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Pavlou IA, Spandidos DA, Zoumpourlis V, Papakosta VK. Neurobiology of bruxism: The impact of stress (Review). Biomed Rep 2024; 20:59. [PMID: 38414628 PMCID: PMC10895390 DOI: 10.3892/br.2024.1747] [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: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Bruxism is a non-functional involuntary muscle activity that affects more than one-third of the population at some point in their lives. A number of factors have been found to be related to the etiopathogenesis of bruxism; therefore, the condition is considered multifactorial. The most commonly accepted factor is stress. Stress has long been considered to increase muscle tone and to reduce the pain threshold. Current evidence indicates that exposure to chronic stress, distress and allostatic load ignite neurological degeneration and the attenuation of critical neuronal pathways that are highly implicated in the orofacial involuntary muscle activity. The present review discusses the negative effects that chronic stress exerts on certain parts of the central nervous system and the mechanisms through which these changes are involved in the etiopathogenesis of bruxism. The extent of these morphological and functional changes on nerves and neuronal tracts provides valuable insight into the obstacles that need to be overcome in order to achieve successful treatment. Additionally, particular emphasis is given on the effects of bruxism on the central nervous system, particularly the activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, as this subsequently induces an increase in circulating corticosterone levels, also evidenced by increased levels of salivary cortisol, thereby transforming bruxism into a self-reinforcing loop.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Demetrios A Spandidos
- Laboratory of Clinical Virology, Medical School, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece
| | - Vassilis Zoumpourlis
- Biomedical Applications Unit, Institute of Chemical Biology, National Hellenic Research Foundation, 11635 Athens, Greece
| | - Veronica K Papakosta
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospital Attikon, 12462 Athens, Greece
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2
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You C, Krishnan HR, Chen Y, Zhang H, Drnevich J, Pinna G, Guidotti A, Glover EJ, Lasek AW, Grayson DR, Pandey SC, Brodie MS. Transcriptional Dysregulation of Cholesterol Synthesis Underlies Hyposensitivity to GABA in the Ventral Tegmental Area During Acute Alcohol Withdrawal. Biol Psychiatry 2024; 95:275-285. [PMID: 37562519 PMCID: PMC10840816 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2023.07.018] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Revised: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/30/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The ventral tegmental area (VTA) is a dopaminergic brain area that is critical in the development and maintenance of addiction. During withdrawal from chronic ethanol exposure, the response of VTA neurons to GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) is reduced through an epigenetically regulated mechanism. In the current study, a whole-genome transcriptomic approach was used to investigate the underlying molecular mechanism of GABA hyposensitivity in the VTA during withdrawal after chronic ethanol exposure. METHODS We performed RNA sequencing of the VTA of Sprague Dawley male rats withdrawn for 24 hours from a chronic ethanol diet as well as sequencing of the VTA of control rats fed the Lieber-DeCarli diet. RNA sequencing data were analyzed using weighted gene coexpression network analysis to identify modules that contained coexpressed genes. Validation was performed with quantitative polymerase chain reaction, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and electrophysiological assays. RESULTS Pathway and network analysis of weighted gene coexpression network analysis module 1 revealed a significant downregulation of genes associated with the cholesterol synthesis pathway. Consistent with this association, VTA cholesterol levels were significantly decreased during withdrawal. Chromatin immunoprecipitation indicated a decrease in levels of acetylated H3K27 at the transcriptional control regions of these genes. Electrophysiological studies in VTA slices demonstrated that GABA hyposensitivity during withdrawal was normalized by addition of exogenous cholesterol. In addition, inhibition of cholesterol synthesis produced GABA hyposensitivity, which was reversed by adding exogenous cholesterol to VTA slices. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that decreased expression of cholesterol synthesis genes may regulate GABA hyposensitivity of VTA neurons during alcohol withdrawal. Increasing cholesterol levels in the brain may be a novel avenue for therapeutic intervention to reverse detrimental effects of chronic alcohol exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang You
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois; Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Harish R Krishnan
- Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Ying Chen
- Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Huaibo Zhang
- Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Jenny Drnevich
- Roy J. Carver Biotechnology Center, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
| | - Graziano Pinna
- Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Alessandro Guidotti
- Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Elizabeth J Glover
- Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Amy W Lasek
- Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Dennis R Grayson
- Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Subhash C Pandey
- Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois; Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Mark S Brodie
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois; Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois.
