Neurons In Superficial Spinal Dorsal Horn Research Articles

A phospho-deficient α3 glycine receptor mutation alters synaptic glycine and GABA release in mouse spinal dorsal horn neurons.

Glycine receptors (GlyRs), together with GABAA receptors, mediate postsynaptic inhibition in most spinal cord and hindbrain neurons. In several CNS regions, GlyRs are also expressed in presynaptic terminals. Here, we analysed the effects of a phospho-deficient mutation (S346A) in GlyR α3 subunits on inhibitory synaptic transmission in superficial spinal dorsal horn neurons, where this subunit is abundantly expressed. Unexpectedly, we found that not only were the amplitudes of evoked glycinergic inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs) significantly larger in GlyRα3(S346A) mice than in mice expressing wild-type α3GlyRs (GlyRα3(WT) mice), but so were those of GABAergic IPSCs. Decreased frequencies of spontaneously occurring glycinergic and GABAergic miniature IPSCs (mIPSCs) with no accompanying change in mIPSC amplitudes suggested a change in presynaptic transmitter release. Paired-pulse experiments on glycinergic IPSCs revealed an increased paired-pulse ratio and a smaller coefficient of variation in GlyRα3(S346A) mice, which together indicate a reduction in transmitter release probability and an increase in the number of releasable vesicles. Paired-pulse ratios of GABAergic IPSCs recorded in the presence of strychnine were not different between genotypes, while the coefficient of variation was smaller in GlyRα3(S346A) mice, demonstrating that the decrease in release probability was readily reversible by GlyR blockade, while the difference in the size of the pool of releasable vesicles remained. Taken together, our results suggest that presynaptic α3 GlyRs regulate synaptic glycine and GABA release in superficial dorsal horn neurons, and that this effect is potentially regulated by their phosphorylation status. KEY POINTS: A serine-to-alanine point mutation was introduced into the glycine receptor α3 subunit of mice. This point mutation renders α3 glycine receptors resistant to protein kinase A mediated phosphorylation but has otherwise only small effects on receptor function. Patch-clamp recordings from neurons in mouse spinal cord slices revealed an unexpected increase in the amplitudes of both glycinergic and GABAergic evoked inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs). Miniature IPSCs, paired-pulse ratios and synaptic variation analyses indicate a change in synaptic glycine and GABA release. The results strongly suggest that α3 subunit-containing glycine receptors are expressed on presynaptic terminals of inhibitory dorsal horn neurons where they regulate transmitter release.

Effects of Corticosterone on the Excitability of Glutamatergic and GABAergic Neurons of the Adolescent Mouse Superficial Dorsal Horn.

Stress evokes age-dependent effects on pain sensitivity and commonly occurs during adolescence. However, the mechanisms linking adolescent stress and pain remain poorly understood, in part due to a lack of information regarding how stress hormones modulate the function of nociceptive circuits in the adolescent CNS. Here we investigate the short- and long-term effects of corticosterone (CORT) on the excitability of GABAergic and presumed glutamatergic neurons of the spinal superficial dorsal horn (SDH) in Gad1-GFP mice at postnatal days (P)21-P34. In situ hybridization revealed that glutamatergic SDH neurons expressed significantly higher mRNA levels of both glucocorticoid receptors (GR) and mineralocorticoid receptors (MR) compared to adjacent GABAergic neurons. The incubation of spinal cord slices with CORT (90min) evoked select long-term changes in spontaneous synaptic transmission across both cell types in a sex-dependent manner, without altering the intrinsic firing of either Gad1-GFP+ or GFP- neurons. Meanwhile, the acute bath application of CORT significantly decreased the frequency and amplitude of miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSCs), as well as the frequency of miniature inhibitory postsynaptic currents (mIPSCs), in both cell types leading to a net reduction in the balance of spontaneous excitation vs. inhibition (E:I ratio). This CORT-induced reduction in the E:I ratio was not prevented by selective antagonists of either GR (mifepristone) or MR (eplerenone), although eplerenone blocked the effect on mEPSC amplitude. Collectively, these data suggest that corticosterone modulates synaptic function within the adolescent SDH which could influence the overall excitability and output of the spinal nociceptive network.

