Mouse Model Of Neuropathic Pain Research Articles

Sevoflurane impedes neuropathic pain by maintaining endoplasmic reticulum stress and oxidative stress homeostasis through inhibiting the activation of the PLCγ/CaMKII/IP3R signaling pathway.

To investigate the effect of sevoflurane on neuropathic pain induced by chronic constriction injury (CCI) of sciatic nerve in mice, and to elucidate its mechanism by animal experiments. Thirty-two C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into four groups: Sham group, Model group, Control group and Sevoflurane group. First, a mouse model of neuropathic pain was established. Then, the mice in each group were killed on Day 14 after operation to harvest the enlarged lumbosacral spinal cord. In contrast with the Model group, the Sevoflurane group displayed a significantly increased paw withdrawal mechanical threshold (PWMT) and significantly prolonged paw withdrawal thermal latency (PWTL) from Day 5 after operation. The morphological changes of lumbosacral spinal cord were observed by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and transmission electron microscopy. Pathological results showed that sevoflurane reduced nuclear pyknosis in lumbosacral spinal cord tissue, with a large number of mitochondrial crista disappearance and mitochondrial swelling. The results of Western blotting showed that sevoflurane significantly decreased the protein expressions of phosphorylated phospholipase Cγ (p-PLCγ), phosphorylated calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (p-CaMKII) and phosphorylated inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate receptor (p-IP3R), and reduced the protein expressions of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress proteins glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78) and GRP94, oxidative stress-related proteins P22 and P47 and inflammatory factors nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3), interleukin-1 β (IL-1β), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). Sevoflurane inhibits neuropathic pain by maintaining ER stress and oxidative stress homeostasis through inhibiting the activation of the PLCγ/CaMKII/IP3R signaling pathway.

Select Minor Cannabinoids from Cannabis sativa are Cannabimimetic and Antinociceptive in a Mouse Model of Chronic Neuropathic Pain.

Chronic pain conditions affect nearly 20% of the population in the United States. Current medical interventions, such as opioid drugs, are effective at relieving pain but are accompanied by many undesirable side effects. This is one reason increased numbers of chronic pain patients have been turning to Cannabis for pain management. Cannabis contains many bioactive chemical compounds; however, current research looking into lesser-studied minor cannabinoids in Cannabis lacks uniformity between experimental groups and/or excludes female mice from investigation. This makes it challenging to draw conclusions between experiments done with different minor cannabinoid compounds between labs or parse out potential sex differences that could be present. We chose five minor cannabinoids found in lower quantities within Cannabis: cannabinol (CBN), cannabidivarin (CBDV), cannabigerol (CBG), Δ8-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ8-THC), and Δ9-tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV). These compounds were then tested for their cannabimimetic and pain-relieving behaviors in a cannabinoid tetrad assay and a chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) pain model in male and female CD-1 mice. We found that the minor cannabinoids we tested differed in the cannabimimetic behaviors evoked, as well as the extent. We found that CBN, CBG, and high dose Δ8-THC evoked some tetrad behaviors in both sexes, while THCV and low dose Δ8-THC exhibited cannabimimetic tetrad behaviors only in females. Only CBN efficaciously relieved CIPN pain, which contrasts with reports from other researchers. Together these findings provide further clarity to the pharmacology of minor cannabinoids and suggest further investigation into their mechanism and therapeutic potential. Significance Statement Minor cannabinoids are poorly studied ligands present in lower levels in Cannabis than cannabinoids like THC. In this study we evaluated 5 minor cannabinoids (CBN, CBDV, CBG, THCV, and Δ8-THC) for their cannabimimetic and analgesic effects in mice. We found that 4 of the 5 minor cannabinoids showed cannabimimetic activity, while one was efficacious in relieving chronic neuropathic pain. This work is important in further evaluating the activity of these drugs, which are seeing wider public use with marijuana legalization.