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3
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Liu D, Hu SW, Wang D, Zhang Q, Zhang X, Ding HL, Cao JL. An Ascending Excitatory Circuit from the Dorsal Raphe for Sensory Modulation of Pain. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e0869232023. [PMID: 38124016 PMCID: PMC10860493 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0869-23.2023] [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: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) is an important nucleus in pain regulation. However, the underlying neural pathway and the function of specific cell types remain unclear. Here, we report a previously unrecognized ascending facilitation pathway, the DRN to the mesoaccumbal dopamine (DA) circuit, for regulating pain. Chronic pain increased the activity of DRN glutamatergic, but not serotonergic, neurons projecting to the ventral tegmental area (VTA) (DRNGlu-VTA) in male mice. The optogenetic activation of DRNGlu-VTA circuit induced a pain-like response in naive male mice, and its inhibition produced an analgesic effect in male mice with neuropathic pain. Furthermore, we discovered that DRN ascending pathway regulated pain through strengthened excitatory transmission onto the VTA DA neurons projecting to the ventral part of nucleus accumbens medial shell (vNAcMed), thereby activated the mesoaccumbal DA neurons. Correspondingly, optogenetic manipulation of this three-node pathway bilaterally regulated pain behaviors. These findings identified a DRN ascending excitatory pathway that is crucial for pain sensory processing, which can potentially be exploited toward targeting pain disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Di Liu
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221004, China
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Analgesia Application Technology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221004, China
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
| | - Su-Wan Hu
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221004, China
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Analgesia Application Technology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221004, China
| | - Di Wang
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221004, China
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Analgesia Application Technology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221004, China
| | - Qi Zhang
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221004, China
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Analgesia Application Technology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221004, China
| | - Xiao Zhang
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221004, China
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Analgesia Application Technology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221004, China
| | - Hai-Lei Ding
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221004, China
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Analgesia Application Technology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221004, China
| | - Jun-Li Cao
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221004, China
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Analgesia Application Technology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221004, China
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221002, China
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Narcotic and Psychotropic Drugs, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221004, China
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Liu W, Wang W, Wang Z, Xing Y. Ventral tegmental area dopaminergic circuits participates in stress-induced chronic postsurgical pain in male mice. BMC Neurosci 2024; 25:3. [PMID: 38195391 PMCID: PMC10775611 DOI: 10.1186/s12868-023-00842-z] [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: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chronic postsurgical pain (CPP) markedly impairs patients' quality of life. Research has shown that chronic stress may extend incisional nociception in male mice. Dopaminergic (DAergic) neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) are integral to stress-related mental disorders (including major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, and PTSD) and pain. However, the impact of chronic social defeat stress (CSDS) on mesolimbic dopamine (DA) transmission in the development of CPP is yet to be established. It remains uncertain whether the dopamine signals in the rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC), which regulate pain, derive from the VTA. This study aims to explore the role of VTA-rACC dopaminergic circuits in a mouse model of CPP induced by CSDS. METHODS We conducted CSDS on C57BL/6 J wild-type male mice (n = 12-16 mice/group) and DAT-cre male mice (n = 10-12 mice/group). After 10 days of CSDS, a left posterior plantar incision was made to establish a mouse model of CPP. Paw withdrawal