This study investigated the role of TRPA1 in the development and maintenance of mechanical and cold hyperalgesia in persistent inflammation induced by Complete Freund's Adjuvant (CFA) in mice. The intraplantar (i.pl.) injection of CFA induced a long lasting (28 days) hyperalgesia for both mechanical and thermal (cold) stimuli. The intraperitoneal (i.p., 30-300 mg/kg), intraplantar (i.pl., 100 microg/site) or intrathecal (i.t., 10 microg/site) injection of the TRPA1 selective antagonist HC-030031 significantly reduced the mechanical hyperalgesia evaluated by the von Frey hair test. The effect of HC-030031 was evidenced on the day after CFA injection and was kept throughout the test. However, the intracerebroventricular (i.c.v., 10 microg/site) injection of HC-030031 did not interfere with CFA-induced hyperalgesia. Treatment with HC-030031 (300 mg/kg, i.p.) completely inhibited the noxious cold hyperalgesia induced by tetrafluoroethane in mice that received CFA. The pre-treatment with the TRPA1 oligonucleotide antisense (AS-ODN, i.t.) consistently prevented both mechanical and cold hyperalgesia. Interestingly, both TRPA1 protein expression and mRNA were over-expressed in spinal cord and dorsal root ganglia (DRG) of mice treated with CFA, an effect that was fully prevented by the pre-treatment with the TRPA1 antagonist HC-030031. Collectively, the present results showed that TRPA1 present at either peripheral or spinal sites play a relevant role in the development and maintenance of both mechanical and cold hyperalgesia during CFA-induced inflammation. Thus, TRPA1 selective antagonists represent promising candidates to treat hyperalgesia in persistent inflammatory states.

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is an inflammatory cytokine known to modulate muscle pain. However, the mechanisms underlying this effect still remain unclear. Here we show that the injection of IL-6 into mice gastrocnemius muscle evoked a time- and dose-dependent mechanical hyperalgesia. This effect is in part dependent on the presence of gp130 expression in inflammatory cells in the gastrocnemius muscle as well as in DRG neurons. We also demonstrated an increased inflammatory cell recruitment and cytokines levels, namely TNF-α, IL-1β and KC. TNFR1(-/-) mice or mice pre-treated with the selective CXCR2 antagonist, SB225002, with the anti-macrophage, anti-TNF-α or anti-KC antibodies or with IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA) showed decreased IL-6-mediated mechanical hyperalgesia. Furthermore, systemic pre-treatment with the classically used drugs indomethacin, celecoxib, guanetidine, morphine, thalidomide or dexamethasone, also prevented IL-6-induced muscle pain. Likewise, local pre-treatment with inhibitors of phospholipase A2 (PACOCF3), phospholipase C (U73122), protein kinase C (GF109203X), protein kinase A (KT-5720) or with phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (AS605204) also consistently diminished IL-6-induced muscle hyperalgesia. The intramuscular injection of the selective inhibitors of p38 MAPK (SB203580), ERK (PD98059) or JNK (SP60015) also prevented IL-6-mediated muscular pain. Simultaneous flow cytometry measurements revealed that ERK, p38 MAPK and JNK were phosphorylated as early as 5 min after IL-6 injection. These findings provided new evidence indicating that IL-6 exerts a relevant role in the development and maintenance of muscular hyperalgesia. The IL-6-mediated muscular pain response involves resident cell activation, polymorphonuclear cell infiltration, cytokine production, prostanoids and sympathomimetic amines release and the activation of intracellular pathways, especially MAPKs.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSEIn the current study, we investigated the role of both kinin B1 and B2 receptors in peripheral neuropathy induced by the chronic treatment of mice with paclitaxel a widely used chemotherapeutic agent. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACHChemotherapy-evoked hyperalgesia was induced by i.p. injections of paclitaxel (2 mg·kg -1 ) over 5 consecutive days. Mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia were evaluated between 7 and 21 days after the first paclitaxel treatment. KEY RESULTSTreatment with paclitaxel increased both mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia in mice (C57BL/6 and CD1 strains). Kinin receptor deficient mice (B1,or B2 receptor knock-out and B1B2 receptor, double knock-out) presented a significant reduction in paclitaxel-induced hypernociceptive responses in comparison to wild-type animals. Treatment of CD1 mice with kinin receptor antagonists (DALBK for B1 or Hoe 140 for B2 receptors) significantly inhibited both mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia when tested at 7 and 14 days after the first paclitaxel injection. DALBK and Hoe 140 were also effective against paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathy when given intrathecally or i.c.v.. A marked increase in B1 receptor mRNA was observed in the mouse thalamus, parietal and pre-frontal cortex from 7 days after the first paclitaxel treatment. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONSKinins acting on both B1 and B2 receptors, expressed in spinal and supra-spinal sites, played a crucial role in controlling the hypernociceptive state caused by chronic treatment with paclitaxel.

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Increasing evidence indicates that endothelin-1 (ET-1) activates nociceptive neurons and sensitizes them to different noxious stimuli, but involvement of TRPV1-dependent mechanisms in mediation of such effects is not yet fully understood. Here we report that intraplantar (i.pl.) injection of ET-1 (10 pmol) into the hind paw of rats induced overt nociceptive behavior over the first hour, followed by a slowly developing thermal hyperalgesia, lasting from 3 to 8h after injection. Both effects were also induced by similar injections of capsaicin (10-1000 pmol), but these responses were shorter lasting than those caused by ET-1. Local pre-treatment with the TRPV1 antagonist capsazepine (30 nmol, i.pl.) reduced only the thermal hyperalgesia induced by ET-1, but fully suppressed both responses to capsaicin (1000 pmol). Injection of a sub-threshold dose of ET-1 (0.1 pmol, i.pl.) prior to capsaicin (1 pmol, i.pl.) markedly sensitized the hind paw to the overt nociceptive and thermal hyperalgesic effects of the later. The potentiation of capsaicin-induced nociception by ET-1 was abolished by prior i.pl. injection of BQ-123 (ET(A) receptor antagonist, 10 nmol), but unaffected by BQ-788 (ET(B) receptors antagonist, 10 nmol), whereas the enhancement of capsaicin-induced hyperalgesia by ET-1 was attenuated by both antagonists. Therefore, differently to what has been reported in mice, in rats TRPV1 receptors contribute selectively to thermal hyperalgesia, but not overt nociception, induced by ET-1. Importantly, although ET-1 augments capsaicin-induced overt nociception and thermal hyperalgesia, potentiation of the former relies solely on ET(A) receptor-mediated signaling mechanisms, whereas both receptors contribute to the latter.