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Sgourdou P, Schaffler M, Choi K, McCall NM, Burdge J, Williams J, Corder G, Fuccillo MV, Abdus-Saboor I, Epstein DJ. Impaired pain in mice lacking first-order posterior medial thalamic neurons. Pain 2024:00006396-990000000-00692. [PMID: 39190341 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000003325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 08/28/2024]
Abstract
ABSTRACT The thalamus plays an important role in sensory and motor information processing by mediating communication between the periphery and the cerebral cortex. Alterations in thalamic development have profound consequences on sensory and motor function. In this study, we investigated a mouse model in which thalamic nuclei formation is disrupted because of the absence of Sonic hedgehog (Shh) expression from 2 key signaling centers that are required for embryonic forebrain development. The resulting defects observed in distinct thalamic sensory nuclei in Shh mutant embryos persisted into adulthood prompting us to examine their effect on behavioral responses to somatosensory stimulation. Our findings reveal a role for first-order posterior medial thalamic neurons and their projections to layer 4 of the secondary somatosensory cortex in the transmission of nociceptive information. Together, these results establish a connection between a neurodevelopmental lesion in the thalamus and a modality-specific disruption in pain perception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paraskevi Sgourdou
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Melanie Schaffler
- Department of Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Kyuhyun Choi
- Department of Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Nora M McCall
- Department of Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Justin Burdge
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, Jerome L. Greene Center, New York, NY, United States
| | - Joelle Williams
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Gregory Corder
- Department of Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Marc V Fuccillo
- Department of Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Ishmail Abdus-Saboor
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, Jerome L. Greene Center, New York, NY, United States
| | - Douglas J Epstein
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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2
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Kroeff GPH, de Castro JM, Braga HB, Bosco TD, de Oliveira TC, de Sousa Morais IT, Medeiros LF, Caumo W, Stein DJ, Torres ILS. Hormone replacement therapy did not alleviate temporomandibular joint inflammatory pain in ovariectomized rats. Odontology 2024:10.1007/s10266-024-00964-8. [PMID: 38954152 DOI: 10.1007/s10266-024-00964-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024]
Abstract
This study had the aim of examining the relationships between variations in estrogen levels resulting from ovariectomy, and estrogen hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in rats subjected to an orofacial inflammatory pain model. Eighty adult female Wistar rats were initially divided into 2 groups: Sham or ovariectomy (OVX-D1). Seven days later (D7), the rats were subjected to an unilateral infiltration of Freund's Complete Adjuvant (CFA) or saline solution into the right temporomandibular joint (TMJ). Then, rats received 17β-estradiol (28 µg/kg/day) or placebo for 21 days (D10-D31). Nociception was evaluated by the von Frey (VF) and the Hot Plate (HP) tests, and depressive-like behavior by the Forced Swimming (FS) test. On D32 all rats were euthanized and serum, hippocampus and brainstem were collected. The CFA groups presented a mechanical hyperalgesia until day 21 (p ≤ 0.05). No differences were observed among groups in the HP (p = 0.735), and in the immobility and swimming time of the FS (p = 0.800; p = 0.998, respectively). In the brainstem, there was a significant difference in the TNF-ɑ levels (p = 0.043), and a marginal significant difference in BDNF levels (p = 0.054), without differences among groups in the hippocampal BDNF and TNF-ɑ levels (p = 0.232; p = 0.081, respectively). In conclusion, the hormone replacement therapy did not alleviate orofacial pain in ovariectomized rats. However, there is a decrease in brainstem TNF-ɑ levels in the animals submitted to both models, which was partially reverted by HRT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovana Paola Heck Kroeff
- Postgraduate Program in Biological Sciences: Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Institute of Basic Health Sciences (ICBS), Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, 90050-170, Brazil
- Pharmacology of Pain and Neuromodulation Laboratory: Preclinical Investigations, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2350, Bairro Santa Cecília, Porto Alegre, RS, 90050-903, Brazil
| | - Josimar Macedo de Castro
- Pharmacology of Pain and Neuromodulation Laboratory: Preclinical Investigations, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2350, Bairro Santa Cecília, Porto Alegre, RS, 90050-903, Brazil
- Postgraduate Program in Medicine: Medical Sciences, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS, 90050-170, Brazil
| | - Hemily Barbosa Braga
- Pharmacology of Pain and Neuromodulation Laboratory: Preclinical Investigations, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2350, Bairro Santa Cecília, Porto Alegre, RS, 90050-903, Brazil
| | - Tenille Dal Bosco
- Pharmacology of Pain and Neuromodulation Laboratory: Preclinical Investigations, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2350, Bairro Santa Cecília, Porto Alegre, RS, 90050-903, Brazil
- Postgraduate Program in Medicine: Medical Sciences, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS, 90050-170, Brazil
| | - Thais Collioni de Oliveira
- Pharmacology of Pain and Neuromodulation Laboratory: Preclinical Investigations, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2350, Bairro Santa Cecília, Porto Alegre, RS, 90050-903, Brazil
| | - Iala Thais de Sousa Morais
- Postgraduate Program in Biological Sciences: Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Institute of Basic Health Sciences (ICBS), Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, 90050-170, Brazil
- Pharmacology of Pain and Neuromodulation Laboratory: Preclinical Investigations, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2350, Bairro Santa Cecília, Porto Alegre, RS, 90050-903, Brazil
| | - Liciane Fernandes Medeiros
- Pharmacology of Pain and Neuromodulation Laboratory: Preclinical Investigations, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2350, Bairro Santa Cecília, Porto Alegre, RS, 90050-903, Brazil
- Postgraduate Program in Health and Human Development, Universidade La Salle, Canoas, RS, 92010-000, Brazil
| | - Wolnei Caumo
- Pharmacology of Pain and Neuromodulation Laboratory: Preclinical Investigations, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2350, Bairro Santa Cecília, Porto Alegre, RS, 90050-903, Brazil
- Postgraduate Program in Medicine: Medical Sciences, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS, 90050-170, Brazil
| | - Dirson J Stein
- Pharmacology of Pain and Neuromodulation Laboratory: Preclinical Investigations, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2350, Bairro Santa Cecília, Porto Alegre, RS, 90050-903, Brazil
- Postgraduate Program in Medicine: Medical Sciences, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS, 90050-170, Brazil
| | - Iraci L S Torres
- Postgraduate Program in Biological Sciences: Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Institute of Basic Health Sciences (ICBS), Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, 90050-170, Brazil.
- Pharmacology of Pain and Neuromodulation Laboratory: Preclinical Investigations, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2350, Bairro Santa Cecília, Porto Alegre, RS, 90050-903, Brazil.
- Postgraduate Program in Medicine: Medical Sciences, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS, 90050-170, Brazil.
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Rodríguez García DM, Szabo A, Mikesell AR, Zorn SJ, Tsafack UK, Sriram A, Waltz TB, Enders JD, Mecca CM, Stucky CL, Sadler KE. High-speed imaging of evoked rodent mechanical behaviors yields variable results that are not predictive of inflammatory injury. Pain 2024; 165:1569-1582. [PMID: 38314814 PMCID: PMC11189758 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000003174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Few analgesics identified using preclinical models have successfully translated to clinical use. These translational limitations may be due to the unidimensional nature of behavioral response measures used to assess rodent nociception. Advances in high-speed videography for pain behavior allow for objective quantification of nuanced aspects of evoked paw withdrawal responses. However, whether videography-based assessments of mechanical hypersensitivity outperform traditional measurement reproducibility is unknown. First, we determined whether high-speed videography of paw withdrawal was reproducible across experimenters. Second, we examined whether this method distinguishes behavioral responses exhibited by naive mice and mice with complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA)-induced inflammation. Twelve experimenters stimulated naive C57BL/6 mice with varying mechanical stimuli. Paw withdrawal responses were recorded with high-speed videography and scored offline by one individual. Our group was unable to replicate the original findings produced by high-speed videography analysis. Surprisingly, ∼80% of variation was not accounted for by variables previously reported to distinguish between responses to innocuous and noxious stimuli (paw height, paw velocity, and pain score), or by additional variables (experimenter, time-of-day, and animal), but rather by unidentified factors. Similar high-speed videography assessments were performed in CFA- and vehicle-treated animals, and the cumulative data failed to reveal an effect of CFA injection on withdrawal as measured by high-speed videography. This study does not support using paw height, velocity, or pain score measurements from high-speed recordings to delineate behavioral responses to innocuous and noxious stimuli. Our group encourages the continued use of traditional mechanical withdrawal assessments until additional high-speed withdrawal measures are validated in established pain models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dianise M Rodríguez García
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology & Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Aniko Szabo
- Division of Biostatistics, Institute of Health and Equity, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Alexander R Mikesell
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology & Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Samuel J Zorn
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology & Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Ulrich Kemmo Tsafack
- Division of Biostatistics, Institute of Health and Equity, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Anvitha Sriram
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology & Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Tyler B Waltz
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology & Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Jonathan D Enders
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology & Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Christina M Mecca
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology & Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Cheryl L Stucky
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology & Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Katelyn E Sadler
- Department of Neuroscience, Center for Advanced Pain Studies, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, United States
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Zhang D, Turecek J, Choi S, Delisle M, Pamplona CL, Meltzer S, Ginty DD. C-LTMRs mediate wet dog shakes via the spinoparabrachial pathway. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.10.597395. [PMID: 38915692 PMCID: PMC11195135 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.10.597395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
Mammals perform rapid oscillations of their body- "wet dog shakes" -to remove water and irritants from their back hairy skin. The somatosensory mechanisms underlying this stereotypical behavior are unknown. We report that Piezo2-dependent mechanosensation mediates wet dog shakes evoked by water or oil droplets applied to hairy skin of mice. Unmyelinated low-threshold mechanoreceptors (C-LTMRs) were strongly activated by oil droplets and their optogenetic activation elicited wet dog shakes. Ablation of C-LTMRs attenuated this behavior. Moreover, C-LTMRs synaptically couple to spinoparabrachial (SPB) neurons, and optogenetically inhibiting SPB neuron synapses and excitatory neurons in the parabrachial nucleus impaired both oil droplet- and C-LTMR-evoked wet dog shakes. Thus, a C-LTMR- spinoparabrachial pathway mediates wet dog shakes for rapid and effective removal of foreign particles from back hairy skin.