thresholds (PWTs) were evaluated using Von-Frey fibre stimulation. The open field test (OFT) and elevated plus maze test (EPM) were used to assess pain-related negative emotions. We used immunofluorescence staining and Western Blot to analyse D1, D2, c-Fos, and TH expression. DAergic fibre projections in the VTA-rACC neural pathway were traced using retrograde tracing and immunofluorescence staining. Optogenetics and Chemogenetics were employed to manipulate DAergic neurons in the VTA and their axons in the rACC. RESULTS The ipsilateral PWTs in male C57BL/6 J mice significantly decreased after surgery, returning to baseline after seven days. Conversely, in CSDS mice, ipsilateral PWTs remained reduced for at least 30 days post-incision. A significant reduction in TH-positive neurons expressing c-Fos in the VTA of CPP mice was observed 15 days post-incision. Activating DAergic neurons significantly improved ipsilateral PWTs and locomotor performance in the OFT and EPM in CPP mice post-incision. Additionally, D1 expression in the rACC was found to decrease in CPP mice, and this reduction counteracted the increase in PWTs caused by activating DAergic neuron axon terminals in the rACC. CONCLUSION CSDS results in chronicity of postsurgical nociception and anxiety-like negative emotions, with alterations in DA transmission playing a role in CPP. Specific activation of DAergic neurons mitigates nociceptive responses and anxiety-like bahaviors, possibly mediated by D1 receptors in the rACC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weizhen Liu
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, Henan, China
- The Academy of Medical Sciences of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, Henan, China
| | - Wang Wang
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, Henan, China
- The Academy of Medical Sciences of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, Henan, China
| | - Ziliang Wang
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, Henan, China
- The Academy of Medical Sciences of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, Henan, China
| | - Ying Xing
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, Henan, China.
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Saghafi M, Danesh E, Askari R, Mousavi Z, Haghparast A. Differential Roles of the D1- and D2-Like Dopamine Receptors Within the Ventral Tegmental Area in Modulating the Antinociception Induced by Forced Swim Stress in the Rat. Neurochem Res 2024; 49:143-156. [PMID: 37642894 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-023-04017-4] [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: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 08/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Several preclinical and clinical studies indicate that exposure to acute stress may decrease pain perception and increases pain tolerance. This phenomenon is called stress-induced analgesia (SIA). A variety of neurotransmitters, including dopamine, is involved in the SIA. Dopaminergic neurons in the mesolimbic circuits, originating from the ventral tegmental area (VTA), play a crucial role in various motivational, rewarding, and pain events. The present study aimed to investigate the modulatory role of VTA dopaminergic receptors in the antinociceptive responses evoked by forced swim stress (FSS) in a model of acute pain. One hundred-five adult male albino Wistar rats were subjected to stereotaxic surgery for implanting a unilateral cannula into the VTA. After one week of recovery, separate groups of animals were given different doses of SCH23390 and Sulpiride (0.25, 1, and 4 µg/0.3 µl) as D1- and D2-like receptor antagonists into the VTA, respectively. Then, the animals were exposed to FSS for a 6-min period, and the pain threshold was measured using the tail-flick test over a 60-min time set intervals. Results indicated that exposure to FSS produces a prominent antinociceptive response, diminishing by blocking both dopamine receptors in the VTA. Nonetheless, the effect of a D1-like dopamine receptor antagonist on FSS-induced analgesia was more prominent than that of a D2-like dopamine receptor antagonist. The results demonstrated that VTA dopaminergic receptors contribute to the pain process in stressful situations, and it might be provided a practical approach to designing new therapeutic agents for pain management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Saghafi
- Pharmacology and Toxicology Department, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Elaheh Danesh
- Neuroscience Research Center, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, P.O.Box: 19615-1178, Tehran, Iran
| | - Reyhaneh Askari
- Neuroscience Research Center, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, P.O.Box: 19615-1178, Tehran, Iran
| | - Zahra Mousavi
- Pharmacology and Toxicology Department, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Abbas Haghparast
- Neuroscience Research Center, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, P.O.Box: 19615-1178, Tehran, Iran.
