• S Kostić.
• Laboratory for Pain Research, Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, University of Split School of Medicine, Split, Croatia.
• Eur J Pain. 2013 Apr 1;17(4):493-504.

BackgroundIt is well known that neuropeptide Y (NPY) participates in the modulation of chronic pain, but its exact role has not yet been fully explained. In this study, we explored whether targeted delivery of NPY and its antagonists into dorsal root ganglion (DRG) modulates pain-related behaviour in rats with experimentally induced inflammatory nociception.MethodsInflammatory nociception was induced by intraplantar carrageenan injection. Immediately after carrageenan injection, NPY or its antagonists were injected directly into DRG. Behavioural testing was performed on the day preceding the carrageenan injection and four times (5 h after, on the first, fifth and eighth days) following the injection. Immunohistochemical analysis was performed 8 days following the surgery.ResultsOur results showed that NPY, applied directly to DRG, induced cold allodynia in carrageenan inflammatory pain model. NPY in carrageenan-injected rats did not additionally exacerbate activation of satellite cells in DRG and astrocytes in dorsal horn caused by intraplantar carrageenan injection. However, application of NPY Y1 and Y2 antagonists directly into DRG reversed carrageenan proalgesic effects and reduced gliosis in DRG and dorsal horn.ConclusionThese findings indicate an important link between pain-related behaviour and neuroimmune actions of NPY Y1 and Y2 receptors.© 2012 European Federation of International Association for the Study of Pain Chapters.

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