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5
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Li H, Deng Z, Yu X, Lin J, Xie Y, Liao W, Ma Y, Zheng Q. Combining dual-view fusion pose estimation and multi-type motion feature extraction to assess arthritis pain in mice. Biomed Signal Process Control 2024; 92:106080. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bspc.2024.106080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/07/2024]
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Jeon SM, Pradeep A, Chang D, McDonough L, Chen Y, Latremoliere A, Crawford LK, Caterina MJ. Skin Reinnervation by Collateral Sprouting Following Spared Nerve Injury in Mice. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e1494232024. [PMID: 38471780 PMCID: PMC11007315 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1494-23.2024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 02/03/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Following peripheral nerve injury, denervated tissues can be reinnervated via regeneration of injured neurons or collateral sprouting of neighboring uninjured afferents into denervated territory. While there has been substantial focus on mechanisms underlying regeneration, collateral sprouting has received less attention. Here, we used immunohistochemistry and genetic neuronal labeling to define the subtype specificity of sprouting-mediated reinnervation of plantar hindpaw skin in the mouse spared nerve injury (SNI) model, in which productive regeneration cannot occur. Following initial loss of cutaneous afferents in the tibial nerve territory, we observed progressive centripetal reinnervation by multiple subtypes of neighboring uninjured fibers into denervated glabrous and hairy plantar skin of male mice. In addition to dermal reinnervation, CGRP-expressing peptidergic fibers slowly but continuously repopulated denervated epidermis, Interestingly, GFRα2-expressing nonpeptidergic fibers exhibited a transient burst of epidermal reinnervation, followed by a trend towards regression. Presumptive sympathetic nerve fibers also sprouted into denervated territory, as did a population of myelinated TrkC lineage fibers, though the latter did so inefficiently. Conversely, rapidly adapting Aβ fiber and C fiber low threshold mechanoreceptor (LTMR) subtypes failed to exhibit convincing sprouting up to 8 weeks after nerve injury in males or females. Optogenetics and behavioral assays in male mice further demonstrated the functionality of collaterally sprouted fibers in hairy plantar skin with restoration of punctate mechanosensation without hypersensitivity. Our findings advance understanding of differential collateral sprouting among sensory neuron subpopulations and may guide strategies to promote the progression of sensory recovery or limit maladaptive sensory phenomena after peripheral nerve injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sang-Min Jeon
- Department of Neurosurgery, Neurosurgery Pain Research Institute, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Aishwarya Pradeep
- Department of Neurosurgery, Neurosurgery Pain Research Institute, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Dennis Chang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Neurosurgery Pain Research Institute, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Leah McDonough
- Department of Neurosurgery, Neurosurgery Pain Research Institute, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Yijia Chen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Neurosurgery Pain Research Institute, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Alban Latremoliere
- Department of Neurosurgery, Neurosurgery Pain Research Institute, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - LaTasha K Crawford
- Department of Pathological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine, Madison, Wisconsin 53706
| | - Michael J Caterina
- Department of Neurosurgery, Neurosurgery Pain Research Institute, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
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7
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Gautam M, Yamada A, Yamada AI, Wu Q, Kridsada K, Ling J, Yu H, Dong P, Ma M, Gu J, Luo W. Distinct local and global functions of mouse Aβ low-threshold mechanoreceptors in mechanical nociception. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2911. [PMID: 38575590 PMCID: PMC10995180 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47245-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
The roles of Aβ low-threshold mechanoreceptors (LTMRs) in transmitting mechanical hyperalgesia and in alleviating chronic pain have been of great interest but remain contentious. Here we utilized intersectional genetic tools, optogenetics, and high-speed imaging to specifically examine functions of SplitCre labeled mouse Aβ-LTMRs in this regard. Genetic ablation of SplitCre-Aβ-LTMRs increased mechanical nociception but not thermosensation in both acute and chronic inflammatory pain conditions, indicating a modality-specific role in gating mechanical nociception. Local optogenetic activation of SplitCre-Aβ-LTMRs triggered nociception after tissue inflammation, whereas their broad activation at the dorsal column still alleviated mechanical hypersensitivity of chronic inflammation. Taking all data into consideration, we propose a model, in which Aβ-LTMRs play distinctive local and global roles in transmitting or alleviating mechanical hyperalgesia of chronic pain, respectively. Our model suggests a strategy of global activation plus local inhibition of Aβ-LTMRs for treating mechanical hyperalgesia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayank Gautam
- Department of Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Akihiro Yamada
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA
| | - Ayaka I Yamada
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA
| | - Qinxue Wu
- Department of Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Kim Kridsada
- Department of Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Jennifer Ling
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA
| | - Huasheng Yu
- Department of Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Peter Dong
- Department of Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Minghong Ma
- Department of Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Jianguo Gu
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA.
| | - Wenqin Luo
- Department of Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
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Barakat A, Munro G, Heegaard AM. Finding new analgesics: Computational pharmacology faces drug discovery challenges. Biochem Pharmacol 2024; 222:116091. [PMID: 38412924 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2024.116091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Revised: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
Despite the worldwide prevalence and huge burden of pain, pain is an undertreated phenomenon. Currently used analgesics have several limitations regarding their efficacy and safety. The discovery of analgesics possessing a novel mechanism of action has faced multiple challenges, including a limited understanding of biological processes underpinning pain and analgesia and poor animal-to-human translation. Computational pharmacology is currently employed to face these challenges. In this review, we discuss the theory, methods, and applications of computational pharmacology in pain research. Computational pharmacology encompasses a wide variety of theoretical concepts and practical methodological approaches, with the overall aim of gaining biological insight through data acquisition and analysis. Data are acquired from patients or animal models with pain or analgesic treatment, at different levels of biological organization (molecular, cellular, physiological, and behavioral). Distinct methodological algorithms can then be used to analyze and integrate data. This helps to facilitate the identification of biological molecules and processes associated with pain phenotype, build quantitative models of pain signaling, and extract translatable features between humans and animals. However, computational pharmacology has several limitations, and its predictions can provide false positive and negative findings. Therefore, computational predictions are required to be validated experimentally before drawing solid conclusions. In this review, we discuss several case study examples of combining and integrating computational tools with experimental pain research tools to meet drug discovery challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed Barakat
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt.
| | | | - Anne-Marie Heegaard
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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Qi L, Iskols M, Shi D, Reddy P, Walker C, Lezgiyeva K, Voisin T, Pawlak M, Kuchroo VK, Chiu IM, Ginty DD, Sharma N. A mouse DRG genetic toolkit reveals morphological and physiological diversity of somatosensory neuron subtypes. Cell 2024; 187:1508-1526.e16. [PMID: 38442711 PMCID: PMC10947841 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2023] [Revised: 11/12/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
Dorsal root ganglia (DRG) somatosensory neurons detect mechanical, thermal, and chemical stimuli acting on the body. Achieving a holistic view of how different DRG neuron subtypes relay neural signals from the periphery to the CNS has been challenging with existing tools. Here, we develop and curate a mouse genetic toolkit that allows for interrogating the properties and functions of distinct cutaneous targeting DRG neuron subtypes. These tools have enabled a broad morphological analysis, which revealed distinct cutaneous axon arborization areas and branching patterns of the transcriptionally distinct DRG neuron subtypes. Moreover, in vivo physiological analysis revealed that each subtype has a distinct threshold and range of responses to mechanical and/or thermal stimuli. These findings support a model in which morphologically and physiologically distinct cutaneous DRG sensory neuron subtypes tile mechanical and thermal stimulus space to collectively encode a wide range of natural stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijun Qi
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Michael Iskols
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - David Shi
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Pranav Reddy
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Christopher Walker
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Karina Lezgiyeva
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Tiphaine Voisin
- Department of Immunology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Mathias Pawlak
- Gene Lay Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Mass General Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Vijay K Kuchroo
- Gene Lay Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Mass General Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Isaac M Chiu
- Department of Immunology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - David D Ginty
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Nikhil Sharma
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA.
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10
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Badrulhisham F, Pogatzki-Zahn E, Segelcke D, Spisak T, Vollert J. Machine learning and artificial intelligence in neuroscience: A primer for researchers. Brain Behav Immun 2024; 115:470-479. [PMID: 37972877 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2023.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Artificial intelligence (AI) is often used to describe the automation of complex tasks that we would attribute intelligence to. Machine learning (ML) is commonly understood as a set of methods used to develop an AI. Both have seen a recent boom in usage, both in scientific and commercial fields. For the scientific community, ML can solve bottle necks created by complex, multi-dimensional data generated, for example, by functional brain imaging or *omics approaches. ML can here identify patterns that could not have been found using traditional statistic approaches. However, ML comes with serious limitations that need to be kept in mind: their tendency to optimise solutions for the input data means it is of crucial importance to externally validate any findings before considering them more than a hypothesis. Their black-box nature implies that their decisions usually cannot be understood, which renders their use in medical decision making problematic and can lead to ethical issues. Here, we present an introduction for the curious to the field of ML/AI. We explain the principles as commonly used methods as well as recent methodological advancements before we discuss risks and what we see as future directions of the field. Finally, we show practical examples of neuroscience to illustrate the use and limitations of ML.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Esther Pogatzki-Zahn
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, University Hospital Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Daniel Segelcke
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, University Hospital Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Tamas Spisak
- Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology, University Medicine Essen, Essen, Germany; Center for Translational Neuro- and Behavioral Sciences, Department of Neurology, University Medicine Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Jan Vollert
- Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom; Pain Research, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.
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11
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Timme NM, Ardinger CE, Weir SDC, Zelaya-Escobar R, Kruger R, Lapish CC. Non-consummatory behavior signals predict aversion-resistant alcohol drinking in head-fixed mice. Neuropharmacology 2024; 242:109762. [PMID: 37871677 PMCID: PMC10872650 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2023.109762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Revised: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
A key facet of alcohol use disorder is continuing to drink alcohol despite negative consequences (so called "aversion-resistant drinking"). In this study, we sought to assess the degree to which head-fixed mice exhibit aversion-resistant drinking and to leverage behavioral analysis techniques available in head-fixture to relate non-consummatory behaviors to aversion-resistant drinking. We assessed aversion-resistant drinking in head-fixed female and male C57BL/6 J mice. We adulterated 20% (v/v) alcohol with varying concentrations of the bitter tastant quinine to measure the degree to which mice would continue to drink despite this aversive stimulus. We recorded high-resolution video of the mice during head-fixed drinking, tracked body parts with machine vision tools, and analyzed body movements in relation to consumption. Female and male head-fixed mice exhibited heterogenous levels of aversion-resistant drinking. Additionally, non-consummatory behaviors, such as paw movement and snout movement, were related to the intensity of aversion-resistant drinking. These studies demonstrate that head-fixed mice exhibit aversion-resistant drinking and that non-consummatory behaviors can be used to assess perceived aversiveness in this paradigm. Furthermore, these studies lay the groundwork for future experiments that will utilize advanced electrophysiological techniques to record from large populations of neurons during aversion-resistant drinking to understand the neurocomputational processes that drive this clinically relevant behavior. This article is part of the Special Issue on "PFC circuit function in psychiatric disease and relevant models".
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas M Timme
- Department of Psychology, Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis, 402 N. Blackford St, LD 124, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA.
| | - Cherish E Ardinger
- Department of Psychology, Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis, 402 N. Blackford St, LD 124, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Seth D C Weir
- Department of Psychology, Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis, 402 N. Blackford St, LD 124, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Rachel Zelaya-Escobar
- Department of Psychology, Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis, 402 N. Blackford St, LD 124, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Rachel Kruger
- Department of Psychology, Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis, 402 N. Blackford St, LD 124, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Christopher C Lapish
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology, and Physiology, Indiana University School of Medicine, 635 Barnhill Drive, MSB 5035, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA; Stark Neuroscience Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, 320 W. 15th St, NB 414, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
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12
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Dedek C, Azadgoleh MA, Prescott SA. Reproducible and fully automated testing of nocifensive behavior in mice. CELL REPORTS METHODS 2023; 3:100650. [PMID: 37992707 PMCID: PMC10783627 DOI: 10.1016/j.crmeth.2023.100650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023]
Abstract
Pain in rodents is often inferred from their withdrawal from noxious stimulation. Threshold stimulus intensity or response latency is used to quantify pain sensitivity. This usually involves applying stimuli by hand and measuring responses by eye, which limits reproducibility and throughput. We describe a device that standardizes and automates pain testing by providing computer-controlled aiming, stimulation, and response measurement. Optogenetic and thermal stimuli are applied using blue and infrared light, respectively. Precise mechanical stimulation is also demonstrated. Reflectance of red light is used to measure paw withdrawal with millisecond precision. We show that consistent stimulus delivery is crucial for resolving stimulus-dependent variations in withdrawal and for testing with sustained stimuli. Moreover, substage video reveals "spontaneous" behaviors for consideration alongside withdrawal metrics to better assess the pain experience. The entire process was automated using machine learning. RAMalgo (reproducible automated multimodal algometry) improves the standardization, comprehensiveness, and throughput of preclinical pain testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Dedek
- Neurosciences and Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada; Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G9, Canada
| | - Mehdi A Azadgoleh
- Neurosciences and Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Steven A Prescott
- Neurosciences and Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada; Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G9, Canada; Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada.