- School of Cognitive Sciences, Institute for Research in Fundamental Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
- Department of Basic Sciences, Iranian Academy of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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Wang Y, Wang J, Cong J, Zhang H, Gong Z, Sun H, Wang L, Duan Z. Nanoplastics induce neuroexcitatory symptoms in zebrafish (Danio rerio) larvae through a manner contrary to Parkinsonian's way in proteomics. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 905:166898. [PMID: 37683849 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 08/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023]
Abstract
Although nanoplastics (NPs) can penetrate the blood-brain barrier and accumulate in the brain, the neurotoxicity of these particles and the mechanisms associated with their unique physio-chemical properties have yet to be sufficiently ascertained. In this study, we assessed the neuroexcitatory symptoms of zebrafish (Danio rerio) larvae treated with polystyrene (PS) NPs based on an examination of locomotory behaviour, dopamine levels, and acetylcholinesterase activity. We found that PS NPs caused oxidative stress and inhibited atoh1a expression in the cerebellum of Tg(atoh1a:dTomato) transgenic zebrafish larvae, thereby indicating damage to the central nervous system. In contrast to the Parkinson's disease (PD) like effects induced by most types of nanoparticles, such as graphene oxide, we established that PS NPs influenced the neuronal proteomic profiles of zebrafish larvae in a manner contrary to the molecular pathways characteristic of PD-like effects, which could be explained by the molecular dynamic simulation. Unlike graphene oxide nanoparticles that promote significant change in the internal structure of neuroproteins, the complex macromolecular polymers of PS NPs promoted the coalescence and increased expression of neuroproteins, thereby plausibly contributing to the neuroexcitatory symptoms observed in treated zebrafish larvae. Consequently, compared with traditional nanoparticles, we believe that the unique physio-chemical properties of NPs could be a potential factor contributing to their toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yudi Wang
- School of Environmental Science and Safety Engineering, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin 300384, China; MOE Key Laboratory on Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Jing Wang
- School of Environmental Science and Safety Engineering, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin 300384, China
| | - Jiaoyue Cong
- School of Environmental Science and Safety Engineering, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin 300384, China
| | - Haihong Zhang
- School of Environmental Science and Safety Engineering, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin 300384, China
| | - Zhiyuan Gong
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117543, Singapore
| | - Hongwen Sun
- MOE Key Laboratory on Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Lei Wang
- MOE Key Laboratory on Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Zhenghua Duan
- School of Environmental Science and Safety Engineering, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin 300384, China.
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Pavlou IA, Spandidos DA, Zoumpourlis V, Adamaki M. Nutrient insufficiencies and deficiencies involved in the pathogenesis of bruxism (Review). Exp Ther Med 2023; 26:563. [PMID: 37954114 PMCID: PMC10632959 DOI: 10.3892/etm.2023.12262] [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: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Stress has been well-documented to have a significant role in the etiopathogenesis of bruxism. Activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) and subsequent release of corticosteroids lead to increased muscle activity. Neurological studies have demonstrated that chronic stress exposure induces neurodegeneration of important neuronal structures and destabilization of the mesocortical dopaminergic pathway. These disruptions impair the abilities to counteract the overactivity of the HPA axis and disinhibit involuntary muscle activity, while at the same time, there is activation of the amygdala. Recent evidence shows that overactivation of the amygdala under stressful stimuli causes rhythmic jaw muscle activity by over activating the mesencephalic and motor trigeminal nuclei. The present review aimed to discuss the negative effects of certain vitamin and mineral deficiencies, such as vitamin D, magnesium, and omega-3 fatty acids, on the central nervous system. It provides evidence on how such insufficiencies may increase stress sensitivity and neuromuscular excitability and thereby reduce the ability to effectively respond to the overactivation of the sympathetic nervous system, and also how stress can in turn lead to these insufficiencies. Finally, the positive effects of individualized supplementation are discussed in the context of diminishing anxiety and oxidative stress, neuroprotection and in the reversal of neurodegeneration, and also in alleviating/reducing neuromuscular symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Demetrios A. Spandidos
- Laboratory of Clinical Virology, Medical School, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece
| | - Vassilis Zoumpourlis
- Biomedical Applications Unit, Institute of Chemical Biology, National Hellenic Research Foundation, 11635 Athens, Greece
| | - Maria Adamaki
- Biomedical Applications Unit, Institute of Chemical Biology, National Hellenic Research Foundation, 11635 Athens, Greece