Dorsal root ganglion-derived exosomes deteriorate neuropathic pain by activating microglia via the microRNA-16-5p/HECTD1/HSP90 axis

BackgroundThe activated microglia have been reported as pillar factors in neuropathic pain (NP) pathology, but the molecules driving pain-inducible microglial activation require further exploration. In this study, we investigated the effect of dorsal root ganglion (DRG)-derived exosomes (Exo) on microglial activation and the related mechanism.MethodsA mouse model of NP was generated by spinal nerve ligation (SNL), and DRG-derived Exo were extracted. The effects of DRG-Exo on NP and microglial activation in SNL mice were evaluated using behavioral tests, HE staining, immunofluorescence, and western blot. Next, the differentially enriched microRNAs (miRNAs) in DRG-Exo-treated microglia were analyzed using microarrays. RT-qPCR, RNA pull-down, dual-luciferase reporter assay, and immunofluorescence were conducted to verify the binding relation between miR-16-5p and HECTD1. Finally, the effects of ubiquitination modification of HSP90 by HECTD1 on NP progression and microglial activation were investigated by Co-IP, western blot, immunofluorescence assays, and rescue experiments.ResultsDRG-Exo aggravated NP resulting from SNL in mice, promoted the activation of microglia in DRG, and increased neuroinflammation. miR-16-5p knockdown in DRG-Exo alleviated the stimulating effects of DRG-Exo on NP and microglial activation. DRG-Exo regulated the ubiquitination of HSP90 through the interaction between miR-16-5p and HECTD1. Ubiquitination alteration of HSP90 was involved in microglial activation during NP.ConclusionsmiR-16-5p shuttled by DRG-Exo regulated the ubiquitination of HSP90 by interacting with HECTD1, thereby contributing to the microglial activation in NP.

Terpenes from Cannabis sativa induce antinociception in a mouse model of chronic neuropathic pain via activation of adenosine A2A receptors.

Terpenes are small hydrocarbon compounds that impart aroma and taste to many plants, including Cannabis sativa. A number of studies have shown that terpenes can produce pain relief in various pain states in both humans and animals. However, these studies were methodologically limited and few established mechanisms of action. In our previous work, we showed that the terpenes geraniol, linalool, β-pinene, α-humulene, and β-caryophyllene produced cannabimimetic behavioral effects via multiple receptor targets. We thus expanded this work to explore the potential antinociception and mechanism of these Cannabis terpenes in a mouse model of chronic pain. We first tested for antinociception by injecting terpenes (200 mg/kg, IP) into male and female CD-1 mice with mouse models of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) or lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory pain, finding that the terpenes produced roughly equal antinociception to 10 mg/kg morphine or 3.2 mg/kg WIN55,212. We further found that none of the terpenes produced reward as measured by conditioned place preference, while low doses of terpene (100 mg/kg) combined with morphine (3.2 mg/kg) produced enhanced antinociception vs either alone. We then used the adenosine A2A receptor (A2AR) selective antagonist istradefylline (3.2 mg/kg, IP) and spinal cord-specific CRISPR knockdown of the A2AR to identify this receptor as the mechanism for terpene antinociception in CIPN. In vitro cAMP and binding studies and in silico modeling studies further suggested that the terpenes act as A2AR agonists. Together these studies identify Cannabis terpenes as potential therapeutics for chronic neuropathic pain and identify a receptor mechanism for this activity.

Nociceptor spontaneous activity is responsible for fragmenting non-rapid eye movement sleep in mouse models of neuropathic pain.

Spontaneous pain, a major complaint of patients with neuropathic pain, has eluded study because there is no reliable marker in either preclinical models or clinical studies. Here, we performed a comprehensive electroencephalogram/electromyogram analysis of sleep in several mouse models of chronic pain: neuropathic (spared nerve injury and chronic constriction injury), inflammatory (Freund's complete adjuvant and carrageenan, plantar incision) and chemical pain (capsaicin). We find that peripheral axonal injury drives fragmentation of sleep by increasing brief arousals from non-rapid eye movement sleep (NREMS) without changing total sleep amount. In contrast to neuropathic pain, inflammatory or chemical pain did not increase brief arousals. NREMS fragmentation was reduced by the analgesics gabapentin and carbamazepine, and it resolved when pain sensitivity returned to normal in a transient neuropathic pain model (sciatic nerve crush). Genetic silencing of peripheral sensory neurons or ablation of CGRP+ neurons in the parabrachial nucleus prevented sleep fragmentation, whereas pharmacological blockade of skin sensory fibers was ineffective, indicating that the neural activity driving the arousals originates ectopically in primary nociceptor neurons and is relayed through the lateral parabrachial nucleus. These findings identify NREMS fragmentation by brief arousals as an effective proxy to measure spontaneous neuropathic pain in mice.

Curcumin relieves oxaliplatin-induced neuropathic pain via reducing inflammation and activating antioxidant response.