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13
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Timme NM, Ardinger CE, Weir SDC, Zelaya-Escobar R, Kruger R, Lapish CC. Non-Consummatory Behavior Signals Predict Aversion-Resistant Alcohol Drinking in Head-Fixed Mice. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.20.545767. [PMID: 37873153 PMCID: PMC10592797 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.20.545767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
A key facet of alcohol use disorder is continuing to drink alcohol despite negative consequences (so called "aversion-resistant drinking"). In this study, we sought to assess the degree to which head-fixed mice exhibit aversion-resistant drinking and to leverage behavioral analysis techniques available in head-fixture to relate non-consummatory behaviors to aversion-resistant drinking. We assessed aversion-resistant drinking in head-fixed female and male C57BL/6J mice. We adulterated 20% (v/v) alcohol with varying concentrations of the bitter tastant quinine to measure the degree to which mice would continue to drink despite this aversive stimulus. We recorded high-resolution video of the mice during head-fixed drinking, tracked body parts with machine vision tools, and analyzed body movements in relation to consumption. Female and male head-fixed mice exhibited heterogenous levels of aversion-resistant drinking. Additionally, non-consummatory behaviors, such as paw movement and snout movement, were related to the intensity of aversion-resistant drinking. These studies demonstrate that head-fixed mice exhibit aversion-resistant drinking and that non-consummatory behaviors can be used to assess perceived aversiveness in this paradigm. Furthermore, these studies lay the groundwork for future experiments that will utilize advanced electrophysiological techniques to record from large populations of neurons during aversion-resistant drinking to understand the neurocomputational processes that drive this clinically relevant behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas M. Timme
- Department of Psychology, Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis, 402 N. Blackford St, LD 124, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Cherish E. Ardinger
- Department of Psychology, Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis, 402 N. Blackford St, LD 124, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Seth D. C. Weir
- Department of Psychology, Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis, 402 N. Blackford St, LD 124, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Rachel Zelaya-Escobar
- Department of Psychology, Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis, 402 N. Blackford St, LD 124, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Rachel Kruger
- Department of Psychology, Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis, 402 N. Blackford St, LD 124, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Christopher C. Lapish
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology, and Physiology, Indiana University School of Medicine, 635 Barnhill Drive, MSB 5035, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
- Stark Neuroscience Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, 320 W. 15 St, NB 414, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
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14
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Bohic M, Pattison LA, Jhumka ZA, Rossi H, Thackray JK, Ricci M, Mossazghi N, Foster W, Ogundare S, Twomey CR, Hilton H, Arnold J, Tischfield MA, Yttri EA, St John Smith E, Abdus-Saboor I, Abraira VE. Mapping the neuroethological signatures of pain, analgesia, and recovery in mice. Neuron 2023; 111:2811-2830.e8. [PMID: 37442132 PMCID: PMC10697150 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2021] [Revised: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023]
Abstract
Ongoing pain is driven by the activation and modulation of pain-sensing neurons, affecting physiology, motor function, and motivation to engage in certain behaviors. The complexity of the pain state has evaded a comprehensive definition, especially in non-verbal animals. Here, in mice, we used site-specific electrophysiology to define key time points corresponding to peripheral sensitivity in acute paw inflammation and chronic knee pain models. Using supervised and unsupervised machine learning tools, we uncovered sensory-evoked coping postures unique to each model. Through 3D pose analytics, we identified movement sequences that robustly represent different pain states and found that commonly used analgesics do not return an animal's behavior to a pre-injury state. Instead, these analgesics induce a novel set of spontaneous behaviors that are maintained even after resolution of evoked pain behaviors. Together, these findings reveal previously unidentified neuroethological signatures of pain and analgesia at heightened pain states and during recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manon Bohic
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Luke A Pattison
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Z Anissa Jhumka
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute and Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Heather Rossi
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute and Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Joshua K Thackray
- Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, USA; Tourette International Collaborative Genetics Study (TIC Genetics), Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Matthew Ricci
- Data Science Initiative, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA; School of Computer Science and Engineering, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Nahom Mossazghi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - William Foster
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute and Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Simon Ogundare
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute and Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Colin R Twomey
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Helen Hilton
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Justin Arnold
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute and Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Max A Tischfield
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, USA; Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, USA; Tourette International Collaborative Genetics Study (TIC Genetics), Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Eric A Yttri
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | | | - Ishmail Abdus-Saboor
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute and Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Victoria E Abraira
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, USA.
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15
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Pacifico P, Coy-Dibley JS, Miller RJ, Menichella DM. Peripheral mechanisms of peripheral neuropathic pain. Front Mol Neurosci 2023; 16:1252442. [PMID: 37781093 PMCID: PMC10537945 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2023.1252442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Peripheral neuropathic pain (PNP), neuropathic pain that arises from a damage or disease affecting the peripheral nervous system, is associated with an extremely large disease burden, and there is an increasing and urgent need for new therapies for treating this disorder. In this review we have highlighted therapeutic targets that may be translated into disease modifying therapies for PNP associated with peripheral neuropathy. We have also discussed how genetic studies and novel technologies, such as optogenetics, chemogenetics and single-cell RNA-sequencing, have been increasingly successful in revealing novel mechanisms underlying PNP. Additionally, consideration of the role of non-neuronal cells and communication between the skin and sensory afferents is presented to highlight the potential use of drug treatment that could be applied topically, bypassing drug side effects. We conclude by discussing the current difficulties to the development of effective new therapies and, most importantly, how we might improve the translation of targets for peripheral neuropathic pain identified from studies in animal models to the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Pacifico
- Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - James S. Coy-Dibley
- Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Richard J. Miller
- Department of Pharmacology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Daniela M. Menichella
- Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
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16
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Jeon SM, Pradeep A, Chang D, McDonough L, Chen Y, Latremoliere A, Crawford LK, Caterina MJ. SKIN REINNERVATION BY COLLATERAL SPROUTING FOLLOWING SPARED NERVE INJURY IN MICE. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.12.557420. [PMID: 37745384 PMCID: PMC10515828 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.12.557420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
Following peripheral nerve injury, denervated tissues can be reinnervated via regeneration of injured neurons or via collateral sprouting of neighboring uninjured afferents into the denervated territory. While there has been substantial focus on mechanisms underlying regeneration, collateral sprouting has received relatively less attention. In this study, we used immunohistochemistry and genetic neuronal labeling to define the subtype specificity of sprouting-mediated reinnervation of plantar hind paw skin in the mouse spared nerve injury (SNI) model, in which productive regeneration cannot occur. Following an initial loss of cutaneous afferents in the tibial nerve territory, we observed progressive centripetal reinnervation by multiple subtypes of neighboring uninjured fibers into denervated glabrous and hairy plantar skin. In addition to dermal reinnervation, CGRP-expressing peptidergic fibers slowly but continuously repopulated the denervated epidermis, Interestingly, GFRα2-expressing nonpeptidergic fibers exhibited a transient burst of epidermal reinnervation, followed by trend towards regression. Presumptive sympathetic nerve fibers also sprouted into the denervated territory, as did a population of myelinated TrkC lineage fibers, though the latter did so less efficiently. Conversely, rapidly adapting Aβ fiber and C fiber low threshold mechanoreceptor (LTMR) subtypes failed to exhibit convincing collateral sprouting up to 8 weeks after nerve injury. Optogenetics and behavioral assays further demonstrated the functionality of collaterally sprouted fibers in hairy plantar skin with restoration of punctate mechanosensation without hypersensitivity. Our findings advance understanding of differential collateral sprouting among sensory neuron subpopulations and may guide strategies to promote the progression of sensory recovery or limit maladaptive sensory phenomena after peripheral nerve injury. Significance Statement Following nerve injury, whereas one mechanism for tissue reinnervation is regeneration of injured neurons, another, less well studied mechanism is collateral sprouting of nearby uninjured neurons. In this study, we examined collateral sprouting in denervated mouse skin and showed that it involves some, but not all neuronal subtypes. Despite such heterogeneity, a significant degree of restoration of punctate mechanical sensitivity is achieved. These findings highlight the diversity of collateral sprouting among peripheral neuron subtypes and reveal important differences between pre- and post-denervation skin that might be appealing targets for therapeutic correction to enhance functional recovery from denervation and prevent unwanted sensory phenomena such as pain or numbness.
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17
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Lam RM, von Buchholtz LJ, Falgairolle M, Osborne J, Frangos E, Rocio Servin-Vences M, Nagel M, Nguyen MQ, Jayabalan M, Saade D, Patapoutian A, Bönnemann CG, Ryba NJP, Chesler AT. PIEZO2 and perineal mechanosensation are essential for sexual function. Science 2023; 381:906-910. [PMID: 37616369 PMCID: PMC11418610 DOI: 10.1126/science.adg0144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
Despite the potential importance of genital mechanosensation for sexual reproduction, little is known about how perineal touch influences mating. We explored how mechanosensation affords exquisite awareness of the genitals and controls reproduction in mice and humans. Using genetic strategies and in vivo functional imaging, we demonstrated that the mechanosensitive ion channel PIEZO2 (piezo-type mechanosensitive ion channel component 2) is necessary for behavioral sensitivity to perineal touch. PIEZO2 function is needed for triggering a touch-evoked erection reflex and successful mating in both male and female mice. Humans with complete loss of PIEZO2 function have genital hyposensitivity and experience no direct pleasure from gentle touch or vibration. Together, our results help explain how perineal mechanoreceptors detect the gentlest of stimuli and trigger physiologically important sexual responses, thus providing a platform for exploring the sensory basis of sexual pleasure and its relationship to affective touch.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruby M. Lam
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
- Brown-National Institutes of Health Graduate Partnerships Program, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | | | - Melanie Falgairolle
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Jennifer Osborne
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Eleni Frangos
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - M. Rocio Servin-Vences
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Neuroscience, Dorris Neuroscience Center, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Maximilian Nagel
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Minh Q. Nguyen
- National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Monessha Jayabalan
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Dimah Saade
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Ardem Patapoutian
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Neuroscience, Dorris Neuroscience Center, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Carsten G. Bönnemann
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Nicholas J. P. Ryba
- National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Alexander T. Chesler
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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18
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Dent JO, Segal JP, Brécier A, Gowdy HGM, Dubois RM, Bannerman CA, Halievski K, Silva JR, Ghasemlou N. Advanced Dynamic Weight Bearing as an Observer-independent Measure of Hyperacute Hypersensitivity in Mice. Can J Pain 2023; 7:2249060. [PMID: 37885834 PMCID: PMC10599184 DOI: 10.1080/24740527.2023.2249060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
Background Standard methods assessing pain in rodents are often observer dependent, potentially resulting in biased outcomes. Advanced dynamic weight bearing (ADWB) offers an observer-independent approach that can provide objective, reliable data in preclinical pain research. Aims The aim of this study was to characterize the use of ADWB in assessing murine responses to allyl isothiocyanate (AITC)-induced hyperacute hypersensitivity and identify best practices for use of the device. Methods Male C57BL/6J mice received intraplantar injections of saline or 0.1% AITC solution and were assessed using the ADWB system; simultaneous observer-dependent durations of paw licking and biting were measured. ADWB data were analyzed using the proprietary software from Bioseb and correlated to observer-dependent results, with parameters assessed to optimize data collected. Results ADWB detected pain-directed changes in weight and surface area distribution in AITC-treated mice, with paw weight and surface area placement correlating to paw licking and biting. Optimization of adjustable threshold parameters allowed for reduced coefficients of variability and increased duration of validated data. Conclusions The ADWB assay provides an efficient and unbiased measure of chemical-induced hyperacute hypersensitivity in mice. ADWB detection parameters influence amount of validated data and variability, a consideration for data analysis in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jayne O. Dent
- Department of Biomedical & Molecular Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - Julia P. Segal
- Department of Biomedical & Molecular Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - Aurélie Brécier
- Department of Biomedical & Molecular Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine, Kingston Health Sciences Centre, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - Hailey G. M. Gowdy
- Department of Biomedical & Molecular Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - Rosalin M. Dubois
- Department of Biomedical & Molecular Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - Courtney A. Bannerman
- Department of Biomedical & Molecular Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - Katherine Halievski
- Department of Biomedical & Molecular Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jaqueline R. Silva
- Department of Biomedical & Molecular Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine, Kingston Health Sciences Centre, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - Nader Ghasemlou
- Department of Biomedical & Molecular Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine, Kingston Health Sciences Centre, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
- Centre for Neuroscience Studies, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
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19
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Davis OC, Dickie AC, Mustapa MB, Boyle KA, Browne TJ, Gradwell MA, Smith KM, Polgár E, Bell AM, Kókai É, Watanabe M, Wildner H, Zeilhofer HU, Ginty DD, Callister RJ, Graham BA, Todd AJ, Hughes DI. Calretinin-expressing islet cells are a source of pre- and post-synaptic inhibition of non-peptidergic nociceptor input to the mouse spinal cord. Sci Rep 2023; 13:11561. [PMID: 37464016 PMCID: PMC10354228 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-38605-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Unmyelinated non-peptidergic nociceptors (NP afferents) arborise in lamina II of the spinal cord and receive GABAergic axoaxonic synapses, which mediate presynaptic inhibition. However, until now the source of this axoaxonic synaptic input was not known. Here we provide evidence that it originates from a population of inhibitory calretinin-expressing interneurons (iCRs), which correspond to lamina II islet cells. The NP afferents can be assigned to 3 functionally distinct classes (NP1-3). NP1 afferents have been implicated in pathological pain states, while NP2 and NP3 afferents also function as pruritoceptors. Our findings suggest that all 3 of these afferent types innervate iCRs and receive axoaxonic synapses from them, providing feedback inhibition of NP input. The iCRs also form axodendritic synapses, and their targets include cells that are themselves innervated by the NP afferents, thus allowing for feedforward inhibition. The iCRs are therefore ideally placed to control the input from non-peptidergic nociceptors and pruritoceptors to other dorsal horn neurons, and thus represent a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of chronic pain and itch.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia C Davis
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Allen C Dickie
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Marami B Mustapa
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
- Faculty of Medicine and Defence Health, National Defence University of Malaysia, 57000, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Kieran A Boyle
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Tyler J Browne
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
| | - Mark A Gradwell
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
| | - Kelly M Smith
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
| | - Erika Polgár
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Andrew M Bell
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Éva Kókai
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Masahiko Watanabe
- Department of Anatomy, Hokkaido University School of Medicine, Sapporo, 060-8638, Japan
| | - Hendrik Wildner
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, 8057, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Hanns Ulrich Zeilhofer
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, 8057, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - David D Ginty
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Robert J Callister
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
| | - Brett A Graham
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia.
| | - Andrew J Todd
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK.
| | - David I Hughes
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK.