Age-dependent decrease in inhibitory drive on the excitatory superficial spinal dorsal horn neurons

The excitatory and inhibitory interneurons of superficial laminae I-II of the spinal dorsal horn (SDH) receive and process pain-related information from the primary afferents and transmit it to the brain via the projection neurons. Thus, the interaction between excitatory and inhibitory SDH interneurons is crucial in determining the output from the spinal cord network. Disruption of this interaction in pathological conditions leads to increased SDH output to the higher brain centers, which could underlie pathological pain. Here, we examined whether the changes in the intrinsic SDH connectivity also occur with age, possibly underlying age-related increase in pain sensitivity. Using Vgat;tdTomato transgenic mouse line, we compared the spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic currents (sIPSCs) in inhibitory tdTomato+ and excitatory tdTomato− interneurons between adult (3–5 m.o.) and aged (12–13 m.o.) mice. We demonstrate that in adult mice, the amplitude and frequency of the sIPSCs on the excitatory interneurons were significantly higher than on inhibitory interneurons. These differences were annulled in aged mice. Further, we show that in aged mice, excitatory neurons receive less inhibition than in adult mice. This could lead to overall disinhibition of the SDH network, which might underlie increased pain perception among the aged population.

Light-Touch-Induced Afterdischarge Firing in the Superficial Spinal Dorsal Horn Neurons in Hairless Mice with Irritant Contact Dermatitis.

The skin is an important barrier that protects against invasion by foreign substances, including irritants and harmful microorganisms, and holds water in the body. Washing the skin with cleansers and shampoos containing anionic surfactants, for example sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), is important for maintaining skin homeostasis. However, surfactants can cause dermatitis, cutaneous hypersensitivity (e.g., alloknesis), and pruritus in humans. Our previous studies revealed an alloknesis response in the skin with SDS-induced dermatitis in C57BL/6 mice. In addition, we found that alloknesis responses and afterdischarge responses following stimulation with light touch are related because they are observed contemporaneously. In this study, we used Hos:HR-1 hairless mice to establish a mouse model to evaluate long-term drug application for alloknesis responses. Alloknesis was observed in HR-1 mice with SDS-induced dermatitis. The mean number of c-Fos (a marker of neural activity) immunopositive neurons was increased in the lamina 1-2 (L1-2) spinal dorsal horn, but not in L3-4, of SDS-treated HR-1 mice compared to vehicle-treated mice. We also discovered that afterdischarge responses were observed in neurons in L1-2. There was also a correlation between the intensity of the afterdischarge responses and depth of the recording site. Thus, the following were suggested: 1) neurons that mediate these afterdischarge responses are located on the superficial layer of the spinal cord; 2) afterdischarge responses can be an index of alloknesis responses, and 3) the mouse model of SDS-induced dermatitis is an appropriate alloknesis model.

Selective Involvement of a Subset of Spinal Dorsal Horn Neurons Operated by a Prodynorphin Promoter in Aβ Fiber-Mediated Neuropathic Allodynia-Like Behavioral Responses in Rats.

