Upregulation of Chemokine CXCL12 in the Dorsal Root Ganglia and Spinal Cord Contributes to the Development and Maintenance of Neuropathic Pain Following Spared Nerve Injury in Rats

作者：Bai, Liying; Wang, Xinru; Li, Zhisong; Kong, Cunlong; Zhao, Yonghui; Qian, Jun-Liang; Kan, Quancheng; Zhang, Wei^*; Xu, Ji-Tian^*

来源：Neuroscience Bulletin, 2016, 32(1): 27-40.

DOI：10.1007/s12264-015-0007-4

• Spared nerve injury
• CXCL12
• TNF-alpha
• Neuropathic pain
• Extracellular signal-regulated kinase
• Spinal cord

Emerging evidence indicates that CXCL12/CXCR4 signaling is involved in chronic pain. However, few studies have systemically assessed its role in direct nerve injury-induced neuropathic pain and the underlying mechanism. Here, we determined that spared nerve injury (SNI) increased the expression of CXCL12 and its cognate receptor CXCR4 in lumbar 5 dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons and satellite glial cells. SNI also induced long-lasting upregulation of CXCL12 and CXCR4 in the ipsilateral L4-5 spinal cord dorsal horn, characterized by CXCL12 expression in neurons and microglia, and CXCR4 expression in neurons and astrocytes. Moreover, SNI-induced a sustained increase in TNF-alpha expression in the DRG and spinal cord. Intraperitoneal injection (i.p.) of the TNF-alpha synthesis inhibitor thalidomide reduced the SNI-induced mechanical hypersensitivity and inhibited the expression of CXCL12 in the DRG and spinal cord. Intrathecal injection (i.t.) of the CXCR4 antagonist AMD3100, both 30 min before and 7 days after SNI, reduced the behavioral signs of allodynia. Rats given an i.t. or i.p. bolus of AMD3100 on day 8 of SNI exhibited attenuated abnormal pain behaviors. The neuropathic pain established following SNI was also impaired by i.t. administration of a CXCL12-neutralizing antibody. Moreover, repetitive i.t. AMD3100 administration prevented the activation of ERK in the spinal cord. The mechanical hypersensitivity induced in na < ve rats by i.t. CXCL12 was alleviated by pretreatment with the MEK inhibitor PD98059. Collectively, our results revealed that TNF-alpha might mediate the upregulation of CXCL12 in the DRG and spinal cord following SNI, and that CXCL12/CXCR4 signaling via ERK activation contributes to the development and maintenance of neuropathic pain.

• 出版日期2016-2
• 单位郑州大学