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20
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Gautam M, Yamada A, Yamada A, Wu Q, Kridsada K, Ling J, Yu H, Dong P, Ma M, Gu J, Luo W. Distinct Local and Global Functions of Aβ Low-Threshold Mechanoreceptors in Mechanical Pain Transmission. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-2939309. [PMID: 37398333 PMCID: PMC10312941 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2939309/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
The roles of Aβ low-threshold mechanoreceptors (LTMRs) in transmitting mechanical hyperalgesia and in alleviating chronic pain have been of great interest but remain contentious. Here we utilized intersectional genetic tools, optogenetics, and high-speed imaging to specifically examine functions of SplitCre labeled Aβ-LTMRs in this regard. Genetic ablation of SplitCre-Aβ-LTMRs increased mechanical pain but not thermosensation in both acute and chronic inflammatory pain conditions, indicating their modality-specific role in gating mechanical pain transmission. Local optogenetic activation of SplitCre-Aβ-LTMRs triggered nociception after tissue inflammation, whereas their broad activation at the dorsal column still alleviated mechanical hypersensitivity of chronic inflammation. Taking all data into consideration, we propose a new model, in which Aβ-LTMRs play distinctive local and global roles in transmitting and alleviating mechanical hyperalgesia of chronic pain, respectively. Our model suggests a new strategy of global activation plus local inhibition of Aβ-LTMRs for treating mechanical hyperalgesia.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Minghong Ma
- University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
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21
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Davis OC, Dickie AC, Mustapa MB, Boyle KA, Browne TJ, Gradwell MA, Smith KM, Polgár E, Bell AM, Kókai É, Watanabe M, Wildner H, Zeilhofer HU, Ginty DD, Callister RJ, Graham BA, Todd AJ, Hughes DI. Calretinin-expressing islet cells: a source of pre- and post-synaptic inhibition of non-peptidergic nociceptor input to the mouse spinal cord. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.01.543241. [PMID: 37333120 PMCID: PMC10274676 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.01.543241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
Unmyelinated non-peptidergic nociceptors (NP afferents) arborise in lamina II of the spinal cord and receive GABAergic axoaxonic synapses, which mediate presynaptic inhibition. However, until now the source of this axoaxonic synaptic input was not known. Here we provide evidence that it originates from a population of inhibitory calretinin-expressing interneurons (iCRs), which correspond to lamina II islet cells. The NP afferents can be assigned to 3 functionally distinct classes (NP1-3). NP1 afferents have been implicated in pathological pain states, while NP2 and NP3 afferents also function as pruritoceptors. Our findings suggest that all 3 of these afferent types innervate iCRs and receive axoaxonic synapses from them, providing feedback inhibition of NP input. The iCRs also form axodendritic synapses, and their targets include cells that are themselves innervated by the NP afferents, thus allowing for feedforward inhibition. The iCRs are therefore ideally placed to control the input from non-peptidergic nociceptors and pruritoceptors to other dorsal horn neurons, and thus represent a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of chronic pain and itch.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia C. Davis
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, Sir James Black Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Allen C. Dickie
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, Sir James Black Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Marami B. Mustapa
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, Sir James Black Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
- Present address: Faculty of Medicine and Defence Health, National Defence University of Malaysia, 57000, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Kieran A. Boyle
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, Sir James Black Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Tyler J. Browne
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
| | - Mark A. Gradwell
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
| | - Kelly M. Smith
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
| | - Erika Polgár
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, Sir James Black Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Andrew M. Bell
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, Sir James Black Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Éva Kókai
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, Sir James Black Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Masahiko Watanabe
- Department of Anatomy, Hokkaido University School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8638, Japan
| | - Hendrik Wildner
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Hanns Ulrich Zeilhofer
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - David D. Ginty
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Robert J. Callister
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
| | - Brett A. Graham
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
| | - Andrew J. Todd
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, Sir James Black Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - David I. Hughes
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, Sir James Black Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
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22
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Kupari J, Ernfors P. Molecular taxonomy of nociceptors and pruriceptors. Pain 2023; 164:1245-1257. [PMID: 36718807 PMCID: PMC10184562 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jussi Kupari
- Division of Molecular Neurobiology, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Patrik Ernfors
- Division of Molecular Neurobiology, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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23
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Gautam M, Yamada A, Yamada AI, Wu Q, Kridsada K, Ling J, Yu H, Dong P, Ma M, Gu J, Luo W. Distinct Local and Global Functions of Aβ Low-Threshold Mechanoreceptors in Mechanical Pain Transmission. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.16.540962. [PMID: 37293085 PMCID: PMC10245756 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.16.540962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The roles of Aβ low-threshold mechanoreceptors (LTMRs) in transmitting mechanical hyperalgesia and in alleviating chronic pain have been of great interest but remain contentious. Here we utilized intersectional genetic tools, optogenetics, and high-speed imaging to specifically examine functions of Split Cre labeled Aβ-LTMRs in this regard. Genetic ablation of Split Cre -Aβ-LTMRs increased mechanical pain but not thermosensation in both acute and chronic inflammatory pain conditions, indicating their modality-specific role in gating mechanical pain transmission. Local optogenetic activation of Split Cre -Aβ-LTMRs triggered nociception after tissue inflammation, whereas their broad activation at the dorsal column still alleviated mechanical hypersensitivity of chronic inflammation. Taking all data into consideration, we propose a new model, in which Aβ-LTMRs play distinctive local and global roles in transmitting and alleviating mechanical hyperalgesia of chronic pain, respectively. Our model suggests a new strategy of global activation plus local inhibition of Aβ-LTMRs for treating mechanical hyperalgesia.
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24
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Qi L, Iskols M, Shi D, Reddy P, Walker C, Lezgiyeva K, Voisin T, Pawlak M, Kuchroo VK, Chiu I, Ginty DD, Sharma N. A DRG genetic toolkit reveals molecular, morphological, and functional diversity of somatosensory neuron subtypes. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.04.22.537932. [PMID: 37131664 PMCID: PMC10153270 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.22.537932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Mechanical and thermal stimuli acting on the skin are detected by morphologically and physiologically distinct sensory neurons of the dorsal root ganglia (DRG). Achieving a holistic view of how this diverse neuronal population relays sensory information from the skin to the central nervous system (CNS) has been challenging with existing tools. Here, we used transcriptomic datasets of the mouse DRG to guide development and curation of a genetic toolkit to interrogate transcriptionally defined DRG neuron subtypes. Morphological analysis revealed unique cutaneous axon arborization areas and branching patterns of each subtype. Physiological analysis showed that subtypes exhibit distinct thresholds and ranges of responses to mechanical and/or thermal stimuli. The somatosensory neuron toolbox thus enables comprehensive phenotyping of most principal sensory neuron subtypes. Moreover, our findings support a population coding scheme in which the activation thresholds of morphologically and physiologically distinct cutaneous DRG neuron subtypes tile multiple dimensions of stimulus space.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijun Qi
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Michael Iskols
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115
| | - David Shi
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY
| | - Pranav Reddy
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY
| | - Christopher Walker
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY
| | - Karina Lezgiyeva
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Tiphaine Voisin
- Department of Immunology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Mathias Pawlak
- Evergrande Center for Immunologic Diseases, Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Vijay K. Kuchroo
- Evergrande Center for Immunologic Diseases, Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Isaac Chiu
- Department of Immunology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
| | - David D. Ginty
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Nikhil Sharma
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY
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25
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Black CJ, Saab CY, Borton DA. Transient gamma events delineate somatosensory modality in S1. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.30.534945. [PMID: 37034800 PMCID: PMC10081264 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.30.534945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Gamma band activity localized to the primary somatosensory cortex (S1) in humans and animals is implicated in the higher order neural processing of painful and tactile stimuli. However, it is unclear if gamma band activity differs between these distinct somatosensory modalities. Here, we coupled a novel behavioral approach with chronic extracellular electrophysiology to investigate differences in S1 gamma band activity elicited by noxious and innocuous hind paw stimulation in transgenic mice. Like prior studies, we found that trial-averaged gamma power in S1 increased following both noxious and innocuous stimuli. However, on individual trials, we noticed that evoked gamma band activity was not a continuous oscillatory signal but a series of transient spectral events. Upon further analysis we found that there was a significantly higher incidence of these gamma band events following noxious stimulation than innocuous stimulation. These findings suggest that somatosensory stimuli may be represented by specific features of gamma band activity at the single trial level, which may provide insight to mechanisms underlying acute pain.