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Pereira AR, Alemi M, Cerqueira-Nunes M, Monteiro C, Galhardo V, Cardoso-Cruz H. Dynamics of Lateral Habenula-Ventral Tegmental Area Microcircuit on Pain-Related Cognitive Dysfunctions. Neurol Int 2023; 15:1303-1319. [PMID: 37987455 PMCID: PMC10660716 DOI: 10.3390/neurolint15040082] [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: 09/19/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic pain is a health problem that affects the ability to work and perform other activities, and it generally worsens over time. Understanding the complex pain interaction with brain circuits could help predict which patients are at risk of developing central dysfunctions. Increasing evidence from preclinical and clinical studies suggests that aberrant activity of the lateral habenula (LHb) is associated with depressive symptoms characterized by excessive negative focus, leading to high-level cognitive dysfunctions. The primary output region of the LHb is the ventral tegmental area (VTA), through a bidirectional connection. Recently, there has been growing interest in the complex interactions between the LHb and VTA, particularly regarding their crucial roles in behavior regulation and their potential involvement in the pathological impact of chronic pain on cognitive functions. In this review, we briefly discuss the structural and functional roles of the LHb-VTA microcircuit and their impact on cognition and mood disorders in order to support future studies addressing brain plasticity during chronic pain conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Raquel Pereira
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde—Pain Neurobiology Group, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (A.R.P.); (M.A.); (M.C.-N.); (C.M.); (V.G.)
- Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- Departamento de Biomedicina—Unidade de Biologia Experimental, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, Rua Doutor Plácido da Costa, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal
| | - Mobina Alemi
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde—Pain Neurobiology Group, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (A.R.P.); (M.A.); (M.C.-N.); (C.M.); (V.G.)
- Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- Departamento de Biomedicina—Unidade de Biologia Experimental, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, Rua Doutor Plácido da Costa, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal
| | - Mariana Cerqueira-Nunes
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde—Pain Neurobiology Group, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (A.R.P.); (M.A.); (M.C.-N.); (C.M.); (V.G.)
- Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- Departamento de Biomedicina—Unidade de Biologia Experimental, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, Rua Doutor Plácido da Costa, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal
- Programa Doutoral em Neurociências, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, Rua Doutor Plácido da Costa, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal
| | - Clara Monteiro
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde—Pain Neurobiology Group, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (A.R.P.); (M.A.); (M.C.-N.); (C.M.); (V.G.)
- Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- Departamento de Biomedicina—Unidade de Biologia Experimental, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, Rua Doutor Plácido da Costa, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal
| | - Vasco Galhardo
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde—Pain Neurobiology Group, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (A.R.P.); (M.A.); (M.C.-N.); (C.M.); (V.G.)
- Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- Departamento de Biomedicina—Unidade de Biologia Experimental, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, Rua Doutor Plácido da Costa, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal
| | - Helder Cardoso-Cruz
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde—Pain Neurobiology Group, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (A.R.P.); (M.A.); (M.C.-N.); (C.M.); (V.G.)
- Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- Departamento de Biomedicina—Unidade de Biologia Experimental, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, Rua Doutor Plácido da Costa, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal
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9
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Flores-García M, Rizzo A, Garçon-Poca MZ, Fernández-Dueñas V, Bonaventura J. Converging circuits between pain and depression: the ventral tegmental area as a therapeutic hub. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1278023. [PMID: 37849731 PMCID: PMC10577189 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1278023] [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: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic pain and depression are highly prevalent pathologies and cause a major socioeconomic burden to society. Chronic pain affects the emotional state of the individuals suffering from it, while depression worsens the prognosis of chronic pain patients and may diminish the effectiveness of pain treatments. There is a high comorbidity rate between both pathologies, which might share overlapping mechanisms. This review explores the evidence pinpointing a role for the ventral tegmental area (VTA) as a hub where both pain and emotional processing might converge. In addition, the feasibility of using the VTA as a possible therapeutic target is discussed. The role of the VTA, and the dopaminergic system in general, is highly studied in mood disorders, especially in deficits in reward-processing and motivation. Conversely, the VTA is less regarded where it concerns the study of central mechanisms of pain and its mood-associated consequences. Here, we first outline the brain circuits involving central processing of pain and mood disorders, focusing on the often-understudied role of the dopaminergic system and the VTA. Next, we highlight the state-of-the-art findings supporting the emergence of the VTA as a link where both pathways converge. Thus, we envision a promising part for the VTA as a putative target for innovative therapeutic approaches to treat chronic pain and its effects on mood. Finally, we emphasize the urge to develop and use animal models where both pain and depression-like symptoms are considered in conjunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Montse Flores-García
- Unitat de Farmacologia, Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut, Institut de Neurociències, Universitat de Barcelona, L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Catalonia, Spain
- Neuropharmacology and Pain Group, Neuroscience Program, IDIBELL-Institut d’Investigació Biomèdica de Bellvitge, L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Arianna Rizzo
- Unitat de Farmacologia, Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut, Institut de Neurociències, Universitat de Barcelona, L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Catalonia, Spain
- Neuropharmacology and Pain Group, Neuroscience Program, IDIBELL-Institut d’Investigació Biomèdica de Bellvitge, L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Maria Zelai Garçon-Poca
- Unitat de Farmacologia, Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut, Institut de Neurociències, Universitat de Barcelona, L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Catalonia, Spain
- Neuropharmacology and Pain Group, Neuroscience Program, IDIBELL-Institut d’Investigació Biomèdica de Bellvitge, L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Víctor Fernández-Dueñas
- Unitat de Farmacologia, Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut, Institut de Neurociències, Universitat de Barcelona, L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Catalonia, Spain
- Neuropharmacology and Pain Group, Neuroscience Program, IDIBELL-Institut d’Investigació Biomèdica de Bellvitge, L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Jordi Bonaventura
- Unitat de Farmacologia, Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut, Institut de Neurociències, Universitat de Barcelona, L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Catalonia, Spain
- Neuropharmacology and Pain Group, Neuroscience Program, IDIBELL-Institut d’Investigació Biomèdica de Bellvitge, L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Catalonia, Spain
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10
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Wang J, Li Z, Tu Y, Gao F. The Dopaminergic System in the Ventral Tegmental Area Contributes to Morphine Analgesia and Tolerance. Neuroscience 2023; 527:74-83. [PMID: 37286162 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2023.05.026] [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: 09/26/2022] [Revised: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Morphine has a strong analgesic effect and is suitable for various types of pain, so it is widely used. But long-term usage of morphine can lead to drug tolerance, which limits its clinical application. The complex mechanisms underlying the development of morphine analgesia into tolerance involve multiple nuclei in the brain. Recent studies reveal the signaling at the cellular and molecular levels as well as neural circuits contributing to morphine analgesia and tolerance in the ventral tegmental area (VTA), which is traditionally considered a critical center of opioid reward and addiction. Existing studies show that dopamine receptors and μ-opioid receptors participate in morphine tolerance through the altered activities of dopaminergic and/or non-dopaminergic neurons in the VTA. Several neural circuits related to the VTA are also involved in the regulation of morphine analgesia and the development of drug tolerance. Reviewing specific cellular and molecular targets and related neural circuits may provide novel precautionary strategies for morphine tolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jihong Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Zheng Li
- Department of Anesthesiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Ye Tu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Feng Gao
- Department of Anesthesiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
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11