Mechanical allodynia (pain produced by innocuous stimuli such as touch) is the main symptom of neuropathic pain. Its underlying mechanism remains to be elucidated, but peripheral nerve injury (PNI)-induced malfunction of neuronal circuits in the central nervous system, including the spinal dorsal horn (SDH), is thought to be involved in touch-pain conversion. Here, we found that intra-SDH injection of adeno-associated viral vectors including a prodynorphin promoter (AAV-PdynP) captured a subset of neurons that were mainly located in the superficial laminae, including lamina I, and exhibited mostly inhibitory characteristics. Using transgenic rats that enable optogenetic stimulation of touch-sensing Aβ fibers, we found that the light-evoked paw withdrawal behavior and aversive responses after PNI were attenuated by selective ablation of AAV-PdynP-captured SDH neurons. Notably, the ablation had no effect on withdrawal behavior from von Frey filaments. Furthermore, Aβ fiber stimulation did not excite AAV-PdynP+ SDH neurons under normal conditions, but after PNI, this induced excitation, possibly due to enhanced Aβ fiber-evoked excitatory synaptic inputs and elevated resting membrane potentials of these neurons. Moreover, the chemogenetic silencing of AAV-PdynP+ neurons of PNI rats attenuated the Aβ fiber-evoked paw withdrawal behavior and c-FOS expression in superficial SDH neurons. Our findings suggest that PNI renders AAV-PdynP-captured neurons excitable to Aβ fiber stimulation, which selectively contributes to the conversion of Aβ fiber-mediated touch signal to nociceptive. Thus, reducing the excitability of AAV-PdynP-captured neurons may be a new option for the treatment of neuropathic allodynia.

Short-Term Effects of Corticosterone on the Excitability of the Mouse Superficial Dorsal Horn

Mounting preclinical and clinical evidence demonstrate that the behavioral and cellular consequences of stress vary across different stages of development. Cortisol, or corticosterone (CORT) in rodents, is a major stress hormone and which can rapidly modulate neuronal excitability in multiple brain regions. However, its short-term effects on the function of nociceptive circuits in the developing spinal superficial dorsal horn (SDH) are poorly understood. Here we examined the expression of glucocorticoid receptors (GR) in the adolescent SDH and explored the effects of CORT on intrinsic membrane excitability and synaptic transmission in GABAergic and presumed glutamatergic SDH neurons using Glutamic acid decarboxylase 67-Enhanced Green Fluorescent Protein (Gad67-EGFP) mice. In situ hybridization revealed that Gad67-EGFP-negative SDH neurons exhibited a significantly higher number of GR mRNA puncta compared to adjacent Gad67-EGFP-positive SDH neurons. In vitro patch clamp recordings from spinal cord slices suggested that the acute application of CORT (100 nM) reduced glutamate or GABA release onto a subset of SDH neurons regardless of cell type. However, incubation of spinal cord slices with CORT for 90 minutes failed to influence the intrinsic membrane properties (including rheobase, resting potential and repetitive firing frequency) or miniature postsynaptic currents (mPSCs) in either neuronal population compared to the vehicle control. Collectively, while these results suggest that GR activation fails to exert intermediate effects on the excitability of the adolescent SDH network, the abundance of GR expression in the region raises the possibility that CORT can evoke slow changes in the excitability of dorsal horn neurons via genomic mechanisms. Grant support from NS072202.

Chronic BDNF simultaneously inhibits and unmasks superficial dorsal horn neuronal activity

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is critically involved in the pathophysiology of chronic pain. However, the mechanisms of BDNF action on specific neuronal populations in the spinal superficial dorsal horn (SDH) requires further study. We used chronic BDNF treatment (200 ng/ml, 5–6 days) of defined-medium, serum-free spinal organotypic cultures to study intracellular calcium ([Ca2+]i) fluctuations. A detailed quantitative analysis of these fluctuations using the Frequency-independent biological signal identification (FIBSI) program revealed that BDNF simultaneously depressed activity in some SDH neurons while it unmasked a particular subpopulation of ‘silent’ neurons causing them to become spontaneously active. Blockade of gap junctions disinhibited a subpopulation of SDH neurons and reduced BDNF-induced synchrony in BDNF-treated cultures. BDNF reduced neuronal excitability assessed by measuring spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents. This was similar to the depressive effect of BDNF on the [Ca2+]i fluctuations. This study reveals novel regulatory mechanisms of SDH neuronal excitability in response to BDNF.

Functional Reorganization of Local Circuit Connectivity in Superficial Spinal Dorsal Horn with Neuropathic Pain States.