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26
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Elias LJ, Succi IK, Schaffler MD, Foster W, Gradwell MA, Bohic M, Fushiki A, Upadhyay A, Ejoh LL, Schwark R, Frazer R, Bistis B, Burke JE, Saltz V, Boyce JE, Jhumka A, Costa RM, Abraira VE, Abdus-Saboor I. Touch neurons underlying dopaminergic pleasurable touch and sexual receptivity. Cell 2023; 186:577-590.e16. [PMID: 36693373 PMCID: PMC9898224 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2022.12.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Revised: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Pleasurable touch is paramount during social behavior, including sexual encounters. However, the identity and precise role of sensory neurons that transduce sexual touch remain unknown. A population of sensory neurons labeled by developmental expression of the G protein-coupled receptor Mrgprb4 detects mechanical stimulation in mice. Here, we study the social relevance of Mrgprb4-lineage neurons and reveal that these neurons are required for sexual receptivity and sufficient to induce dopamine release in the brain. Even in social isolation, optogenetic stimulation of Mrgprb4-lineage neurons through the back skin is sufficient to induce a conditioned place preference and a striking dorsiflexion resembling the lordotic copulatory posture. In the absence of Mrgprb4-lineage neurons, female mice no longer find male mounts rewarding: sexual receptivity is supplanted by aggression and a coincident decline in dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens. Together, these findings establish that Mrgprb4-lineage neurons initiate a skin-to-brain circuit encoding the rewarding quality of social touch.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leah J Elias
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Group, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Isabella K Succi
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Melanie D Schaffler
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Group, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - William Foster
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Mark A Gradwell
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Manon Bohic
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Akira Fushiki
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Aman Upadhyay
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Lindsay L Ejoh
- Neuroscience Graduate Group, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Ryan Schwark
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Rachel Frazer
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Brittany Bistis
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jessica E Burke
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Victoria Saltz
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jared E Boyce
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Anissa Jhumka
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Rui M Costa
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Victoria E Abraira
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Ishmail Abdus-Saboor
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
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27
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Wei H, Chen Z, Lei J, You HJ, Pertovaara A. Reduced mechanical hypersensitivity by inhibition of the amygdala in experimental neuropathy: Sexually dimorphic contribution of spinal neurotransmitter receptors. Brain Res 2022; 1797:148128. [PMID: 36265669 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2022.148128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Revised: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Here we studied spinal neurotransmitter mechanisms involved in the reduction of mechanical hypersensitivity by inhibition of the amygdaloid central nucleus (CeA) in male and female rats with spared nerve injury (SNI) model of neuropathy. SNI induced mechanical hypersensitivity that was stronger in females. Reversible blocking of the CeA with muscimol (GABAA receptor agonist) induced a reduction of mechanical hypersensitivity that did not differ between males and females. Following spinal co-administration of atipamezole (α2-adrenoceptor antagonist), the reduction of mechanical hypersensitivity by CeA muscimol was attenuated more in males than females. In contrast, following spinal co-administration of raclopride (dopamine D2 receptor antagonist) the reduction of hypersensitivity by CeA muscimol was attenuated more in females than males. The reduction of mechanical hypersensitivity by CeA muscimol was equally attenuated in males and females by spinal co-administration of WAY-100635 (5-HT1A receptor antagonist) or bicuculline (GABAA receptor antagonist). The CeA muscimol induced attenuation of ongoing pain-like behavior (conditioned place preference test) that was reversed by spinal co-administration of atipamezole in both sexes. The results support the hypothesis that CeA contributes to mechanical hypersensitivity and ongoing pain-like behavior in SNI males and females. Disinhibition of descending controls acting on spinal α2-adrenoceptors, 5-HT1A, dopamine D2 and GABAA receptors provides a plausible explanation for the reduction of mechanical hypersensitivity by CeA block in SNI. The involvement of spinal dopamine D2 receptors and α2-adrenoceptors in the CeA muscimol-induced reduction of mechanical hypersensitivity is sexually dimorphic, unlike that of spinal α2-adrenoceptors in the reduction of ongoing neuropathic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Wei
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Zuyue Chen
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; Department of Medical Imaging, School of Medicine, Shaoxing University, Shaoxing, PR China
| | - Jing Lei
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; Center for Translational Medicine Research on Sensory-Motor Diseases, Yan'an University, Yan'an, PR China
| | - Hao-Jun You
- Center for Translational Medicine Research on Sensory-Motor Diseases, Yan'an University, Yan'an, PR China
| | - Antti Pertovaara
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
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28
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Zhang Z, Roberson DP, Kotoda M, Boivin B, Bohnslav JP, González-Cano R, Yarmolinsky DA, Turnes BL, Wimalasena NK, Neufeld SQ, Barrett LB, Quintão NLM, Fattori V, Taub DG, Wiltschko AB, Andrews NA, Harvey CD, Datta SR, Woolf CJ. Automated preclinical detection of mechanical pain hypersensitivity and analgesia. Pain 2022; 163:2326-2336. [PMID: 35543646 PMCID: PMC9649838 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Revised: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT The lack of sensitive and robust behavioral assessments of pain in preclinical models has been a major limitation for both pain research and the development of novel analgesics. Here, we demonstrate a novel data acquisition and analysis platform that provides automated, quantitative, and objective measures of naturalistic rodent behavior in an observer-independent and unbiased fashion. The technology records freely behaving mice, in the dark, over extended periods for continuous acquisition of 2 parallel video data streams: (1) near-infrared frustrated total internal reflection for detecting the degree, force, and timing of surface contact and (2) simultaneous ongoing video graphing of whole-body pose. Using machine vision and machine learning, we automatically extract and quantify behavioral features from these data to reveal moment-by-moment changes that capture the internal pain state of rodents in multiple pain models. We show that these voluntary pain-related behaviors are reversible by analgesics and that analgesia can be automatically and objectively differentiated from sedation. Finally, we used this approach to generate a paw luminance ratio measure that is sensitive in capturing dynamic mechanical hypersensitivity over a period and scalable for high-throughput preclinical analgesic efficacy assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zihe Zhang
- Boston Children's Hospital, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston, MA, United States. D.P. Roberson is now with Blackbox Bio, LLC, Dallas, TX, United States. R. González-Cano is now with the Department of Pharmacology, University of Granada, Granada, Spain. N.K. Wimalasena is now with Decibel Therapeutics, Boston, MA, United States. N.L.M. Quintão is now with the Postgraduate Programe in Pharmaceutical Science, Universidade do Vale do Itajaí (UNIVALI), Itajaí, Santa Catarina, Brazil. V. Fattori is now with the Laboratory of Pain, Inflammation, Neuropathy, and Cancer, Department of Pathology, Londrina State University, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil. A.B. Wiltschko is now with the Google Research, Brain Team, Cambridge, MA, United States. N.A. Andrews is now with the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, United States
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - David P. Roberson
- Boston Children's Hospital, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston, MA, United States. D.P. Roberson is now with Blackbox Bio, LLC, Dallas, TX, United States. R. González-Cano is now with the Department of Pharmacology, University of Granada, Granada, Spain. N.K. Wimalasena is now with Decibel Therapeutics, Boston, MA, United States. N.L.M. Quintão is now with the Postgraduate Programe in Pharmaceutical Science, Universidade do Vale do Itajaí (UNIVALI), Itajaí, Santa Catarina, Brazil. V. Fattori is now with the Laboratory of Pain, Inflammation, Neuropathy, and Cancer, Department of Pathology, Londrina State University, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil. A.B. Wiltschko is now with the Google Research, Brain Team, Cambridge, MA, United States. N.A. Andrews is now with the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, United States
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Masakazu Kotoda
- Boston Children's Hospital, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston, MA, United States. D.P. Roberson is now with Blackbox Bio, LLC, Dallas, TX, United States. R. González-Cano is now with the Department of Pharmacology, University of Granada, Granada, Spain. N.K. Wimalasena is now with Decibel Therapeutics, Boston, MA, United States. N.L.M. Quintão is now with the Postgraduate Programe in Pharmaceutical Science, Universidade do Vale do Itajaí (UNIVALI), Itajaí, Santa Catarina, Brazil. V. Fattori is now with the Laboratory of Pain, Inflammation, Neuropathy, and Cancer, Department of Pathology, Londrina State University, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil. A.B. Wiltschko is now with the Google Research, Brain Team, Cambridge, MA, United States. N.A. Andrews is now with the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, United States
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Bruno Boivin
- Boston Children's Hospital, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston, MA, United States. D.P. Roberson is now with Blackbox Bio, LLC, Dallas, TX, United States. R. González-Cano is now with the Department of Pharmacology, University of Granada, Granada, Spain. N.K. Wimalasena is now with Decibel Therapeutics, Boston, MA, United States. N.L.M. Quintão is now with the Postgraduate Programe in Pharmaceutical Science, Universidade do Vale do Itajaí (UNIVALI), Itajaí, Santa Catarina, Brazil. V. Fattori is now with the Laboratory of Pain, Inflammation, Neuropathy, and Cancer, Department of Pathology, Londrina State University, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil. A.B. Wiltschko is now with the Google Research, Brain Team, Cambridge, MA, United States. N.A. Andrews is now with the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, United States
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - James P. Bohnslav
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Rafael González-Cano
- Boston Children's Hospital, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston, MA, United States. D.P. Roberson is now with Blackbox Bio, LLC, Dallas, TX, United States. R. González-Cano is now with the Department of Pharmacology, University of Granada, Granada, Spain. N.K. Wimalasena is now with Decibel Therapeutics, Boston, MA, United States. N.L.M. Quintão is now with the Postgraduate Programe in Pharmaceutical Science, Universidade do Vale do Itajaí (UNIVALI), Itajaí, Santa Catarina, Brazil. V. Fattori is now with the Laboratory of Pain, Inflammation, Neuropathy, and Cancer, Department of Pathology, Londrina State University, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil. A.B. Wiltschko is now with the Google Research, Brain Team, Cambridge, MA, United States. N.A. Andrews is now with the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, United States
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - David A. Yarmolinsky
- Boston Children's Hospital, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston, MA, United States. D.P. Roberson is now with Blackbox Bio, LLC, Dallas, TX, United States. R. González-Cano is now with the Department of Pharmacology, University of Granada, Granada, Spain. N.K. Wimalasena is now with Decibel Therapeutics, Boston, MA, United States. N.L.M. Quintão is now with the Postgraduate Programe in Pharmaceutical Science, Universidade do Vale do Itajaí (UNIVALI), Itajaí, Santa Catarina, Brazil. V. Fattori is now with the Laboratory of Pain, Inflammation, Neuropathy, and Cancer, Department of Pathology, Londrina State University, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil. A.B. Wiltschko is now with the Google Research, Brain Team, Cambridge, MA, United States. N.A. Andrews is now with the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, United States
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Bruna Lenfers Turnes
- Boston Children's Hospital, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston, MA, United States. D.P. Roberson is now with Blackbox Bio, LLC, Dallas, TX, United States. R. González-Cano is now with the Department of Pharmacology, University of Granada, Granada, Spain. N.K. Wimalasena is now with Decibel Therapeutics, Boston, MA, United States. N.L.M. Quintão is now with the Postgraduate Programe in Pharmaceutical Science, Universidade do Vale do Itajaí (UNIVALI), Itajaí, Santa Catarina, Brazil. V. Fattori is now with the Laboratory of Pain, Inflammation, Neuropathy, and Cancer, Department of Pathology, Londrina State University, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil. A.B. Wiltschko is now with the Google Research, Brain Team, Cambridge, MA, United States. N.A. Andrews is now with the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, United States
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Nivanthika K. Wimalasena
- Boston Children's Hospital, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston, MA, United States. D.P. Roberson is now with Blackbox Bio, LLC, Dallas, TX, United States. R. González-Cano is now with the Department of Pharmacology, University of Granada, Granada, Spain. N.K. Wimalasena is now with Decibel Therapeutics, Boston, MA, United States. N.L.M. Quintão is now with the Postgraduate Programe in Pharmaceutical Science, Universidade do Vale do Itajaí (UNIVALI), Itajaí, Santa Catarina, Brazil. V. Fattori is now with the Laboratory of Pain, Inflammation, Neuropathy, and Cancer, Department of Pathology, Londrina State University, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil. A.B. Wiltschko is now with the Google Research, Brain Team, Cambridge, MA, United States. N.A. Andrews is now with the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, United States
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Shay Q. Neufeld
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Lee B. Barrett
- Boston Children's Hospital, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston, MA, United States. D.P. Roberson is now with Blackbox Bio, LLC, Dallas, TX, United States. R. González-Cano is now with the Department of Pharmacology, University of Granada, Granada, Spain. N.K. Wimalasena is now with Decibel Therapeutics, Boston, MA, United States. N.L.M. Quintão is now with the Postgraduate Programe in Pharmaceutical Science, Universidade do Vale do Itajaí (UNIVALI), Itajaí, Santa Catarina, Brazil. V. Fattori is now with the Laboratory of Pain, Inflammation, Neuropathy, and Cancer, Department of Pathology, Londrina State University, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil. A.B. Wiltschko is now with the Google Research, Brain Team, Cambridge, MA, United States. N.A. Andrews is now with the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, United States
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Nara L. M. Quintão
- Boston Children's Hospital, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston, MA, United States. D.P. Roberson is now with Blackbox Bio, LLC, Dallas, TX, United States. R. González-Cano is now with the Department of Pharmacology, University of Granada, Granada, Spain. N.K. Wimalasena is now with Decibel Therapeutics, Boston, MA, United States. N.L.M. Quintão is now with the Postgraduate Programe in Pharmaceutical Science, Universidade do Vale do Itajaí (UNIVALI), Itajaí, Santa Catarina, Brazil. V. Fattori is now with the Laboratory of Pain, Inflammation, Neuropathy, and Cancer, Department of Pathology, Londrina State University, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil. A.B. Wiltschko is now with the Google Research, Brain Team, Cambridge, MA, United States. N.A. Andrews is now with the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, United States
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Victor Fattori
- Boston Children's Hospital, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston, MA, United States. D.P. Roberson is now with Blackbox Bio, LLC, Dallas, TX, United States. R. González-Cano is now with the Department of Pharmacology, University of Granada, Granada, Spain. N.K. Wimalasena is now with Decibel Therapeutics, Boston, MA, United States. N.L.M. Quintão is now with the Postgraduate Programe in Pharmaceutical Science, Universidade do Vale do Itajaí (UNIVALI), Itajaí, Santa Catarina, Brazil. V. Fattori is now with the Laboratory of Pain, Inflammation, Neuropathy, and Cancer, Department of Pathology, Londrina State University, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil. A.B. Wiltschko is now with the Google Research, Brain Team, Cambridge, MA, United States. N.A. Andrews is now with the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, United States
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Daniel G. Taub
- Boston Children's Hospital, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston, MA, United States. D.P. Roberson is now with Blackbox Bio, LLC, Dallas, TX, United States. R. González-Cano is now with the Department of Pharmacology, University of Granada, Granada, Spain. N.K. Wimalasena is now with Decibel Therapeutics, Boston, MA, United States. N.L.M. Quintão is now with the Postgraduate Programe in Pharmaceutical Science, Universidade do Vale do Itajaí (UNIVALI), Itajaí, Santa Catarina, Brazil. V. Fattori is now with the Laboratory of Pain, Inflammation, Neuropathy, and Cancer, Department of Pathology, Londrina State University, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil. A.B. Wiltschko is now with the Google Research, Brain Team, Cambridge, MA, United States. N.A. Andrews is now with the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, United States
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | | | - Nick A. Andrews
- Boston Children's Hospital, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston, MA, United States. D.P. Roberson is now with Blackbox Bio, LLC, Dallas, TX, United States. R. González-Cano is now with the Department of Pharmacology, University of Granada, Granada, Spain. N.K. Wimalasena is now with Decibel Therapeutics, Boston, MA, United States. N.L.M. Quintão is now with the Postgraduate Programe in Pharmaceutical Science, Universidade do Vale do Itajaí (UNIVALI), Itajaí, Santa Catarina, Brazil. V. Fattori is now with the Laboratory of Pain, Inflammation, Neuropathy, and Cancer, Department of Pathology, Londrina State University, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil. A.B. Wiltschko is now with the Google Research, Brain Team, Cambridge, MA, United States. N.A. Andrews is now with the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, United States
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | | | | | - Clifford J. Woolf
- Boston Children's Hospital, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston, MA, United States. D.P. Roberson is now with Blackbox Bio, LLC, Dallas, TX, United States. R. González-Cano is now with the Department of Pharmacology, University of Granada, Granada, Spain. N.K. Wimalasena is now with Decibel Therapeutics, Boston, MA, United States. N.L.M. Quintão is now with the Postgraduate Programe in Pharmaceutical Science, Universidade do Vale do Itajaí (UNIVALI), Itajaí, Santa Catarina, Brazil. V. Fattori is now with the Laboratory of Pain, Inflammation, Neuropathy, and Cancer, Department of Pathology, Londrina State University, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil. A.B. Wiltschko is now with the Google Research, Brain Team, Cambridge, MA, United States. N.A. Andrews is now with the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, United States
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
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Jhumka ZA, Abdus-Saboor IJ. Next generation behavioral sequencing for advancing pain quantification. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2022; 76:102598. [PMID: 35780688 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2022.102598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Revised: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
With symptoms such as spontaneous pain and pathologically heightened sensitivity to stimuli, chronic pain accounts for about 20% of physician visits and up to 2/3 of patients are dissatisfied with current treatments. Much of our knowledge on pain processing and analgesics has emerged from behavioral studies performed on animals presenting the same symptoms under pathological conditions. While humans can verbally describe their pain, studies on rodents have relied on behavioral assays providing non-exhaustive characterization or altering animals' original sensitivity through repetitive stimulations. The emergence of what we term "next-generation behavioral sequencing" is now permitting us to quantitatively describe behavioral features on millisecond to minutes long timescales that lie beyond easy detection with the unaided eye. Here, we summarize emerging videography and computational based behavioral approaches that have the potential to significantly improve pain research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Z Anissa Jhumka
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute and Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA. https://twitter.com/AnissaJhumka
| | - Ishmail J Abdus-Saboor
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute and Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA. ia2458columbia.edu
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30
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Bumgarner JR, Becker-Krail DD, White RC, Nelson RJ. Machine learning and deep learning frameworks for the automated analysis of pain and opioid withdrawal behaviors. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:953182. [PMID: 36225736 PMCID: PMC9549170 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.953182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The automation of behavioral tracking and analysis in preclinical research can serve to advance the rate of research outcomes, increase experimental scalability, and challenge the scientific reproducibility crisis. Recent advances in the efficiency, accuracy, and accessibility of deep learning (DL) and machine learning (ML) frameworks are enabling this automation. As the ongoing opioid epidemic continues to worsen alongside increasing rates of chronic pain, there are ever-growing needs to understand opioid use disorders (OUDs) and identify non-opioid therapeutic options for pain. In this review, we examine how these related needs can be advanced by the development and validation of DL and ML resources for automated pain and withdrawal behavioral tracking. We aim to emphasize the utility of these tools for automated behavioral analysis, and we argue that currently developed models should be deployed to address novel questions in the fields of pain and OUD research.