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Su N, Cai P, Dou Z, Yin X, Xu H, He J, Li Z, Li C. Brain nuclei and neural circuits in neuropathic pain and brain modulation mechanisms of acupuncture: a review on animal-based experimental research. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1243231. [PMID: 37712096 PMCID: PMC10498311 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1243231] [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: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuropathic pain (NP) is known to be associated with abnormal changes in specific brain regions, but the complex neural network behind it is vast and complex and lacks a systematic summary. With the help of various animal models of NP, a literature search on NP brain regions and circuits revealed that the related brain nuclei included the periaqueductal gray (PAG), lateral habenula (LHb), medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC); the related brain circuits included the PAG-LHb and mPFC-ACC. Moreover, acupuncture and injurious information can affect different brain regions and influence brain functions via multiple aspects to play an analgesic role and improve synaptic plasticity by regulating the morphology and structure of brain synapses and the expression of synapse-related proteins; maintain the balance of excitatory and inhibitory neurons by regulating the secretion of glutamate, γ-aminobutyric acid, 5-hydroxytryptamine, and other neurotransmitters and receptors in the brain tissues; inhibit the overactivation of glial cells and reduce the release of pro-inflammatory mediators such as interleukins to reduce neuroinflammation in brain regions; maintain homeostasis of glucose metabolism and regulate the metabolic connections in the brain; and play a role in analgesia through the mediation of signaling pathways and signal transduction molecules. These factors help to deepen the understanding of NP brain circuits and the brain mechanisms of acupuncture analgesia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na Su
- First Clinical Medicine College, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Pingping Cai
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Jinan, China
| | - Zhiqiang Dou
- College of Acupuncture and Moxibustion and Tuina, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Xiaoxue Yin
- Department of Science and Education, Shandong Academy of Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Hongmin Xu
- Department of Gynecology, Laiwu Hospital of Traditional Chinese, Jinan, China
| | - Jing He
- First Clinical Medicine College, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Zhaofeng Li
- College of Acupuncture and Moxibustion and Tuina, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
- International Office, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Changzhong Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shenzhen Hospital, Peking University, Shenzhen, China
- Department of Gynecology, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Jinan, China
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12
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Wang XY, Jia WB, Xu X, Chen R, Wang LB, Su XJ, Xu PF, Liu XQ, Wen J, Song XY, Liu YY, Zhang Z, Liu XF, Zhang Y. A glutamatergic DRN-VTA pathway modulates neuropathic pain and comorbid anhedonia-like behavior in mice. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5124. [PMID: 37612268 PMCID: PMC10447530 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40860-3] [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: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic pain causes both physical suffering and comorbid mental symptoms such as anhedonia. However, the neural circuits and molecular mechanisms underlying these maladaptive behaviors remain elusive. Here using a mouse model, we report a pathway from vesicular glutamate transporter 3 neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus to dopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VGluT3DRN→DAVTA) wherein population-level activity in response to innocuous mechanical stimuli and sucrose consumption is inhibited by chronic neuropathic pain. Mechanistically, neuropathic pain dampens VGluT3DRN → DAVTA glutamatergic transmission and DAVTA neural excitability. VGluT3DRN → DAVTA activation alleviates neuropathic pain and comorbid anhedonia-like behavior (CAB) by releasing glutamate, which subsequently promotes DA release in the nucleus accumbens medial shell (NAcMed) and produces analgesic and anti-anhedonia effects via D2 and D1 receptors, respectively. In addition, VGluT3DRN → DAVTA inhibition produces pain-like reflexive hypersensitivity and anhedonia-like behavior in intact mice. These findings reveal a crucial role for VGluT3DRN → DAVTA → D2/D1NAcMed pathway in establishing and modulating chronic pain and CAB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin-Yue Wang
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, 230001, Hefei, China
| | - Wen-Bin Jia
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, 230001, Hefei, China
| | - Xiang Xu
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, 230001, Hefei, China
| | - Rui Chen
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, 230001, Hefei, China
| | - Liang-Biao Wang
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, 230001, Hefei, China
| | - Xiao-Jing Su
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, 230001, Hefei, China
| | - Peng-Fei Xu
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, 230001, Hefei, China
| | - Xiao-Qing Liu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, 230027, Hefei, China
| | - Jie Wen
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, 230001, Hefei, China
| | - Xiao-Yuan Song
- Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, 230026, Hefei, China
| | - Yuan-Yuan Liu
- Somatosensation and Pain Unit, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Zhi Zhang
- Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, 230026, Hefei, China.
| | - Xin-Feng Liu
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, 230001, Hefei, China.
| | - Yan Zhang
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, 230001, Hefei, China.
