BackgroundInflammation or nerve injury-induced upregulation and release of chemokine CC chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2) within the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) is believed to enhance the activity of DRG nociceptive neurons and cause hyperalgesia. Transient receptor potential vanilloid receptor 1 (TRPV1) and tetrodotoxin (TTX)-resistant Nav1.8 sodium channels play an essential role in regulating the excitability and pain transmission of DRG nociceptive neurons. We therefore tested the hypothesis that CCL2 causes peripheral sensitization of nociceptive DRG neurons by upregulating the function and expression of TRPV1 and Nav1.8 channels.MethodsDRG neuronal culture was prepared from 3-week-old Sprague–Dawley rats and incubated with various concentrations of CCL2 for 24 to 36 hours. Whole-cell voltage-clamp recordings were performed to record TRPV1 agonist capsaicin-evoked inward currents or TTX-insensitive Na+ currents from control or CCL2-treated small DRG sensory neurons. The CCL2 effect on the mRNA expression of TRPV1 or Nav1.8 was measured by real-time quantitative RT-PCR assay.ResultsPretreatment of CCL2 for 24 to 36 hours dose-dependently (EC50 value = 0.6 ± 0.05 nM) increased the density of capsaicin-induced currents in small putative DRG nociceptive neurons. TRPV1 mRNA expression was greatly upregulated in DRG neurons preincubated with 5 nM CCL2. Pretreating small DRG sensory neurons with CCL2 also increased the density of TTX-resistant Na+ currents with a concentration-dependent manner (EC50 value = 0.7 ± 0.06 nM). The Nav1.8 mRNA level was significantly increased in DRG neurons pretreated with CCL2. In contrast, CCL2 preincubation failed to affect the mRNA level of TTX-resistant Nav1.9. In the presence of the specific phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K) inhibitor LY294002 or Akt inhibitor IV, CCL2 pretreatment failed to increase the current density of capsaicin-evoked inward currents or TTX-insensitive Na+ currents and the mRNA level of TRPV1 or Nav1.8.ConclusionsOur results showed that CCL2 increased the function and mRNA level of TRPV1 channels and Nav1.8 sodium channels in small DRG sensory neurons via activating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. These findings suggest that following tissue inflammation or peripheral nerve injury, upregulation and release of CCL2 within the DRG could facilitate pain transmission mediated by nociceptive DRG neurons and could induce hyperalgesia by upregulating the expression and function of TRPV1 and Nav1.8 channels in DRG nociceptive neurons.

The physiological importance of connexin-26 (Cx26) gap junctions in regulating auditory function is indicated by the finding that autosomal recessive DFNB1 deafness is associated with mutations of the Cx26 gene. To investigate the pathogenic role of Cx26 mutation in recessive hearing loss, four putative DFNB1 Cx26 mutants (V84L, V95M, R127H, and R143W) were stably expressed in N2A cells, a communication-deficient cell line. In N2A cells expressing (R127H) Cx26 gap junctions, macroscopic junctional conductance and ability of transferring neurobiotin between transfected cells were greatly reduced. Despite the formation of defective junctional channels, immunoreactivity of (R127H) Cx26 was mainly localized in the cell membrane and prominent in the region of cell-cell contact. Mutant (V84L), (V95M), or (R143W) Cx26 protein formed gap junctions with a junctional conductance similar to that of wild-type Cx26 junctional channels. (V84L), (V95M), or (R143W) Cx26 gap junctions also permitted neurobiotin transfer between pairs of transfected N2A cells. The present study suggests that (R127H) mutation associated with hereditary sensorineural deafness results in the formation of defective Cx26 gap junctions, which may lead to the malfunction of cochlear gap junctions and hearing loss. Further studies are required to determine the exact mechanism by which mutant (V84L), (V95M), and (R143W) Cx26 proteins, which are capable of forming functional homotypic junctional channels in N2A cells, cause the cochlear dysfunction and sensorineural deafness.