Oxaliplatin (OXA) has shown high effectiveness in the treatment of cancers, but its anticancer clinical effects often induce neurotoxicity leading to neuropathic pain. Oxidative damage and NLRP3 inflammasome play important roles in neuropathic pain development. Here, neuropathic pain mouse model was constructed by continuous intraperitoneal injection of OXA. OXA administration induced mechanical pain, spontaneous pain, thermal hyperalgesia and motor disability in mice. The spinal cord tissues of OXA mice exhibited the suppressed antioxidative response, the activated NLRP3 inflammasome mediated inflammatory responses, and the increased GSK-3β activity. Next, we injected curcumin (CUR) intraperitoneally in OXA mice for seven consecutive days. CUR-treated mice showed increased mechanical pain thresholds, reduced number of spontaneous flinches, increased paw withdrawal latency, and restored latency to fall. While in the spinal cord, CUR treatment inhibited the NLRP3 inflammasome mediated inflammatory response, increased Nrf2/GPX4-mediated antioxidant responses, and decreased mitochondrial oxidative generation. Additionally, CUR combined with GSK-3β through four covalent bonds and reduced GSK-3β activity. In conclusion, our findings suggest that CUR treatment inhibits GSK-3β activation, increases Nrf2 mediated antioxidant responses, inhibits oxidative damage and inflammatory reaction, and alleviates OXA-induced neuropathic pain.

LncRNA Anxa10-203 enhances Mc1r mRNA stability to promote neuropathic pain by recruiting DHX30 in the trigeminal ganglion

BackgroundTrigeminal nerve injury is one of the most serious complications in oral clinics, and the subsequent chronic orofacial pain is a consumptive disease. Increasing evidence demonstrates long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play an important role in the pathological process of neuropathic pain. This study aims to explore the function and mechanism of LncRNA Anxa10-203 in the development of orofacial neuropathic pain.MethodsA mouse model of orofacial neuropathic pain was established by chronic constriction injury of the infraorbital nerve (CCI-ION). The Von Frey test was applied to evaluate hypersensitivity of mice. RT-qPCR and/or Western Blot were performed to analyze the expression of Anxa10-203, DHX30, and MC1R. Cellular localization of target genes was verified by immunofluorescence and RNA fluorescence in situ hybridization. RNA pull-down and RNA immunoprecipitation were used to detect the interaction between the target molecules. Electrophysiology was employed to assess the intrinsic excitability of TG neurons (TGNs) in vitro.ResultsAnxa10-203 was upregulated in the TG of CCI-ION mice, and knockdown of Anxa10-203 relieved neuropathic pain. Structurally, Anxa10-203 was located in the cytoplasm of TGNs. Mechanistically, Mc1r expression was positively correlated with Anxa10-203 and was identified as the functional target of Anxa10-203. Besides, Anxa10-203 recruited RNA binding protein DHX30 and formed the Anxa10-203/DHX30 complex to enhance the stability of Mc1r mRNA, resulting in the upregulation of MC1R, which contributed to the enhancement of the intrinsic activity of TGNs in vitro and orofacial neuropathic pain in vivo.ConclusionsLncRNA Anxa10-203 in the TG played an important role in orofacial neuropathic pain and mediated mechanical allodynia in CCI-ION mice by binding with DHX30 to upregulate MC1R expression.Graphical The up-regulated lncRNA Anxa10-203 in the trigeminal ganglion of CCI-ION mice interacts with DHX30 to contribute to the excitability of TG neurons and orofacial pain by enhancing Mc1r mRNA stability.

Divergent changes in PBN excitability in a mouse model of neuropathic pain.

