The allodynia induced by intrathecal injection of sulfatides.

Abstract

Glycosphingolipids (GSLs) play many important roles in cellular interaction, proliferation, vesicular transport and intracellular signal transduction. Our previous study revealed that the gene expressions of six glycosyltransferases in the GSLs biosynthesis pathway were altered in the spinal cord and dorsal root ganglion one day or 15 days after inflammation caused by complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA). We focused on CFA-induced upregulation of gal3st1 glycosyltransferase that catalyzes the synthesis of sulfatides, the sulfated GSLs in myelin structures, because the roles of sulfatides in nociceptive behavior are unclear. In this study, we intrathecally injected sulfatides into naïve mice and measured mechanical thresholds using von Frey test. Indeed, sulfatides induced mechanical allodynia within 40 min.