The spinal dorsal horn is the first relay structure coding for pain transmission and modulation. Previous anatomical and electrophysiological studies have examined spinal dorsal horn circuit connections and network activity. Further work is required to understand spinal cord sensory information processing that underlies pathological neuropathic pain states. Our previous studies suggest that peripheral nerve injury enhances presynaptic excitatory input onto spinal superficial dorsal horn neurons, which in turn contributes to pathologic nociception. The potential changes in local postsynaptic circuits in the dorsal horn that lead to pathologically heightened behavioral responses to pain remain largely unexplored. We combined whole-cell electrophysiological recordings with laser-scanning photostimulation to test whether peripheral nerve injury in the spinal nerve ligation (SNL) mouse model of neuropathic pain leads to alterations in the functional connectivity of spinal cord circuits including lamina II excitatory interneurons. Here we show that SNL enhances excitation and decreases inhibition to lamina II excitatory interneurons along with their increased glutamate-evoked excitability. The enhanced excitatory postsynaptic input and connectivity evoked by SNL eventually return to normal levels concurrently with the resolution of the neuropathic pain states. The physiological pattern highly correlates with mouse pain behaviors following SNL, supporting a neurophysiological mechanism of central sensitization and neuropathic pain that is functionally localized to the spinal dorsal horn. Together, these data support that SNL induces functional changes in synaptic input and connectivity to lamina II excitatory interneurons that code for pain perception, and thus provide new insights into the mechanism and locus of pain hypersensitivity.

Neonatal vincristine administration modulates intrinsic neuronal excitability in the rat dorsal root ganglion and spinal dorsal horn during adolescence.

Our recent work has shown that the early-life administration of vincristine (VNC), commonly used to treat pediatric cancers, evokes mechanical pain hypersensitivity in rats that emerges during adolescence and persists into adulthood. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear, as nothing is known about how neonatal VNC treatment influences peripheral and central nociceptive processing at the cellular level. Here, we used in vitro intracellular microelectrode and whole-cell patch-clamp recordings to evaluate the consequences of early-life VNC administration on the intrinsic membrane properties of adolescent dorsal root ganglion and spinal superficial dorsal horn neurons. The results demonstrate that VNC treatment increased the prevalence and rate of repetitive firing in both large- and medium-diameter sensory neurons, while reducing repetitive firing in small-diameter neurons, in comparison with vehicle-treated littermate controls. By contrast, passive membrane properties and peripheral conduction velocities were similar between experimental groups across all classes of primary afferents. Within the adolescent superficial dorsal horn, neonatal VNC exposure significantly enhanced the intrinsic membrane excitability of lamina I spinoparabrachial neurons, as evidenced by a decrease in rheobase and elevation of repetitive firing frequency compared with controls. Meanwhile, putative interneurons within lamina I exhibited a reduction in repetitive action potential discharge after early-life chemotherapy. Collectively, these findings suggest that neonatal VNC treatment evokes cell type-specific changes in intrinsic excitability at multiple levels of the ascending pain pathway. Overall, this work lays an essential foundation for the future exploration of the ionic mechanisms that drive chemotherapy-induced chronic pain in children and adolescents.

A pruritogen 5-HT-induced itching on synaptic transmission in spinal superficial dorsal horn neurons -In vivo patch-clamp recording analyse-

A pruritogen 5-HT-induced itching on synaptic transmission in spinal superficial dorsal horn neurons -In vivo patch-clamp recording analyse-

Electrophysiological evidence of increased glycine receptor-mediated phasic and tonic inhibition by blockade of glycine transporters in spinal superficial dorsal horn neurons of adult mice

