Mol Pain
-
Diabetic neuropathy is a common neuropathy associated with paresthaesia and pain. The mechanisms underlying the painful conditions are not well understood. The aim of this study is to investigate the participation of purinergic P2X3 receptors in painful diabetic neuropathy. ⋯ These results indicate that a large enhancement of P2X3 receptor activity and an increase in the membrane expression of P2X3 receptors contribute to the development of chronic pain in STZ-induced diabetic rats and suggest a possible target for the treatment of diabetic neuropathic pain.
-
We investigated the differential regulation of p-p38 MAPK or p-NF-κB in male Sprague-Dawley rats with inferior alveolar nerve injury resulting from mal-positioned dental implants. For this purpose, we characterized the temporal expression of p-p38 MAPK or p-NF-κB in the medullary dorsal horn and examined changes in nociceptive behavior after a blockade of p-p38 MAPK or p-NF-κB pathways in rats with trigeminal neuropathic pain. ⋯ These results suggest that early expression of p-p38 MAPK in the microglia and late induction of p-NF-κB in astrocyte play an important role in trigeminal neuropathic pain and that a blockade of p-p38 MAPK at an early stage and p-NF-κB at a late stage might be a potential therapeutic strategy for treatment of trigeminal neuropathic pain.
-
TC-2559 is a selective α4β2 subtype of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) partial agonist and α4β2 nAChR activation has been related to antinociception. The aim of this study is to investigate the analgesic effect of TC-2559 and its underlying spinal mechanisms. ⋯ Enhancement of inhibitory synaptic transmission in the spinal dorsal horn via activation of α4β2 nAChRs may be one of the mechanisms of the antinociceptive effects of TC-2559 on pathological pain models. It provides further evidence to support the notion that selective α4β2 subtype nAChR agonist may be developed as new analgesic drug for the treatment of neuropathic pain.