapeutic potential of inhibitors of endocannabinoid degradation for the treatment of stress-related hyperalgesia in an animal model of chronic pain.
The occurrence of chronic stress, depression, and anxiety can increase nociception in humans and may facilitate the transition from localized to chronic widespread pain. The mechanisms underlying chronic widespread pain are still unknown, hindering the development of effective pharmacological therapies. Here, we exposed C57BL/6J mice to chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) to investigate how persistent stress affects nociception. ⋯ Remarkably, the long-lasting widespread hyperalgesia induced by combining CUS and NGF was effectively reduced by URB597, but not by JZL184. Simultaneous inhibition of FAAH and MAGL did not improve the overall therapeutic response. Therefore, our findings indicate that enhancement of anandamide signaling with URB597 is a promising pharmacological approach for the alleviation of chronic widespread nociception in stress-exposed mice, and thus, it could represent a potential treatment strategy for chronic pain associated with neuropsychiatric disorders in humans.
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Von Frey hairs are important tools for the study of mechanisms of cutaneous stimulation-induced sensory input. Mechanical force is exerted via application of a particular hair to the cutaneous receptive field until buckling of the hair occurs. The most commonly used Von Frey filaments are productive in evaluating behavioral responses of neuropathic pain in preclinical and clinical research. To reduce the potential experimenter bias, automated instruments are being developed for behavioral assessment.
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Remifentanil (an ultra-short acting μ-opioid receptor agonist) use has been associated with acute opioid tolerance and hyperalgesia. Previous electrophysiological studies have shown that remifentanil elicits rapid and prolonged upregulation of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) currents. However, the effect of remifentanil on the levels of the GluN1 subunit of the NMDAR in dorsal horn neurons (DHNs) has not been reported. ⋯ GluN1 mRNA and protein levels, determined by real time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot, respectively, were significantly and persistently increased by remifentanil exposure compared with the control group (P ＜ 0.05). These results may partially account for the mechanism of remifentanil-induced hyperalgesia. This increase was prevented by ketamine (NMDAR antagonist) and naloxone (μ-opioid receptors antagonist), thus providing a potential therapeutic mechanism for the prevention of opioid-induced hyperalgesia.