The transition from acute to chronic pain involves maladaptive plasticity in central nociceptive pathways. Growing evidence suggests that changes within the parabrachial nucleus (PBN), an important component of the spino-parabrachio-amygdaloid pain pathway, are key contributors to the development and maintenance of chronic pain. In animal models of chronic pain, PBN neurons become sensitive to normally innocuous stimuli and responses to noxious stimuli become amplified and more often produce after-discharges that outlast the stimulus. Using ex vivo slice electrophysiology and two mouse models of neuropathic pain, sciatic cuff and chronic constriction of the infraorbital nerve (CCI-ION), we find that changes in the firing properties of PBN neurons and a shift in inhibitory synaptic transmission may underlie this phenomenon. Compared to PBN neurons from shams, a larger proportion of PBN neurons from mice with a sciatic cuff were spontaneously active at rest, and these same neurons showed increased excitability relative to shams. In contrast, quiescent PBN neurons from cuff mice were less excitable than those from shams. Despite an increase in excitability in a subset of PBN neurons, the presence of after-discharges frequently observed in vivo were largely absent ex vivo in both injury models. However, GABAB-mediated presynaptic inhibition of GABAergic terminals is enhanced in PBN neurons after CCI-ION. These data suggest that the amplified activity of PBN neurons observed in rodent models of chronic pain arise through a combination of changes in firing properties and network excitability.Significance Statement Hyperactivity of neurons in the parabrachial nucleus (PBN) is causally linked to exaggerated pain behaviors in rodent models of chronic pain but the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. Using two mouse models of neuropathic pain, we show the intrinsic properties of PBN neurons are largely unaltered following injury. However, subsets of PBN neurons become more excitable and GABAB receptor mediated suppression of inhibitory terminals is enhanced after injury. Thus, shifts in network excitability may be a contributing factor in injury induced potentiation of PBN activity.

NT5DC2 knockdown suppresses progression, glycolysis, and neuropathic pain in triple-negative breast cancer by blocking the EGFR pathway.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an exceptionally aggressive breast cancer subtype associated with neuropathic pain. This study explores the effects of 5'-nucleotidase domain-containing protein 2 (NT5DC2) on the progression of TNBC and neuropathic pain. Microarray analysis was conducted to identify differentially expressed genes in TNBC and the pathways involved. Gain- and loss-of-function assays of NT5DC2 were performed in TNBC cells, followed by detection of the extracellular acidification rate, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels, lactic acid production, glucose uptake, proliferation, migration, and invasion in TNBC cells. Macrophages were co-cultured with TNBC cells to examine the release of polarization-related factors and cytokines. A xenograft tumor model was established for in vivo validation. In addition, a mouse model of neuropathic pain was established through subepineural injection of TNBC cells, followed by measurement of the sciatic functional index and behavioral analysis to assess neuropathic pain. NT5DC2 was upregulated in TNBC and was positively correlated with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). NT5DC2 interacted with EGFR to promote downstream signal transduction in TNBC cells. NT5DC2 knockdown diminished proliferation, migration, invasion, the extracellular acidification rate, ATP levels, lactic acid production, and glucose uptake in TNBC cells. Co-culture with NT5DC2-knockdown TNBC cells alleviated the M2 polarization of macrophages. Furthermore, NT5DC2 knockdown reduced tumor growth and neuropathic pain in mice. Importantly, activation of the EGFR pathway counteracted the effects of NT5DC2 knockdown. NT5DC2 knockdown protected against TNBC progression and neuropathic pain by inactivating the EGFR pathway.

MiR-31-5p regulates the neuroinflammatory response via TRAF6 in neuropathic pain

BackgroundNeuropathic pain is chronic pain and has few effective control strategies. Studies have demonstrated that microRNAs have functions in neuropathic pain. However, no study has been conducted to demonstrate the role and mechanism of microRNA (miR)-31-5p in neuropathic pain. Accordingly, this study sought to determine the pathological role of miR-31-5p in chronic constriction injury (CCI) -induced neuropathic pain mouse models.MethodsWe used CCI surgery to establish mouse neuropathic pain model. Behavioral tests were performed to evaluate pain sensitivity of mice. Expressions of miR-31-5p and inflammatory cytokines in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) were examined by polymerase chain reaction. Animals or cells were received with/without miR-31-5p mimic or inhibitor to investigate its role in neuropathic pain. The mechanism of miR-31-5p was assayed using western blotting, immunofluorescence staining and dual-luciferase reporter assay.ResultsWe found that CCI led to a significant decrease in miR-31-5p levels. Knockout of miR-31-5p and administration of miPEP31 exacerbated pain in C57BL/6 mice. Meanwhile, miR-31-5p overexpression increased the paw withdrawal threshold and latency. TRAF6 is one of the target gene of miR-31-5p, which can trigger a complex inflammatory response. TRAF6 was associated with pain and that reducing the DRG expression of TRAF6 could alleviate pain. In addition, miR-31-5p overexpression inhibited the TRAF6 expression and reduced the neuroinflammatory response.ConclusionsAll the results reveal that miR-31-5p could potentially alleviate pain in CCI mouse models by inhibiting the TRAF6 mediated neuroinflammatory response. MiR-31-5p upregulation is highlighted here as new target for CCI treatment.

