Involvement of Endothelin Receptors in Peripheral Sensory Neuropathy Induced by Oxaliplatin in Mice.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the participation of the endothelin ETA and ETB receptors and the effects of bosentan in oxaliplatin-induced peripheral sensory neuropathy (OIN) in mice. Adult male Swiss mice received 1 mg/kg of oxaliplatin intravenously, twice a week for 5 weeks. Dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and spinal cords were removed for evaluation of the endothelin ETA and ETB receptor expression. Afterwards, selective (BQ-123 and BQ-788; 10 nmol in 30 µL, intraplantarly) and non-selective (bosentan, 100 mg/kg, orally) antagonists were administered in order to evaluate the involvement of the endothelin receptors in OIN. Mechanical and thermal nociception tests were performed once a week for 56 days. Oxaliplatin induced mechanical and thermal hypersensitivity and increased the endothelin ETA receptor expression in both the DRG and spinal cord (P < 0.05). Endothelin ETB receptor expression was increased in the DRG (P < 0.05) but not in the spinal cord. Both endothelin ETA and ETB receptor selective antagonists partially prevented mechanical hyperalgesia in mice with OIN (P < 0.05). Moreover, bosentan prevented mechanical and thermal hypersensitivity in oxaliplatin-treated mice (P < 0.05). In conclusion, both endothelin ETA and ETB receptors seem to be involved in the OIN in mice and they should be considered possible targets for the management of this clinical feature.

α5GABAA receptors play a pronociceptive role and avoid the rate-dependent depression of the Hoffmann reflex in diabetic neuropathic pain and reduce primary afferent excitability.

Diabetic neuropathy is an incapacitating complication in diabetic patients. The cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in this pathology are poorly understood. Previous studies have suggested that the loss of spinal GABAergic inhibition participate in painful diabetic neuropathy. However, the role of extrasynaptic α5 subunit-containing GABAA (α5GABAA) receptors in this process is not known. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of α5GABAA receptors in diabetes-induced tactile allodynia, loss of rate-dependent depression (RDD) of the Hoffmann reflex (HR), and modulation of primary afferent excitability. Intraperitoneal administration of streptozotocin induced tactile allodynia. Intrathecal injection of α5GABAA receptor inverse agonist, L-655,708, produced tactile allodynia in naive rats, whereas it reduced allodynia in diabetic rats. In healthy rats, electrical stimulation of the tibial nerve at 5 Hz induced RDD of the HR, although intrathecal treatment with L-655,708 (15 nmol) abolished RDD of the HR. Streptozotocin induced the loss of RDD of the HR, while intrathecal L-655,708 (15 nmol) restored RDD of the HR. L-655,708 (15 nmol) increased tonic excitability of the primary afferents without affecting the phasic excitability produced by the primary afferent depolarization. α5GABAA receptors were immunolocalized in superficial laminae of the dorsal horn and L4 to L6 dorsal root ganglion. Streptozotocin increased mean fluorescence intensity and percentage of neurons expressing α5GABAA receptors in dorsal horn and L4 to L6 dorsal root ganglia in 10-week diabetic rats. Our results suggest that spinal α5GABAA receptors modulate the HR, play an antinociceptive and pronociceptive role in healthy and diabetic rats, respectively, and are tonically active in primary afferents.

Peptidergic nature of nociception-related projections from the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus to the dorsal horn of the spinal cord.

Hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) projections to the spinal dorsal horn (SDH) are related to antinociception. Several neuropeptides from this nucleus could be released to the spinal cord after nociceptive stimuli. Indeed, it has been shown that enkephalins, oxytocin and vasopressin could be released at this level. Although the antinociceptive effects of these neuropeptides are well studied, little is known about the potential interaction between these molecules. In this study, we provide anatomical evidence of the interaction between oxytocin (OT), vasopressin (AVP), dynorphin (DYN) and enkephalin (ENK) along the PVN projections to the spinal dorsal horn at L3 level. A retrograde tracer (True Blue®) microinjected at L3 in the SDH and immunofluorescence with antibodies against OT, AVP, DYN and ENK were used. The experiments showed different levels of peptide immunoreactivity distribution along the rostro-caudal area of the PVN. A high percentage of co-localizations between two of the peptides (OT-AVP, OT-DYN, AVP-ENK, DYN-ENK) were present along the PVN. The following co-localizations occupied 4.76-9.62% of the total PVN area. PVN projections to the SDH at L3 level showed similar results. Our results show that different antinociceptive peptides may be interacting with each other to evoke PVN antinociceptive effects as part of the endogenous system of nociceptive modulation.

Anti-hyperalgesic effect of Lippia grata leaf essential oil complexed with ß-cyclodextrin in a chronic musculoskeletal pain animal model: Complemented with a molecular docking and antioxidant screening.

BACKGROUND: Due to its unclear pathophysiology, the pharmacological treatment of fibromyalgia is a challenge for researchers. Studies using medicinal plants, such as those from the genus Lippia, complexed with cyclodextrins (CDs) have shown innovative results. OBJECTIVE: The present research intended to evaluate the effect of an inclusion complex containing ß-cyclodextrin (ßCD) inclusion complex with Lippia grata (LG) essential oil in a chronic musculoskeletal pain model, its central activity and its possible interaction with neurotransmitters involved in pain. METHODS: After acid saline-induced chronic muscle pain, male mice were evaluated for primary and secondary hyperalgesia and muscle strength. Moreover, an antagonist assay was performed to assess the possible involvement of the opioidergic, serotonergic and noradrenergic pathways. In addition, Fos protein in the spinal cord was assessed, and a docking study and antioxidant assays were performed. RESULTS: The treatment with LG-ßCD, especially in the dose of 24mg/kg, was able to significantly decrease (p<0.05) the paw withdrawal and muscle threshold. Furthermore, LG-ßCD was shown to affect the opioidergic and serotonergic pathways. There were no significant changes in muscle strength. Fos protein immunofluorescence showed a significant decrease in expression in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord. The main compounds of LG showed through the docking study interaction energies with the alpha-adrenergic and µOpioid receptors. In all antioxidant assays, LG exhibited stronger antioxidant activities than LG-ßCD. CONCLUSION: This study suggested that LG-ßCD could be considered as a valuable source for designing new drugs in the treatment of chronic pain, especially musculoskeletal pain.

