Abstract
Gonadal hormones have been shown that they may play a role in the perception of painful stimulations. P2X3 receptor has been shown its involvement in the transduction of peripheral pain as well. In this study, we conducted experiments to investigate the effects of gonadal hormones of ovary on the P2X3 receptor expression in rat dorsal root ganglion (DRG). The results of real time PCR and immunohistochemisty showed the higher levels of P2X3 mRNA and the increased numbers of P2X3 neurons in DRG from OVX rats compared with sham-operated rats. Using patch clamp recording, also found that in the rat isolated and cultured DRG neurons, the proportion of neurons responding with a transient or a biphasic current was raised significantly in the OVX group from Sham-OP group. The direct effect of estrogen on P2X3 expression in the cultured DRG neurons showed the decreased P2X3 mRNA levels, and these effects were reversed by ICI182,780, the pure estrogen receptor antagonist. Our results suggest that the P2X3 receptor expression in DRG is tonically inhibited by estradiol in female rats. Estrogen might participate in control of pain through modulating P2X3 receptor expression.
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