To understand the synaptic and/or extrasynaptic mechanisms underlying pain relief by blockade of glycine transporter subtypes GlyT1 and GlyT2, whole-cell recordings were made from dorsal horn neurons in spinal slices from adult mice, and the effects of NFPS and ALX-1393, selective GlyT1 and GlyT2 inhibitors, respectively, on phasic evoked or miniature glycinergic inhibitory postsynaptic currents (eIPSCs or mIPSCs) were examined. NFPS and ALX-1393 prolonged the decay phase of eIPSCs without affecting their amplitude. In the presence of tetrodotoxin to record mIPSCs, NFPS and ALX-1393 induced a tonic inward current that was reversed by strychnine. Although NFPS had no statistically significant influences on mIPSCs, ALX-1393 significantly increased their frequency. We then further explored the role of GlyTs in the maintenance of glycinergic IPSCs. To facilitate vesicular release of glycine, repetitive high-frequency stimulation (HFS) was applied at 10 Hz for 3 min during continuous recordings of eIPSCs at 0.1 Hz. Prominent suppression of eIPSCs was evident after HFS in the presence of ALX-1393, but not NFPS. Thus, it appears that phasic and tonic inhibition may contribute to the analgesic effects of GlyT inhibitors. However, reduced glycinergic inhibition due to impaired vesicular refilling could hamper the analgesic efficacy of GlyT2 inhibitors.

Phosphorylated Histone 3 at Serine 10 Identifies Activated Spinal Neurons and Contributes to the Development of Tissue Injury-Associated Pain

Transcriptional changes in superficial spinal dorsal horn neurons (SSDHN) are essential in the development and maintenance of prolonged pain. Epigenetic mechanisms including post-translational modifications in histones are pivotal in regulating transcription. Here, we report that phosphorylation of serine 10 (S10) in histone 3 (H3) specifically occurs in a group of rat SSDHN following the activation of nociceptive primary sensory neurons by burn injury, capsaicin application or sustained electrical activation of nociceptive primary sensory nerve fibres. In contrast, brief thermal or mechanical nociceptive stimuli, which fail to induce tissue injury or inflammation, do not produce the same effect. Blocking N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors or activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2, or blocking or deleting the mitogen- and stress-activated kinases 1 and 2 (MSK1/2), which phosphorylate S10 in H3, inhibit up-regulation in phosphorylated S10 in H3 (p-S10H3) as well as fos transcription, a down-stream effect of p-S10H3. Deleting MSK1/2 also inhibits the development of carrageenan-induced inflammatory heat hyperalgesia in mice. We propose that p-S10H3 is a novel marker for nociceptive processing in SSDHN with high relevance to transcriptional changes and the development of prolonged pain.

Involvement of Brain-Enriched Guanylate Kinase-Associated Protein (BEGAIN) in Chronic Pain after Peripheral Nerve Injury.

Maintenance of neuropathic pain caused by peripheral nerve injury crucially depends on the phosphorylation of GluN2B, a subunit of the N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor, at Tyr1472 (Y1472) and subsequent formation of a postsynaptic density (PSD) complex of superficial spinal dorsal horn neurons. Here we took advantage of comparative proteomic analysis based on isobaric stable isotope tags (iTRAQ) between wild-type and knock-in mice with a mutation of Y1472 to Phe of GluN2B (Y1472F-KI) to search for PSD proteins in the spinal dorsal horn that mediate the signaling downstream of phosphorylated Y1472 GluN2B. Among several candidate proteins, we focused on brain-enriched guanylate kinase-associated protein (BEGAIN), which was specifically up-regulated in wild-type mice after spared nerve injury (SNI). Immunohistochemical analysis using the generated antibody demonstrated that BEGAIN was highly localized at the synapse of inner lamina II in the spinal dorsal horn and that its expression was up-regulated after SNI in wild-type, but not in Y1472F-KI, mice. In addition, alteration of the kinetics of evoked excitatory postsynaptic currents for NMDA but not those for α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptors in spinal lamina II was demonstrated by BEGAIN deletion. We demonstrated that mechanical allodynia, a condition of abnormal pain induced by innocuous stimuli, in the SNI model was significantly attenuated in BEGAIN-deficient mice. However, there was no significant difference between naive wild-type and BEGAIN-knockout mice in terms of physiological threshold for mechanical stimuli. These results suggest that BEGAIN was involved in pathological pain transmission through NMDA receptor activation by the phosphorylation of GluN2B at Y1472 in spinal inner lamina II.