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31
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Mikesell AR, Isaeva O, Moehring F, Sadler KE, Menzel AD, Stucky CL. Keratinocyte PIEZO1 modulates cutaneous mechanosensation. eLife 2022; 11:e65987. [PMID: 36053009 PMCID: PMC9512397 DOI: 10.7554/elife.65987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Epidermal keratinocytes mediate touch sensation by detecting and encoding tactile information to sensory neurons. However, the specific mechanotransducers that enable keratinocytes to respond to mechanical stimulation are unknown. Here, we found that the mechanically-gated ion channel PIEZO1 is a key keratinocyte mechanotransducer. Keratinocyte expression of PIEZO1 is critical for normal sensory afferent firing and behavioral responses to mechanical stimuli in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander R Mikesell
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of WisconsinWauwatosaUnited States
| | - Olena Isaeva
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of WisconsinWauwatosaUnited States
| | - Francie Moehring
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of WisconsinWauwatosaUnited States
| | - Katelyn E Sadler
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of WisconsinWauwatosaUnited States
| | - Anthony D Menzel
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of WisconsinWauwatosaUnited States
| | - Cheryl L Stucky
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of WisconsinWauwatosaUnited States
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Spinal TRPA1 Contributes to the Mechanical Hypersensitivity Effect Induced by Netrin-1. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23126629. [PMID: 35743067 PMCID: PMC9224357 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23126629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Revised: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/12/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Netrin-1, a chemoattractant expressed by floor plate cells, and one of its receptors (deleted in colorectal cancer) has been associated with pronociceptive actions in a number of pain conditions. Here, we addressed the question of whether spinal TRPC4/C5 or TRPA1 are among the downstream receptors contributing to pronociceptive actions induced by netrin-1. The experiments were performed on rats using a chronic intrathecal catheter for administration of netrin-1 and antagonists of TRPC4/C5 or TRPA1. Pain sensitivity was assessed behaviorally by using mechanical and heat stimuli. Effect on the discharge rate of rostral ventromedial medullary (RVM) pain control neurons was studied in lightly anesthetized animals. Netrin-1, in a dose-related fashion, induced mechanical hypersensitivity that lasted up to three weeks. Netrin-1 had no effect on heat nociception. Mechanical hypersensitivity induced by netrin-1 was attenuated by TRPA1 antagonist Chembridge-5861528 and by the control analgesic compound pregabalin both during the early (first two days) and late (third week) phase of hypersensitivity. TRPC4/C5 antagonist ML-204 had a weak antihypersensitivity effect that was only in the early phase, whereas TRPC4/C5 antagonist HC-070 had no effect on hypersensitivity induced by netrin-1. The discharge rate in pronociceptive ON-like RVM neurons was increased by netrin-1 during the late but not acute phase, whereas netrin-1 had no effect on the discharge rate of antinociceptive RVM OFF-like neurons. The results suggest that spinal TRPA1 receptors and pronociceptive RVM ON-like neurons are involved in the maintenance of submodality-selective pronociceptive actions induced by netrin-1 in the spinal cord.
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Abdus-Saboor I, Luo W. Measuring Mouse Somatosensory Reflexive Behaviors with High-speed Videography, Statistical Modeling, and Machine Learning. NEUROMETHODS 2022; 178:441-456. [PMID: 35783537 PMCID: PMC9249079 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2039-7_21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Objectively measuring and interpreting an animal's sensory experience remains a challenging task. This is particularly true when using preclinical rodent models to study pain mechanisms and screen for potential new pain treatment reagents. How to determine their pain states in a precise and unbiased manner is a hurdle that the field will need to overcome. Here, we describe our efforts to measure mouse somatosensory reflexive behaviors with greatly improved precision by high-speed video imaging. We describe how coupling sub-second ethograms of reflexive behaviors with a statistical reduction method and supervised machine learning can be used to create a more objective quantitative mouse "pain scale." Our goal is to provide the readers with a protocol of how to integrate some of the new tools described here with currently used mechanical somatosensory assays, while discussing the advantages and limitations of this new approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ishmail Abdus-Saboor
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, 3740 Hamilton Walk, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Wenqin Luo
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania, 3610 Hamilton Walk, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
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Wang LB, Su XJ, Wu QF, Xu X, Wang XY, Chen M, Ye JR, Maimaitiabula A, Liu XQ, Sun W, Zhang Y. Parallel Spinal Pathways for Transmitting Reflexive and Affective Dimensions of Nocifensive Behaviors Evoked by Selective Activation of the Mas-Related G Protein-Coupled Receptor D-Positive and Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 1-Positive Subsets of Nociceptors. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:910670. [PMID: 35693883 PMCID: PMC9175034 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.910670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The high incidence of treatment-resistant pain calls for the urgent preclinical translation of new analgesics. Understanding the behavioral readout of pain in animals is crucial for efficacy evaluation when developing novel analgesics. Mas-related G protein-coupled receptor D-positive (Mrgprd+) and transient receptor potential vanilloid 1-positive (TRPV1+) sensory neurons are two major non-overlapping subpopulations of C-fiber nociceptors. Their activation has been reported to provoke diverse nocifensive behaviors. However, what kind of behavior reliably represents subjectively conscious pain perception needs to be revisited. Here, we generated transgenic mice in which Mrgprd+ or TRPV1+ sensory neurons specifically express channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2). Under physiological conditions, optogenetic activation of hindpaw Mrgprd+ afferents evoked reflexive behaviors (lifting, etc.), but failed to produce aversion. In contrast, TRPV1+ afferents activation evoked marked reflexive behaviors and affective responses (licking, etc.), as well as robust aversion. Under neuropathic pain conditions induced by spared nerve injury (SNI), affective behaviors and avoidance can be elicited by Mrgprd+ afferents excitation. Mechanistically, spinal cord-lateral parabrachial nucleus (lPBN) projecting neurons in superficial layers (lamina I–IIo) were activated by TRPV1+ nociceptors in naïve conditions or by Mrgprd+ nociceptors after SNI, whereas only deep spinal cord neurons were activated by Mrgprd+ nociceptors in naïve conditions. Moreover, the excitatory inputs from Mrgprd+ afferents to neurons within inner lamina II (IIi) are partially gated under normal conditions. Altogether, we conclude that optogenetic activation of the adult Mrgprd+ nociceptors drives non-pain-like reflexive behaviors via the deep spinal cord pathway under physiological conditions and drives pain-like affective behaviors via superficial spinal cord pathway under pathological conditions. The distinct spinal pathway transmitting different forms of nocifensive behaviors provides different therapeutic targets. Moreover, this study appeals to the rational evaluation of preclinical analgesic efficacy by using comprehensive and suitable behavioral assays, as well as by assessing neural activity in the two distinct pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang-Biao Wang
- Stroke Center & Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Xiao-Jing Su
- Stroke Center & Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Qiao-Feng Wu
- Stroke Center & Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Xiang Xu
- Stroke Center & Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Xin-Yue Wang
- Stroke Center & Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Mo Chen
- Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Jia-Reng Ye
- Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Abasi Maimaitiabula
- Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Xiao-Qing Liu
- Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Wen Sun
- Stroke Center & Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
- Wen Sun,
| | - Yan Zhang
- Stroke Center & Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
- *Correspondence: Yan Zhang,
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Glutamate in primary afferents is required for itch transmission. Neuron 2022; 110:809-823.e5. [PMID: 34986325 PMCID: PMC8898340 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2020] [Revised: 08/21/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Whether glutamate or itch-selective neurotransmitters are used to confer itch specificity is still under debate. We focused on an itch-selective population of primary afferents expressing MRGPRA3, which highly expresses Vglut2 and the neuropeptide neuromedin B (Nmb), to investigate this question. Optogenetic stimulation of MRGPRA3+ afferents triggers scratching and other itch-related avoidance behaviors. Using a combination of optogenetics, spinal cord slice recordings, Vglut2 conditional knockout mice, and behavior assays, we showed that glutamate is essential for MRGPRA3+ afferents to transmit itch. We further demonstrated that MRGPRA3+ afferents form monosynaptic connections with both NMBR+ and NMBR- neurons and that NMB and glutamate together can enhance the activity of NMBR+ spinal DH neurons. Moreover, Nmb in MRGPRA3+ afferents and NMBR+ DH neurons are required for chloroquine-induced scratching. Together, our results establish a new model in which glutamate is an essential neurotransmitter in primary afferents for itch transmission, whereas NMB signaling enhances its activities.
