ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether the kainate (KA) receptor subunit GluR6 is involved in the acute inflammatory pain. METHODS: Formalin was injected into the mucosa of rectum in Sprague-Dawley rats to induce visceral pain. The antisense oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) of GluR6 were injected once per day for 3 d before formalin injection, after which GluR6 protein level was examined by immunoblotting method. The change of visceral pain was also investigated. RESULTS: The expression of GluR6 in the spinal cord of rats increased after the formalin injection. Moreover, pre-treatment of GluR6 antisense ODNs could suppress GluR6 expression in the spinal cord of rats and decrease the scores of visceral pain at 45 min following formalin injection. CONCLUSION: Kainate receptor subunit GluR6 plays an important role in the visceral pain induced by injection of formalin into the wall of rectum. GluR6 may serve as a potential target for the treatment of acute inflammatory visceral pain.