Early transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation reduces hyperalgesia and decreases activation of spinal glial cells in mice with neuropathic pain

Although transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is widely used for the treatment of neuropathic pain, its effectiveness and mechanism of action in reducing neuropathic pain remain uncertain. We investigated the effects of early TENS (starting from the day after surgery) in mice with neuropathic pain, on hyperalgesia, glial cell activation, pain transmission neuron sensitization, expression of proinflammatory cytokines, and opioid receptors in the spinal dorsal horn. Following nerve injury, TENS and behavioral tests were performed every day. Immunohistochemical, immunoblot, and flow cytometric analysis of the lumbar spinal cord were performed after 8days. Early TENS reduced mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia and decreased the activation of microglia and astrocytes (P<0.05). In contrast, the application of TENS at 1week (TENS-1w) or 2weeks (TENS-2w) after injury was ineffective in reducing hyperalgesia (mechanical and thermal) or activation of microglia and astrocytes. Early TENS decreased p-p38 within microglia (P<0.05), the expression levels of protein kinase C (PKC-γ), and phosphorylated anti-phospho-cyclic AMP response element-binding protein (p-CREB) in the superficial spinal dorsal horn neurons (P<0.05), mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases, and proinflammatory cytokines, and increased the expression levels of opioid receptors (P<0.05). The results suggested that the application of early TENS relieved hyperalgesia in our mouse model of neuropathic pain by inhibiting glial activation, MAP kinase activation, PKC-γ, and p-CREB expression, and proinflammatory cytokines expression, as well as maintenance of spinal opioid receptors. The findings indicate that TENS treatment is more effective when applied as early after nerve injury as possible.

Presynaptic Inhibitory Effects of Fluvoxamine, a Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor, on Nociceptive Excitatory Synaptic Transmission in Spinal Superficial Dorsal Horn Neurons of Adult Mice

Fluvoxamine, a selective serotonin (5-HT) reuptake inhibitor, has been shown to exert analgesic effects in humans and laboratory animals. However, its effects on spinal nociceptive synaptic transmission have not been fully characterized. Here, whole-cell recordings were made from dorsal horn neurons in spinal slices with attached dorsal roots from adult mice, and the effects of fluvoxamine on monosynaptic A-fiber- and C-fiber-mediated excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) evoked in response to electrical stimulation of a dorsal root were studied. Fluvoxamine (10 - 100 μM) concentration-dependently suppressed both monosynaptic A-fiber- and C-fiber-mediated EPSCs, which were attenuated by the selective 5-HT1A receptor antagonist WAY100635. In the presence of the selective 5-HT3 receptor antagonist tropisetron, fluvoxamine hardly suppressed A-fiber-mediated EPSCs, whereas its inhibitory effect on C-fiber-mediated EPSCs was not affected. Although fluvoxamine increased the paired-pulse ratio of A-fiber-mediated EPSCs, it increased the frequency of spontaneous and miniature EPSCs (sEPSCs and mEPSCs). Since sEPSCs and mEPSCs appeared to arise largely from spinal interneurons, we then recorded strontium-evoked asynchronous events occurring after A-fiber stimulation, whose frequency was reduced by fluvoxamine. These results suggest that fluvoxamine reduces excitatory synaptic transmission from primary afferent fibers via presynaptic mechanisms involving 5-HT1A and/or 5-HT3 receptors, which may contribute to its analgesic effects.