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36
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Ma Q. A functional subdivision within the somatosensory system and its implications for pain research. Neuron 2022; 110:749-769. [PMID: 35016037 PMCID: PMC8897275 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.12.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2021] [Revised: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Somatosensory afferents are traditionally classified by soma size, myelination, and their response specificity to external and internal stimuli. Here, we propose the functional subdivision of the nociceptive somatosensory system into two branches. The exteroceptive branch detects external threats and drives reflexive-defensive reactions to prevent or limit injury. The interoceptive branch senses the disruption of body integrity, produces tonic pain with strong aversive emotional components, and drives self-caring responses toward to the injured region to reduce suffering. The central thesis behind this functional subdivision comes from a reflection on the dilemma faced by the pain research field, namely, the use of reflexive-defensive behaviors as surrogate assays for interoceptive tonic pain. The interpretation of these assays is now being challenged by the discovery of distinct but interwoven circuits that drive exteroceptive versus interoceptive types of behaviors, with the conflation of these two components contributing partially to the poor translation of therapies from preclinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiufu Ma
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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37
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Toussaint AB, Foster W, Jones JM, Kaufmann S, Wachira M, Hughes R, Bongiovanni AR, Famularo ST, Dunham BP, Schwark R, Karbalaei R, Dressler C, Bavley CC, Fried NT, Wimmer ME, Abdus-Saboor I. Chronic paternal morphine exposure increases sensitivity to morphine-derived pain relief in male progeny. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabk2425. [PMID: 35171664 PMCID: PMC8849295 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abk2425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Parental history of opioid exposure is seldom considered when prescribing opioids for pain relief. To explore whether parental opioid exposure may affect sensitivity to morphine in offspring, we developed a "rat pain scale" with high-speed imaging, machine learning, and mathematical modeling in a multigenerational model of paternal morphine self-administration. We find that the most commonly used tool to measure mechanical sensitivity in rodents, the von Frey hair, is not painful in rats during baseline conditions. We also find that male progeny of morphine-treated sires had no baseline changes in mechanical pain sensitivity but were more sensitive to the pain-relieving effects of morphine. Using RNA sequencing across pain-relevant brain regions, we identify gene expression changes within the regulator of G protein signaling family of proteins that may underlie this multigenerational phenotype. Together, this rat pain scale revealed that paternal opioid exposure increases sensitivity to morphine's pain-relieving effects in male offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andre B. Toussaint
- Department of Psychology, Program in Neuroscience Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - William Foster
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute and Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jessica M. Jones
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute and Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Samuel Kaufmann
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute and Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Meghan Wachira
- Department of Biology, Rutgers Camden University, Camden, NJ, USA
| | - Robert Hughes
- Department of Biology, Rutgers Camden University, Camden, NJ, USA
| | - Angela R. Bongiovanni
- Department of Psychology, Program in Neuroscience Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Sydney T. Famularo
- Department of Psychology, Program in Neuroscience Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Benjamin P. Dunham
- Department of Psychology, Program in Neuroscience Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Ryan Schwark
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute and Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Reza Karbalaei
- Department of Psychology, Program in Neuroscience Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Carmen Dressler
- Department of Psychology, Program in Neuroscience Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Charlotte C. Bavley
- Department of Psychology, Program in Neuroscience Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Nathan T. Fried
- Department of Biology, Rutgers Camden University, Camden, NJ, USA
| | - Mathieu E. Wimmer
- Department of Psychology, Program in Neuroscience Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Ishmail Abdus-Saboor
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute and Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Corresponding author.
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Kimmey BA, McCall NM, Wooldridge LM, Satterthwaite T, Corder G. Engaging endogenous opioid circuits in pain affective processes. J Neurosci Res 2022; 100:66-98. [PMID: 33314372 PMCID: PMC8197770 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Revised: 10/29/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
The pervasive use of opioid compounds for pain relief is rooted in their utility as one of the most effective therapeutic strategies for providing analgesia. While the detrimental side effects of these compounds have significantly contributed to the current opioid epidemic, opioids still provide millions of patients with reprieve from the relentless and agonizing experience of pain. The human experience of pain has long recognized the perceived unpleasantness entangled with a unique sensation that is immediate and identifiable from the first-person subjective vantage point as "painful." From this phenomenological perspective, how is it that opioids interfere with pain perception? Evidence from human lesion, neuroimaging, and preclinical functional neuroanatomy approaches is sculpting the view that opioids predominately alleviate the affective or inferential appraisal of nociceptive neural information. Thus, opioids weaken pain-associated unpleasantness rather than modulate perceived sensory qualities. Here, we discuss the historical theories of pain to demonstrate how modern neuroscience is revisiting these ideas to deconstruct the brain mechanisms driving the emergence of aversive pain perceptions. We further detail how targeting opioidergic signaling within affective or emotional brain circuits remains a strong avenue for developing targeted pharmacological and gene-therapy analgesic treatments that might reduce the dependence on current clinical opioid options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blake A. Kimmey
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Equal contributions
| | - Nora M. McCall
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Equal contributions
| | - Lisa M. Wooldridge
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Theodore Satterthwaite
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Lifespan Informatics and Neuroimaging Center, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Gregory Corder
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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TRPC3 Antagonizes Pruritus in a Mouse Contact Dermatitis Model. J Invest Dermatol 2021; 142:1136-1144. [PMID: 34570999 DOI: 10.1016/j.jid.2021.08.433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Revised: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Contact dermatitis (CD), including allergic and irritant CD, are common dermatological diseases and are characterized by an erythematous rash and severe itch. In this study, we investigated the function of TRPC3, a canonical transient receptor potential channel highly expressed in type 1 nonpeptidergic (NP1) nociceptive primary afferents and other cell types, in a mouse CD model. Although TrpC3 null mice had little deficits in acute somatosensation, they showed significantly increased scratching with CD. In addition, TrpC3 null mice displayed no differences in mechanical and thermal hypersensitivity in an inflammatory pain model, suggesting that this channel preferentially functions to antagonize CD-induced itch. Using dorsal root ganglia and panimmune-specific TrpC3 conditional knockout mice, we determined that TrpC3 in dorsal root ganglia neurons but not in immune cells is required for this phenotype. Furthermore, the number of MRGPRD+ NP1 afferents in CD-affected dorsal root ganglia is significantly reduced in TrpC3-mutant mice. Taken together, our results suggest that TrpC3 plays a critical role in NP1 afferents to cope with CD-induced excitotoxicity and that the degeneration of NP1 fibers may lead to an increased itch of CD. Our study identified a role of TrpC3 and NP1 afferents in CD pathology.
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Segelcke D, Pradier B, Reichl S, Schäfer LC, Pogatzki-Zahn EM. Investigating the Role of Ly6G+ Neutrophils in Incisional and Inflammatory Pain by Multidimensional Pain-Related Behavioral Assessments: Bridging the Translational Gap. FRONTIERS IN PAIN RESEARCH 2021; 2:735838. [PMID: 35295496 PMCID: PMC8915677 DOI: 10.3389/fpain.2021.735838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years, preclinical pain research has failed to develop genuinely new analgesics for clinical use. This fact is reflected by a high number of patients, limited drug efficacy accompanied by side effects, and a long-term opioid intake. Two main aspects have been addressed, which hinder translation: the use of non-relevant pain models and a mismatch between pain-related outcomes in preclinical and clinical studies. Conversely, disease-specific pain models that mirror more closely the clinical situation and multidimensional behavioral outcome measures that objectively and reproducibly assess relevant pain-related symptoms in a preclinical setting could improve translation. Mechanistically, a matter of debate is the role of Ly6G+ neutrophil granulocytes (NGs) for pain. NGs are essential to eliminate pathogens and promote the wound healing process. For this purpose, there is a need to release various pro- and anti-inflammatory mediators, some of which could ameliorate or enhance pain. However, the contribution of NGs to different pain entities is contradictory for reflex-based tests, and completely unknown in the context of non-evoked pain (NEP) and movement-evoked pain (MEP). First, we combined withdrawal reflex-based assays with novel video-based assessments for NEP- and MEP-related behavior in two mouse pain models. The pain models utilized in this study were incision (INC) and pathogen/adjuvant-induced inflammation (CFA), translating well to postsurgical and inflammatory pain entities. Second, we depleted NGs and applied a set of behavioral assessments to investigate the role of NG migration in different pain modalities. Our comprehensive behavioral approach identified pain-related behaviors in mice that resemble (NEP) or differentiate (MEP) behavioral trajectories in comparison to mechanical and heat hypersensitivity, thereby indicating modality-dependent mechanisms. Further, we show that injury-induced accumulation of NGs minimally affects pain-related behaviors in both pain models. In conclusion, we report a novel assessment to detect NEP in mice after unilateral injuries using a more unbiased approach. Additionally, we are capable of detecting an antalgic gait for both pain entities with unique trajectories. The different trajectories between MEP and other pain modalities suggest that the underlying mechanisms differ. We further conclude that NGs play a subordinate role in pain-related behaviors in incisional and inflammatory pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Segelcke
- Department for Anesthesiology, Operative Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, University Hospital Muenster, Albert-Schweitzer-Campus 1, Muenster, Germany
| | - Bruno Pradier
- Department for Anesthesiology, Operative Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, University Hospital Muenster, Albert-Schweitzer-Campus 1, Muenster, Germany
| | - Sylvia Reichl
- Department for Anesthesiology, Operative Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, University Hospital Muenster, Albert-Schweitzer-Campus 1, Muenster, Germany
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Medicine, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Lukas C. Schäfer
- Department for Anesthesiology, Operative Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, University Hospital Muenster, Albert-Schweitzer-Campus 1, Muenster, Germany
| | - Esther M. Pogatzki-Zahn
- Department for Anesthesiology, Operative Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, University Hospital Muenster, Albert-Schweitzer-Campus 1, Muenster, Germany
- *Correspondence: Esther M. Pogatzki-Zahn
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41
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Schorscher-Petcu A, Takács F, Browne LE. Scanned optogenetic control of mammalian somatosensory input to map input-specific behavioral outputs. eLife 2021; 10:62026. [PMID: 34323214 PMCID: PMC8428846 DOI: 10.7554/elife.62026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Somatosensory stimuli guide and shape behavior, from immediate protective reflexes to longer-term learning and higher-order processes related to pain and touch. However, somatosensory inputs are challenging to control in awake mammals due to the diversity and nature of contact stimuli. Application of cutaneous stimuli is currently limited to relatively imprecise methods as well as subjective behavioral measures. The strategy we present here overcomes these difficulties, achieving 'remote touch' with spatiotemporally precise and dynamic optogenetic stimulation by projecting light to a small defined area of skin. We mapped behavioral responses in freely behaving mice with specific nociceptor and low-threshold mechanoreceptor inputs. In nociceptors, sparse recruitment of single-action potentials shapes rapid protective pain-related behaviors, including coordinated head orientation and body repositioning that depend on the initial body pose. In contrast, activation of low-threshold mechanoreceptors elicited slow-onset behaviors and more subtle whole-body behaviors. The strategy can be used to define specific behavioral repertoires, examine the timing and nature of reflexes, and dissect sensory, motor, cognitive, and motivational processes guiding behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ara Schorscher-Petcu
- Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, and Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Flóra Takács
- Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, and Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Liam E Browne
- Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, and Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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42
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Abstract
Itch arising from glabrous skin (palms and soles) has attracted limited attention within the field due to the lack of methodology. This is despite glabrous itch arising from many medical conditions such as plantar and palmar psoriasis, dyshidrosis, and cholestasis. Therefore, we developed a mouse glabrous skin behavioral assay to investigate the contribution of three previously identified pruriceptive neurons in glabrous skin itch. Our results show that MrgprA3+ and MrgprD+ neurons, although key mediators for hairy skin itch, do not play important roles in glabrous skin itch, demonstrating a mechanistic difference in itch sensation between hairy and glabrous skin. We found that MrgprC11+ neurons are the major mediators for glabrous skin itch. Activation of MrgprC11+ neurons induced glabrous skin itch, while ablation of MrgprC11+ neurons reduced both acute and chronic glabrous skin itch. Our study provides insights into the mechanisms of itch and opens up new avenues for future glabrous skin itch research.