A mesocortical glutamatergic pathway modulates neuropathic pain independent of dopamine co-release

Dysfunction in the mesocortical pathway, connecting the ventral tegmental area (VTA) to the prefrontal cortex, has been implicated in chronic pain. While extensive research has focused on the role of dopamine, the contribution of glutamatergic signaling in pain modulation remains unknown. Using in vivo calcium imaging, we observe diminished VTA glutamatergic activity targeting the prelimbic cortex (PL) in a mouse model of neuropathic pain. Optogenetic activation of VTA glutamatergic terminals in the PL alleviates neuropathic pain, whereas inhibiting these terminals in naïve mice induces pain-like responses. Importantly, this pain-modulating effect is independent of dopamine co-release, as demonstrated by CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene deletion. Furthermore, we show that VTA neurons primarily project to excitatory neurons in the PL, and their activation restores PL outputs to the anterior cingulate cortex, a key region involved in pain processing. These findings reveal a distinct mesocortical glutamatergic pathway that critically modulates neuropathic pain independent of dopamine signaling.

In vivo calcium imaging shows that satellite glial cells have increased activity in painful states.

Satellite glial cells are important for proper neuronal function of primary sensory neurons for which they provide homeostatic support. Most research on satellite glial cell function has been performed with in vitro studies, but recent advances in calcium imaging and transgenic mouse models have enabled this first in vivo study of single-cell satellite glial cell function in mouse models of inflammation and neuropathic pain. We found that in naïve conditions, satellite glial cells do not respond in a time-locked fashion to neuronal firing. In painful inflammatory and neuropathic states, we detected time-locked signals in a subset of satellite glial cells, but only with suprathreshold stimulation of the sciatic nerve. Surprisingly, therefore, we conclude that most calcium signals in satellite glial cells seem to develop at arbitrary intervals not directly linked to neuronal activity patterns. More in line with expectations, our experiments also revealed that the number of active satellite glial cells was increased under conditions of inflammation or nerve injury. This could reflect the increased requirement for homeostatic support across dorsal root ganglion neuron populations, which are more active during such painful states.

Substance P-Botulinum Mediates Long-term Silencing of Pain Pathways that can be Re-instated with a Second Injection of the Construct in Mice

Chronic pain presents an enormous personal and economic burden and there is an urgent need for effective treatments. In a mouse model of chronic neuropathic pain, selective silencing of key neurons in spinal pain signalling networks with botulinum constructs resulted in a reduction of pain behaviours associated with the peripheral nerve. However, to establish clinical relevance it was important to know how long this silencing period lasted. Now, we show that neuronal silencing and the concomitant reduction of neuropathic mechanical and thermal hypersensitivity lasts for up to 120d following a single injection of botulinum construct. Crucially, we show that silencing and analgesia can then be reinstated with a second injection of the botulinum conjugate. Here we demonstrate that single doses of botulinum-toxin conjugates are a powerful new way of providing long-term neuronal silencing and pain relief. PerspectiveThis research demonstrates that botulinum-toxin conjugates are a powerful new way of providing long-term neuronal silencing without toxicity following a single injection of the conjugate and have the potential for repeated dosing when silencing reverses.

An ACC-VTA-ACC positive-feedback loop mediates the persistence of neuropathic pain and emotional consequences.

The central mechanisms underlying pain chronicity remain elusive. Here, we identify a reciprocal neuronal circuit in mice between the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and the ventral tegmental area (VTA) that mediates mutual exacerbation between hyperalgesia and allodynia and their emotional consequences and, thereby, the chronicity of neuropathic pain. ACC glutamatergic neurons (ACCGlu) projecting to the VTA indirectly inhibit dopaminergic neurons (VTADA) by activating local GABAergic interneurons (VTAGABA), and this effect is reinforced after nerve injury. VTADA neurons in turn project to the ACC and synapse to the initial ACCGlu neurons to convey feedback information from emotional changes. Thus, an ACCGlu-VTAGABA-VTADA-ACCGlu positive-feedback loop mediates the progression to and maintenance of persistent pain and comorbid anxiodepressive-like behavior. Disruption of this feedback loop relieves hyperalgesia and anxiodepressive-like behavior in a mouse model of neuropathic pain, both acutely and in the long term.