Systemic dexmedetomidine augments inhibitory synaptic transmission in the superficial dorsal horn through activation of descending noradrenergic control: An in vivo patch-clamp analysis of analgesic mechanisms

α2-Adrenoceptors are widely distributed throughout the central nervous system (CNS) and the systemic administration of α2-agonists such as dexmedetomidine produces clinically useful, centrally mediated sedation and analgesia; however, these same actions also limit the utility of these agents (ie, unwanted sedative actions). Despite a wealth of data on cellular and synaptic actions of α2-agonists in vitro, it is not known which neuronal circuits are modulated in vivo to produce the analgesic effect. To address this issue, we made in vivo recordings of membrane currents and synaptic activities in superficial spinal dorsal horn neurons and examined their responses to systemic dexmedetomidine. We found that dexmedetomidine at doses that produce analgesia (<10μg/kg) enhanced inhibitory postsynaptic transmission within the superficial dorsal horn without altering excitatory synaptic transmission or evoking direct postsynaptic membrane currents. In contrast, higher doses of dexmedetomidine (>10μg/kg) induced outward currents by a direct postsynaptic action. The dexmedetomidine-mediated inhibitory postsynaptic current facilitation was not mimicked by spinal application of dexmedetomidine and was absent in spinalized rats, suggesting that it acts at a supraspinal site. Furthermore, it was inhibited by spinal application of the α1-antagonist prazosin. In the brainstem, low doses of systemic dexmedetomidine produced an excitation of locus coeruleus neurons. These results suggest that systemic α2-adrenoceptor stimulation may facilitate inhibitory synaptic responses in the superficial dorsal horn to produce analgesia mediated by activation of the pontospinal noradrenergic inhibitory system. This novel mechanism may provide new targets for intervention, perhaps allowing analgesic actions to be dissociated from excessive sedation.

Enhancement by Interleukin-1β of AMPA and NMDA Receptor-Mediated Currents in Adult Rat Spinal Superficial Dorsal Horn Neurons

BackgroundProinflammatory cytokine interleukin-1β (IL-1β) released from spinal microglia plays an important role in the maintenance of acute and chronic pain states. However, the cellular basis of this action remains poorly understood. Using whole-cell patch-clamp recordings, we examined the action of IL-1β on AMPA- and NMDA-receptor-mediated currents recorded from substantia gelatinosa (SG) neurons of adult rat spinal cord slices which are key sites for regulating nociceptive transmission from the periphery.ResultsAMPA- and NMDA-induced currents were increased in peak amplitude by IL-1β in a manner different from each other in SG neurons. These facilitatory actions of IL-1β were abolished by IL-1 receptor (IL-1R) antagonist (IL-1ra), which by itself had no detectable effects on AMPA- and NMDA-induced currents. The AMPA- but not NMDA-induced current facilitated by IL-1β was recovered to control level 30 min after IL-1β washout and largely depressed in Na+-channel blocker tetrodotoxin-containing or nominally Ca2+-free Krebs solution. Minocycline, a microglia inhibitor, blocked the facilitatory effect of IL-1β on AMPA- but not NMDA-induced currents, where minocycline itself depressed NMDA- but had not any effects on AMPA-induced currents.ConclusionsIL-1β enhances AMPA and NMDA responses in SG neurons through IL-1R activation; the former but not latter action is reversible and due to an increase in neuronal activity in a manner dependent on extracellular Ca2+ and minocycline. It is suggested that AMPA and NMDA receptors are positively modulated by IL-1β in a manner different from each other; the former but not latter is mediated by a neurotransmitter released as a result of an increase in neuronal activity. Since IL-1β contributes to nociceptive behavior induced by peripheral nerve or tissue injury, the present findings also reveal an important cellular link between neuronal and glial cells in the spinal dorsal horn.