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43
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Burdge J, Fried NT, Abdus-Saboor I. Using high-speed videography for objective and reproducible pain measurement on a mouse pain scale. STAR Protoc 2021; 2:100322. [PMID: 33598658 PMCID: PMC7868605 DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2021.100322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Mouse models are essential for studying pain neurobiology and testing pain therapeutics. The reliance on assays that only measure the presence, absence, or frequency of a reflex have limited the reliability of preclinical pain studies. Our high-speed videography protocol overcomes this by projecting the discrete sub-second kinematic behavioral features induced by hind paw stimulation onto a “mouse pain scale.” This provides a more objective and robust pain measurement in mice by quantifying the quality of the stimulus-induced hind paw reflex. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Abdus-Saboor et al. (2019). High-speed imaging of paw withdrawal reflex enhances resolution of mouse pain assessment Four sub-second features distinguish withdrawals induced by noxious vs innocuous stimuli Principal component analysis projects behavioral features onto a single axis pain scale Protocol only requires 500–1,000 fps camera and standard preclinical pain-related stimuli
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin Burdge
- University of Pennsylvania, Department of Biology, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Nathan T Fried
- Rutgers University, Department of Biology, Camden, NJ 08102, USA
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44
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Barik A, Sathyamurthy A, Thompson J, Seltzer M, Levine A, Chesler A. A spinoparabrachial circuit defined by Tacr1 expression drives pain. eLife 2021; 10:e61135. [PMID: 33591273 PMCID: PMC7993995 DOI: 10.7554/elife.61135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2020] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Painful stimuli evoke a mixture of sensations, negative emotions and behaviors. These myriad effects are thought to be produced by parallel ascending circuits working in combination. Here, we describe a pathway from spinal cord to brain for ongoing pain. Activation of a subset of spinal neurons expressing Tacr1 evokes a full repertoire of somatotopically directed pain-related behaviors in the absence of noxious input. Tacr1 projection neurons (expressing NKR1) target a tiny cluster of neurons in the superior lateral parabrachial nucleus (PBN-SL). We show that these neurons, which also express Tacr1 (PBN-SLTacr1), are responsive to sustained but not acute noxious stimuli. Activation of PBN-SLTacr1 neurons alone did not trigger pain responses but instead served to dramatically heighten nocifensive behaviors and suppress itch. Remarkably, mice with silenced PBN-SLTacr1 neurons ignored long-lasting noxious stimuli. Together, these data reveal new details about this spinoparabrachial pathway and its key role in the sensation of ongoing pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arnab Barik
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, National Institutes of HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - Anupama Sathyamurthy
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - James Thompson
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, National Institutes of HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - Mathew Seltzer
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, National Institutes of HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - Ariel Levine
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - Alexander Chesler
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, National Institutes of HealthBethesdaUnited States
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of HealthBethesdaUnited States
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45
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Zhang J, Embray L, Yanovsky Y, Brankačk J, Draguhn A. A New Apparatus for Recording Evoked Responses to Painful and Non-painful Sensory Stimulation in Freely Moving Mice. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:613801. [PMID: 33642977 PMCID: PMC7907443 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.613801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Experiments on pain processing in animals face several methodological challenges including the reproducible application of painful stimuli. Ideally, behavioral and physiological correlates of pain should be assessed in freely behaving mice, avoiding stress, fear or behavioral restriction as confounding factors. Moreover, the time of pain-evoked brain activity should be precisely related to the time of stimulation, such that pain-specific neuronal activity can be unambiguously identified. This can be achieved with laser-evoked heat stimuli which are also well established for human pain research. However, laser-evoked neuronal potentials are rarely investigated in awake unrestrained rodents, partially due to the practical difficulties in precisely and reliably targeting and triggering stimulation. In order to facilitate such studies we have developed a versatile stimulation and recording system for freely moving mice. The custom-made apparatus can provide both laser- and mechanical stimuli with simultaneous recording of evoked potentials and behavioral responses. Evoked potentials can be recorded from superficial and deep brain areas showing graded pain responses which correlate with pain-specific behavioral reactions. Non-painful mechanical stimuli can be applied as a control, yielding clearly different electrophysiological and behavioral responses. The apparatus is suited for simultaneous acquisition of precisely timed electrophysiological and behavioral evoked responses in freely moving mice. Besides its application in pain research it may be also useful in other fields of sensory physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaojiao Zhang
- Institute of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Medical Faculty Heidelberg, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Lee Embray
- Institute of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Medical Faculty Heidelberg, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Yevgenij Yanovsky
- Institute of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Medical Faculty Heidelberg, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jurij Brankačk
- Institute of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Medical Faculty Heidelberg, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Andreas Draguhn
- Institute of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Medical Faculty Heidelberg, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
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46
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Inclan-Rico JM, Kim BS, Abdus-Saboor I. Beyond somatosensation: Mrgprs in mucosal tissues. Neurosci Lett 2021; 748:135689. [PMID: 33582191 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2021.135689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2020] [Revised: 01/11/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Mas-related G coupled receptors (Mrgprs) are a superfamily of receptors expressed in sensory neurons that are known to transmit somatic sensations from the skin to the central nervous system. Interestingly, Mrgprs have recently been implicated in sensory and motor functions of mucosal-associated neuronal circuits. The gastrointestinal and pulmonary tracts are constantly exposed to noxious stimuli. Therefore, it is likely that neuronal Mrgpr signaling pathways in mucosal tissues, akin to their family members expressed in the skin, might relay messages that alert the host when mucosal tissues are affected by damaging signals. Further, Mrgprs have been proposed to mediate the cross-talk between sensory neurons and immune cells that promotes host-protective functions at barrier sites. Although the mechanisms by which Mrgprs are activated in mucosal tissues are not completely understood, these exciting studies implicate Mrgprs as potential therapeutic targets for conditions affecting the intestinal and airway mucosa. This review will highlight the central role of Mrgpr signaling pathways in the regulation of homeostasis at mucosal tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan M Inclan-Rico
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Department of Biology, School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Brian S Kim
- Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Center for the Study of Itch and Sensory Disorders, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
| | - Ishmail Abdus-Saboor
- Department of Biology, School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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47
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Abboud C, Duveau A, Bouali-Benazzouz R, Massé K, Mattar J, Brochoire L, Fossat P, Boué-Grabot E, Hleihel W, Landry M. Animal models of pain: Diversity and benefits. J Neurosci Methods 2020; 348:108997. [PMID: 33188801 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2020.108997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Revised: 11/03/2020] [Accepted: 11/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Chronic pain is a maladaptive neurological disease that remains a major health problem. A deepening of our knowledge on mechanisms that cause pain is a prerequisite to developing novel treatments. A large variety of animal models of pain has been developed that recapitulate the diverse symptoms of different pain pathologies. These models reproduce different pain phenotypes and remain necessary to examine the multidimensional aspects of pain and understand the cellular and molecular basis underlying pain conditions. In this review, we propose an overview of animal models, from simple organisms to rodents and non-human primates and the specific traits of pain pathologies they model. We present the main behavioral tests for assessing pain and investing the underpinning mechanisms of chronic pathological pain. The validity of animal models is analysed based on their ability to mimic human clinical diseases and to predict treatment outcomes. Refine characterization of pathological phenotypes also requires to consider pain globally using specific procedures dedicated to study emotional comorbidities of pain. We discuss the limitations of pain models when research findings fail to be translated from animal models to human clinics. But we also point to some recent successes in analgesic drug development that highlight strategies for improving the predictive validity of animal models of pain. Finally, we emphasize the importance of using assortments of preclinical pain models to identify pain subtype mechanisms, and to foster the development of better analgesics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cynthia Abboud
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, Interdisciplinary Institute for Neuroscience, IINS, UMR 5297, F-33000 Bordeaux, France; Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, IMN, UMR 5293, F-33000 Bordeaux, France; Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK), Lebanon
| | - Alexia Duveau
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, IMN, UMR 5293, F-33000 Bordeaux, France
| | - Rabia Bouali-Benazzouz
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, IMN, UMR 5293, F-33000 Bordeaux, France
| | - Karine Massé
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, IMN, UMR 5293, F-33000 Bordeaux, France
| | - Joseph Mattar
- School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK), Lebanon
| | - Louison Brochoire
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, IMN, UMR 5293, F-33000 Bordeaux, France
| | - Pascal Fossat
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, IMN, UMR 5293, F-33000 Bordeaux, France
| | - Eric Boué-Grabot
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, IMN, UMR 5293, F-33000 Bordeaux, France
| | - Walid Hleihel
- School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK), Lebanon; Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK), Lebanon
| | - Marc Landry
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, IMN, UMR 5293, F-33000 Bordeaux, France.
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48
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Wotton JM, Peterson E, Anderson L, Murray SA, Braun RE, Chesler EJ, White JK, Kumar V. Machine learning-based automated phenotyping of inflammatory nocifensive behavior in mice. Mol Pain 2020; 16:1744806920958596. [PMID: 32955381 PMCID: PMC7509709 DOI: 10.1177/1744806920958596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The discovery and development of new and potentially nonaddictive pain therapeutics requires rapid, yet clinically relevant assays of nociception in preclinical models. A reliable and scalable automated scoring system for nocifensive behavior of mice in the formalin assay would dramatically lower the time and labor costs associated with experiments and reduce experimental variability. Here, we present a method that exploits machine learning techniques for video recordings that consists of three components: key point detection, per frame feature extraction using these key points, and classification of behavior using the GentleBoost algorithm. This approach to automation is flexible as different model classifiers or key points can be used with only small losses in accuracy. The adopted system identified the behavior of licking/biting of the hind paw with an accuracy that was comparable to a human observer (98% agreement) over 111 different short videos (total 284 min) at a resolution of 1 s. To test the system over longer experimental conditions, the responses of two inbred strains, C57BL/6NJ and C57BL/6J, were recorded over 90 min post formalin challenge. The automated system easily scored over 80 h of video and revealed strain differences in both response timing and amplitude. This machine learning scoring system provides the required accuracy, consistency, and ease of use that could make the formalin assay a feasible choice for large-scale genetic studies.
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49
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Jones JM, Foster W, Twomey CR, Burdge J, Ahmed OM, Pereira TD, Wojick JA, Corder G, Plotkin JB, Abdus-Saboor I. A machine-vision approach for automated pain measurement at millisecond timescales. eLife 2020; 9:e57258. [PMID: 32758355 PMCID: PMC7434442 DOI: 10.7554/elife.57258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2020] [Accepted: 08/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective and automatic measurement of pain in mice remains a barrier for discovery in neuroscience. Here, we capture paw kinematics during pain behavior in mice with high-speed videography and automated paw tracking with machine and deep learning approaches. Our statistical software platform, PAWS (Pain Assessment at Withdrawal Speeds), uses a univariate projection of paw position over time to automatically quantify seven behavioral features that are combined into a single, univariate pain score. Automated paw tracking combined with PAWS reveals a behaviorally divergent mouse strain that displays hypersensitivity to mechanical stimuli. To demonstrate the efficacy of PAWS for detecting spinally versus centrally mediated behavioral responses, we chemogenetically activated nociceptive neurons in the amygdala, which further separated the pain-related behavioral features and the resulting pain score. Taken together, this automated pain quantification approach will increase objectivity in collecting rigorous behavioral data, and it is compatible with other neural circuit dissection tools for determining the mouse pain state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica M Jones
- Department of Biology, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaUnited States
| | - William Foster
- Department of Biology, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaUnited States
| | - Colin R Twomey
- Department of Biology, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaUnited States
| | - Justin Burdge
- Department of Biology, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaUnited States
| | - Osama M Ahmed
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - Talmo D Pereira
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - Jessica A Wojick
- Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaUnited States
| | - Gregory Corder
- Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaUnited States
| | - Joshua B Plotkin
- Department of Biology, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaUnited States
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50
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Black CJ, Allawala AB, Bloye K, Vanent KN, Edhi MM, Saab CY, Borton DA. Automated and rapid self-report of nociception in transgenic mice. Sci Rep 2020; 10:13215. [PMID: 32764714 PMCID: PMC7413385 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-70028-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
There are currently no rapid, operant pain behaviors in rodents that use a self-report to directly engage higher-order brain circuitry. We have developed a pain detection assay consisting of a lick behavior in response to optogenetic activation of predominantly nociceptive peripheral afferent nerve fibers in head-restrained transgenic mice expressing ChR2 in TRPV1 containing neurons. TRPV1-ChR2-EYFP mice (n = 5) were trained to provide lick reports to the detection of light-evoked nociceptive stimulation to the hind paw. Using simultaneous video recording, we demonstrate that the learned lick behavior may prove more pertinent in investigating brain driven pain processes than the reflex behavior. Within sessions, the response bias of transgenic mice changed with respect to lick behavior but not reflex behavior. Furthermore, response similarity between the lick and reflex behaviors diverged near perceptual threshold. Our nociceptive lick-report detection assay will enable a host of investigations into the millisecond, single cell, neural dynamics underlying pain processing in the central nervous system of awake behaving animals.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Kiernan Bloye
- Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912, USA
| | - Kevin N Vanent
- Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912, USA
| | - Muhammad M Edhi
- Department of Neurosurgery, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI, 02903, USA
| | - Carl Y Saab
- Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912, USA.,Department of Neurosurgery, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI, 02903, USA.,Carney Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912, USA
| | - David A Borton
- School of Engineering, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912, USA. .,Carney Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912, USA. .,Center for Neurorestoration and Neurotechnology, Rehabilitation R&D Service, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Providence, RI, USA.
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