An aqueous Commiphora myrrha extract ameliorates paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathic pain in mice.

Background: Chemotherapy-induced neuropathic pain (CINP) is a debilitating side effect in individuals undergoing cancer treatment. Treatment of CINP with the current available classes of drugs is limited and often yields unsatisfactory results. Finding therapeutic alternatives of plant origin could provide a new way for the management of CINP. Commiphora myrrha (CM) resin extract has been reported to have anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities, but the effect of CM on neuropathic pain is yet to be investigated in CINP. Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the antinociceptive effect of CM extract in a mouse model of paclitaxel-induced neuropathic pain (PINP). Methods: The effects of CM on thermal hyperalgesia and mechanical allodynia were assessed in female BALB/c mice with PINP using a hot plate and a plantar aesthesiometer, respectively. Motor coordination was evaluated using a rotarod apparatus. The involvement of transient receptor potential vanilloid channel 1 (TRPV1) in CM actions was investigated using a capsaicin (a TRPV1 agonist)-induced nociception test. The genetic expression of Trpv1, Nrf2, Sod2, and Hmox1 was assessed using real-time PCR, while protein expression of TRPV1, Iba-1, and CD11b was assessed using Wes™. Results: Administration of CM to mice with established PINP produced a dose-dependent reduction in thermal hyperalgesia. Prophylactic treatment of mice with CM prevented the development of paclitaxel-induced thermal hyperalgesia and mechanical allodynia. CM did not change the motor coordination of mice, as the reaction latency and the rotational velocity of animals pretreated with CM extract were similar to those of animals pretreated with vehicle. CM significantly decreased the number and duration of the flick responses following capsaicin injection into the dorsal surface of the hind paw of mice. The protein expression of TRPV1 was upregulated in the spinal cord of paclitaxel-treated animals compared to vehicle-only-treated control animals, while CM-treated animals had values similar to vehicle-only-treated control animals. The mRNA expression of Nrf2, a major antioxidant transcription factor, was upregulated in the paw skin of mice treated with CM compared to those treated with paclitaxel alone. Conclusion: These results indicate that CM may both treat established and prevent the development of paclitaxel-induced thermal hyperalgesia and mechanical allodynia without any impairment in the motor activity of mice. CM may mediate its action through the peripheral inhibition of TRPV1 channel activity, restoration of normal TRPV1 protein expression in the spinal cord, and elevation of cellular antioxidant defenses. CM has the potential to be used as a therapeutic alternative to treat CINP.

Naturally Inspired Molecules for Neuropathic Pain Inhibition—Effect of Mirogabalin and Cebranopadol on Mechanical and Thermal Nociceptive Threshold in Mice

Background: Neuropathic pain is drug-resistant to available analgesics and therefore novel treatment options for this debilitating clinical condition are urgently needed. Recently, two drug candidates, namely mirogabalin and cebranopadol have become a subject of interest because of their potential utility as analgesics for chronic pain treatment. However, they have not been investigated thoroughly in some types of neuropathic pain, both in humans and experimental animals. Methods: This study used the von Frey test, the hot plate test and the two-plate thermal place preference test supported by image analysis and machine learning to assess the effect of intraperitoneal mirogabalin and subcutaneous cebranopadol on mechanical and thermal nociceptive threshold in mouse models of neuropathic pain induced by streptozotocin, paclitaxel and oxaliplatin. Results: Mirogabalin and cebranopadol effectively attenuated tactile allodynia in models of neuropathic pain induced by streptozotocin and paclitaxel. Cebranopadol was more effective than mirogabalin in this respect. Both drugs also elevated the heat nociceptive threshold in mice. In the oxaliplatin model, cebranopadol and mirogabalin reduced cold-exacerbated pain. Conclusions: Since mirogabalin and cebranopadol are effective in animal models of neuropathic pain, they seem to be promising novel therapies for various types of neuropathic pain in patients, in particular those who are resistant to available analgesics.