Nucleus raphe magnus (NRM) sends the projection to spinal dorsal horn and inhibits nociceptive transmission. Analgesic effect produced by m-opioid receptor agonists including morphine partially results from activating the NRM-spinal cord pathway. It is generally believed that m-opioid receptor agonists disinhibit spinally projecting neurons of the NRM and produce analgesia by hyperpolarizing GABAergic interneurons. In the present study, whole-cell patch-clamp recordings combined with single-cell RT-PCR analysis were used to test the hypothesis that DAMGO ([D-Ala 2 ,N-methylPhe 4 ,Gly-ol 5 ]enkephalin), a speci®c m-opioid receptor agonist, selectively hyperpolarizes NRM neurons expressing mRNA of glutamate decarboxylase (GAD 67 ). Homologous desensitization of m-opioid receptors in NRM neurons could result in the development of morphine-induced tolerance. G proteincoupled receptor kinase (GRK) is believed to mediate m-opioid receptor desensitization in vivo. Therefore, we also investigated the involvement of GRK in mediating homologous desensitization of DAMGO-induced electrophysiological effects on NRM neurons by using two experimental strategies. First, single-cell RT-PCR assay was used to study the expression of GRK2 and GRK3 mRNAs in individual DAMGO-responsive NRM neurons. Whole-cell recording was also performed with an internal solution containing the synthetic peptide, which corresponds to G bg -binding domain of GRK and inhibits G bg activation of GRK. Our results suggest that DAMGO selectively hyperpolarizes NRM GABAergic neurons by opening inwardly rectifying K 1 channels and that GRK2 mediates short-term homologous desensitization of m-opioid receptors in NRM GABAergic neurons.

BackgroundSeveral lines of evidence suggest that CCL2 could initiate the hyperalgesia of neuropathic pain by causing central sensitization of spinal dorsal horn neurons and facilitating nociceptive transmission in the spinal dorsal horn. The cellular and molecular mechanisms by which CCL2 enhances spinal pain transmission and causes hyperalgesia remain unknown. The substantia gelatinosa (lamina II) of the spinal dorsal horn plays a critical role in nociceptive transmission. An activated spinal microglia, which is believed to release pro-inflammatory cytokines including TNF-α, plays an important role in the development of neuropathic pain, and CCL2 is a key mediator for spinal microglia activation. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that spinal CCL2 causes the central sensitization of substantia gelatinosa neurons and enhances spinal nociceptive transmission by activating the spinal microglia and augmenting glutamatergic transmission in lamina II neurons.MethodsCCL2 was intrathecally administered to 2-month-old male rats. An intrathecal injection of CCL2 induced heat hyperalgesia, which was assessed using the hot plate test. Whole-cell voltage-clamp recordings substantia gelatinosa neurons in spinal cord slices were performed to record glutamatergic excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) and GABAergic inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs).ResultsThe hot plate test showed that 1 day after the intrathecal injection of CCL2 (1 μg), the latency of hind-paw withdrawal caused by a heat stimulus was significantly reduced in rats. One day after the intrathecal administration of CCL2, the amplitude of the evoked glutamatergic EPSCs and the frequency of spontaneous glutamatergic miniature EPSCs (mEPSCs) were significantly increased in outer lamina II neurons. Intrathecal co-injection of minocycline, a specific inhibitor of microglial activation, and CCL2 blocked the CCL2-induced reduction in the latency of hind-paw withdrawal and thermal hyperalgesia. Following intrathecal co-administration of CCL2 and minocycline, CCL2 failed to increase the frequency of glutamatergic mEPSCs and failed to promote glutamine release in lamina II neurons. Intrathecal co-injection of WP9QY, a selective TNF-α antagonist, and CCL2 completely inhibited CCL2-induced heat hyperalgesia and inhibited the increase in the frequency of glutamatergic mEPSCs in substantia gelatinosa neurons.ConclusionIn summary, our results suggest that an intrathecal injection of CCL2 causes thermal hyperalgesia by augmenting the excitatory glutamatergic transmission in substantia gelatinosa neurons through a presynaptic mechanism and facilitating nociceptive transmission in the spinal dorsal horn. Further studies show that intrathecal co-administration of minocycline, a specific inhibitor of microglial activation, or WP9QY, a selective TNF-α antagonist, completely inhibited CCL2 potentiation of glutamatergic transmission in substantia gelatinosa neurons and CCL2-induced heat hyperalgesia. The results of the present study suggest that peripheral nerve in...

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