Dorsal striatum D1-expressing neurons are involved with sensorimotor gating on prepulse inhibition test.

Prepulse inhibition (PPI) is a behavioral test in which the startle reflex response to a high-intensity stimulus (pulse) is inhibited by the prior presentation of a weak stimulus (prepulse). The classic neural circuitry that mediates startle response is localized in the brainstem; however, recent studies point to the contribution of structures involved in higher cognitive functions in regulating the sensorimotor gating, particularly forebrain regions innervated by dopaminergic nuclei. The aim of the present study was to verify the role of dorsal striatum (DS) and dopaminergic transmitting mediated by D1 and D2 receptors on PPI test in rats. DS inactivation induced by muscimol injection did not affect PPI (%PPI and startle response), although it impaired the locomotor activity and caused catalepsy. Infusion of D1-like antagonist SCH23390 impaired %PPI but did not disturb the startle response and locomotor activity evaluated immediately after PPI test. D2 antagonist microinjection (sulpiride) did not affect %PPI and startle response, but impaired motor activity. These results point to an important role of DS, probably mediated by direct basal ganglia pathway, on modulation of sensorimotor gating, in accordance with clinical studies showing PPI deficits in schizophrenia, Tourette syndrome, and compulsive disorders - pathologies related to basal ganglia dysfunctions.

The lesion of dorsolateral funiculus changes the antiallodynic effect of the intrathecal muscimol and baclofen in distinct phases of neuropathic pain induced by spinal nerve ligation in rats.

The abnormal firing of damaged primary afferents and the changes in the central nervous system (CNS) play important role in the initiation and maintenance phases of neuropathic pain. These phases of neuropathic pain involve changes in the GABAergic control of descending pathways that travel through the dorsolateral funiculus (DLF). The present study shows that unilateral DLF lesion increased the antiallodynic effect of muscimol (0.2µg/5µL) (a GABAA receptor agonist) in the initiation, but not maintenance phase of the mechanical allodynia induced by a spinal nerve ligation (SNL) of the ipsilateral hindpaw of rats. The unilateral DLF lesion increased the antiallodynic effect of baclofen (0.8µg/5µL) (a GABAB receptor agonist) in the initiation phase and reduced your effect in the maintenance phase of the mechanical allodynia induced by a spinal nerve ligation (SNL) of the ipsilateral paw of rats. The unilateral DLF lesion significantly reduced the proallodynic effect of an intrathecal injection of phaclofen (30µg/5µL) (a GABAB receptor antagonist), but not bicuculline (0.3µg/5µL) (a GABAA receptor antagonist). The effect of DLF lesion on the proallodynic effect of phaclofen was observed in the maintenance, but not in the initiation phase of the mechanical allodynia induced by SNL. We than conclude that the spinal GABAergic neurotransmission is negatively modulated by DLF using GABAA and GABAB receptors, in the initiation phase of mechanical allodynia induced by SNL. In addition, the integrity of DLF is necessary for the effectiveness of GABAergic transmission that occurs via spinal GABAB, but not GABAA receptors, in the maintenance phase of mechanical allodynia induced by SNL.

Citronellol, a natural acyclic monoterpene, attenuates mechanical hyperalgesia response in mice: Evidence of the spinal cord lamina I inhibition.

We evaluated the anti-hyperalgesic effect of citronellol (CT) and investigated the spinal cord lamina I involvement in this effect. Male mice were pre-treated with CT (25, 50 and 100mg/kg, i.p.), indomethacin (10mg/kg, i.p.), dipyrone (60mg/kg, i.p.) or vehicle (saline+Tween 80 0.2%). Thirty minutes after the treatment, 20µL of carrageenan (CG; 300µg/paw), PGE2 (100ng/paw), dopamine (DA; 30µg/paw) or TNF-α (100pg/paw) were injected into the hind paw subplantar region and the mechanical threshold was evaluated with an electronic anesthesiometer. The CT effect on edema formation was evaluated after the right paw subplantar injection of CG (40µL; 1%) through the plethysmometer apparatus. To evaluate the CT action on the spinal cord, the animals were treated with CT (100mg/kg; i.p.) or vehicle (Saline+Tween 80 0.2%; i.p.) and, after 30min, 20µL of CG (300µg/paw; i.pl.) was injected. Ninety minutes after the treatment, the animals were perfused, the lumbar spinal cord collected, crioprotected, cut and submitted in an immunofluorescence protocol for Fos protein. CT administration produced a significantly reduction (p<0.05) in the mechanical hyperalgesia induced by CG, TNF-α, PGE2 and DA when compared with control group. The treatment with CT also significantly (p<0.05) decreased the paw edema. The immunofluorescence showed that the CT decrease significantly (p<0.05) the spinal cord lamina I activation. Thus, our results provide that CT attenuates the hyperalgesia, at least in part, through the spinal cord lamina I inhibition.