Discovery of (S)-3-(4-(benzyloxy)phenyl)-2-(2-phenoxyacetamido)propanoic acid derivatives as a new class of GPR34 antagonists

GPR34 is a rhodopsin-like class G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) that is involved in the development and progression of several diseases. Despite its importance, effective targeting strategies are lacking. We herein report a series of (S)-3-(4-(benzyloxy)phenyl)-2-(2-phenoxyacetamido)propanoic acid derivatives as a new class of GPR34 antagonists. Structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies led to the identification of the most potent compound, 5e, which displayed an IC50 value of 0.680 μM in the GloSensor cAMP assay and 0.059 μM in the Tango assay. 5e demonstrated low cytotoxicity and high selectivity in vitro, and it was able to dose-dependently inhibit Lysophosphatidylserine-induced ERK1/2 phosphorylation in CHO cells expressing GPR34. Furthermore, 5e displayed excellent efficacy in a mouse model of neuropathic pain without any apparent signs of toxicity. Collectively, this study has identified a promising compound, which shows great potential in the development of potent antagonists with a new chemical scaffold targeting GPR34.

Chronic Pain and Allostasis: Role of Glial Cells

Lesions or diseases affecting the somatosensory system cause neuropathic pain, a debilitating chronic pain condition. From our recent study using a mouse model of neuropathic pain, CD11c+ microglia that appear in the spinal cord after nerve injury are important cells required for the pain remission. In this article, we review the transition of microglial states after nerve injury and the allostatic control mechanisms of neuropathic pain by CD11c+ microglia.

Direct paraventricular thalamus-basolateral amygdala circuit modulates neuropathic pain and emotional anxiety.

The comorbidity of chronic pain and mental dysfunctions such as anxiety disorders has long been recognized, but the underlying mechanisms remained poorly understood. Here, using a mouse model of neuropathic pain, we demonstrated that the thalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVT) played a critical role in chronic pain-induced anxiety-like behavioral abnormalities. Fiber photometry and electrophysiology demonstrated that chronic pain increased the activities in PVT glutamatergic neurons. Chemogenetic manipulation revealed that suppression of PVT glutamatergic neurons relieved pain-like behavior and anxiety-like behaviors. Conversely, selective activation of PVT glutamatergic neurons showed algesic and anxiogenic effects. Furthermore, the elevated excitability of PVT glutamatergic neurons resulted in increased excitatory inputs to the basolateral complex (BLA) neurons. Optogenetic manipulation of the PVT-BLA pathway bilaterally modulates both the pain-like behavior and anxiety-like phenotypes. These findings shed light on how the PVT-BLA pathway contributed to the processing of pain-like behavior and maladaptive anxiety, and targeting this pathway might be a straightforward therapeutic strategy to both alleviate nociceptive hypersensitivity and rescue anxiety behaviors in chronic pain conditions.

Hypernegative GABAA Reversal Potential in Pyramidal Cells Contributes to Medial Prefrontal Cortex Deactivation in a Mouse Model of Neuropathic Pain

Deactivation of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) has been broadly reported in both neuropathic pain models and human chronic pain patients. Several cellular mechanisms may contribute to the inhibition of mPFC activity, including enhanced GABAergic inhibition. The functional effect of GABAA(γ-aminobutyric acid type A)-receptor activation depends on the concentration of intracellular chloride in the postsynaptic neuron, which is mainly regulated by the activity of Na-K-2Cl cotransporter isoform 1 (NKCC1) and K-Cl cotransporter isoform 2 (KCC2), 2 potassium-chloride cotransporters that import and extrude chloride, respectively. Recent work has shown that the NKCC1-KCC2 ratio is affected in numerous pathological conditions, and we hypothesized that it may contribute to the alteration of mPFC function in neuropathic pain. We used quantitative in situ hybridization to assess the level of expression of NKCC1 and KCC2 in the mPFC of a mouse model of neuropathic pain (spared nerve injury), and we found that KCC2 transcript is increased in the mPFC of spared nerve injury mice while NKCC1 is not affected. Perforated patch recordings further showed that this results in the hypernegative reversal potential of the GABAA current in pyramidal neurons of the mPFC. Computational simulations suggested that this change in GABAA reversal potential is sufficient to significantly reduce the overall activity of the cortical network. Thus, our results identify a novel pathological modulation of GABAA function and a new mechanism by which mPFC function is inhibited in neuropathic pain. Our data also help explain previous findings showing that activation of mPFC interneurons has proalgesic effect in neuropathic, but not in control conditions. PerspectiveChronic pain is associated with the presence of depolarizing GABAA current in the spinal cord, suggesting that pharmacological NKCC1 antagonism has analgesic effects. However, our results show that in neuropathic pain, GABAA current is actually hyperinhibitory in the mPFC, where it contributes to the mPFC functional deactivation. This suggests caution in the use of NKCC1 antagonism to treat pain.