Nuclear Calcium Signaling in Spinal Neurons Drives a Genomic Program Required for Persistent Inflammatory Pain

Persistent pain induced by noxious stimuli is characterized by the transition from normosensitivity to hypersensitivity. Underlying mechanisms are not well understood, although gene expression is considered important. Here, we show that persistent nociceptive-like activity triggers calcium transients in neuronal nuclei within the superficial spinal dorsal horn, and that nuclear calcium is necessary for the development of long-term inflammatory hypersensitivity. Using a nucleus-specific calcium signal perturbation strategy in vivo complemented by gene profiling, bioinformatics, and functional analyses, we discovered a pain-associated, nuclear calcium-regulated gene program in spinal excitatory neurons. This includes C1q, a modulator of synaptic spine morphogenesis, which we found to contribute to activity-dependent spine remodelling on spinal neurons in a manner functionally associated with inflammatory hypersensitivity. Thus, nuclear calcium integrates synapse-to-nucleus communication following noxious stimulation and controls a spinal genomic response that mediates the transition between acute and long-term nociceptive sensitization by modulating functional and structural plasticity.

Glial glutamate transporter and glutamine synthetase regulate GABAergic synaptic strength in the spinal dorsal horn

Decreased GABAergic synaptic strength ('disinhibition') in the spinal dorsal horn is a crucial mechanism contributing to the development and maintenance of pathological pain. However, mechanisms leading to disinhibition in the spinal dorsal horn remain elusive. We investigated the role of glial glutamate transporters (GLT-1 and GLAST) and glutamine synthetase in maintaining GABAergic synaptic activity in the spinal dorsal horn. Electrically evoked GABAergic inhibitory post-synaptic currents (eIPSCs), spontaneous IPSCs (sIPSCs) and miniature IPSCs were recorded in superficial spinal dorsal horn neurons of spinal slices from young adult rats. We used (2S,3S)-3-[3-[4-(trifluoromethyl)benzoylamino]benzyloxy]aspartate (TFB-TBOA), to block both GLT-1 and GLAST and dihydrokainic acid to block only GLT-1. We found that blockade of both GLAST and GLT-1 and blockade of only GLT-1 in the spinal dorsal horn decreased the amplitude of GABAergic eIPSCs, as well as both the amplitude and frequency of GABAergic sIPSCs or miniature IPSCs. Pharmacological inhibition of glial glutamine synthetase had similar effects on both GABAergic eIPSCs and sIPSCs. We provided evidence demonstrating that the reduction in GABAergic strength induced by the inhibition of glial glutamate transporters is due to insufficient GABA synthesis through the glutamate-glutamine cycle between astrocytes and neurons. Thus, our results indicate that deficient glial glutamate transporters and glutamine synthetase significantly attenuate GABAergic synaptic strength in the spinal dorsal horn, which may be a crucial synaptic mechanism underlying glial-neuronal interactions caused by dysfunctional astrocytes in pathological pain conditions.

Bidirectional Neuron–Glia Interactions Triggered by Deficiency of Glutamate Uptake at Spinal Sensory Synapses

Bidirectional interactions between neurons and glial cells are crucial to the genesis of pathological pain. The mechanisms regulating these interactions and the role of this process in relaying synaptic input in the spinal dorsal horn remain to be established. We studied the role of glutamate transporters in the regulation of such interactions. On pharmacological blockade of glutamate transporters, slow inward currents (SICs) appeared spontaneously and/or were evoked by peripheral synaptic input in the spinal superficial dorsal horn neurons, including the spinothalamic tract neurons. We showed that the SICs were induced by the release of glutamate from glial cells. On inhibition of glutamate uptake, the stimulation-induced, synaptically released glutamate activated glial cells and caused glial cells to release glutamate. Glial-derived glutamate acted on extrasynaptic N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors mainly composed of NR2B receptors and generated SICs, which led to depolarization and action potential generation in superficial spinal dorsal horn neurons. Thus glutamate transporters regulate glutamatergic neuron-glia interactions at spinal sensory synapses. When glutamate uptake is impaired, glial cells function like excitatory interneurons-they are activated by peripheral synaptic input and release glutamate to activate postsynaptic neurons in spinal pain pathways.