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13
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Tanaka K, Kuzumaki N, Hamada Y, Suda Y, Mori T, Nagumo Y, Narita M. Elucidation of the mechanisms of exercise-induced hypoalgesia and pain prolongation due to physical stress and the restriction of movement. NEUROBIOLOGY OF PAIN (CAMBRIDGE, MASS.) 2023; 14:100133. [PMID: 37274841 PMCID: PMC10239008 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynpai.2023.100133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2023] [Revised: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Persistent pain signals cause brain dysfunction and can further prolong pain. In addition, the physical restriction of movement (e.g., by a cast) can cause stress and prolong pain. Recently, it has been recognized that exercise therapy including rehabilitation is effective for alleviating chronic pain. On the other hand, physical stress and the restriction of movement can prolong pain. In this review, we discuss the neural circuits involved in the control of pain prolongation and the mechanisms of exercise-induced hypoalgesia (EIH). We also discuss the importance of the mesolimbic dopaminergic network in these phenomena.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenichi Tanaka
- Department of Pharmacology, Hoshi University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-4-41 Ebara, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 142-8501, Japan
- Division of Cancer Pathophysiology, National Cancer Center Research Institute, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0045, Japan
| | - Naoko Kuzumaki
- Department of Pharmacology, Hoshi University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-4-41 Ebara, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 142-8501, Japan
- Division of Cancer Pathophysiology, National Cancer Center Research Institute, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0045, Japan
| | - Yusuke Hamada
- Department of Pharmacology, Hoshi University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-4-41 Ebara, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 142-8501, Japan
- Division of Cancer Pathophysiology, National Cancer Center Research Institute, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0045, Japan
| | - Yukari Suda
- Department of Pharmacology, Hoshi University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-4-41 Ebara, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 142-8501, Japan
- Division of Cancer Pathophysiology, National Cancer Center Research Institute, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0045, Japan
| | - Tomohisa Mori
- Department of Pharmacology, Hoshi University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-4-41 Ebara, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 142-8501, Japan
| | - Yasuyuki Nagumo
- Division of Cancer Pathophysiology, National Cancer Center Research Institute, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0045, Japan
| | - Minoru Narita
- Department of Pharmacology, Hoshi University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-4-41 Ebara, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 142-8501, Japan
- Division of Cancer Pathophysiology, National Cancer Center Research Institute, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0045, Japan
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14
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Yang L, Liu B, Zheng S, Xu L, Yao M. Understanding the initiation, delivery and processing of bone cancer pain from the peripheral to the central nervous system. Neuropharmacology 2023; 237:109641. [PMID: 37392821 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2023.109641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Revised: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/03/2023]
Abstract
Bone cancer pain is a complex condition characterized by persistent, sudden, spontaneous pain accompanied by hyperalgesia that typically arises from bone metastases or primary bone tumors, causing severe discomfort and significantly diminishing cancer patients' quality of life and confidence in their ability to overcome the disease. It is widely known that peripheral nerves are responsible for detecting harmful stimuli, which are then transmitted to the brain via the spinal cord, resulting in the perception of pain. In the case of bone cancer, tumors and stromal cells within the bone marrow release various chemical signals, including inflammatory factors, colony-stimulating factors, chemokines, and hydrogen ions. Consequently, the nociceptors located at the nerve endings within the bone marrow sense these chemical signals, generating electrical signals that are then transmitted to the brain through the spinal cord. Subsequently, the brain processes these electrical signals in a complex manner to create the sensation of bone cancer pain. Numerous studies have investigated the transmission of bone cancer pain from the periphery to the spinal cord. However, the processing of pain information induced by bone cancer within the brain remains unclear. With the continuous advancements in brain science and technology, the brain mechanism of bone cancer pain would become more clearly understood. Herein, we focus on summarizing the peripheral nerve perception of the spinal cord transmission of bone cancer pain and provide a brief overview of the ongoing research regarding the brain mechanisms involved in bone cancer pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Yang
- Department of Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, No. 1882 Zhong-Huan-Nan Road, Jiaxing, 314001, China
| | - Beibei Liu
- Department of Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, No. 1882 Zhong-Huan-Nan Road, Jiaxing, 314001, China
| | - Shang Zheng
- Department of Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, No. 1882 Zhong-Huan-Nan Road, Jiaxing, 314001, China
| | - Longsheng Xu
- Department of Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, No. 1882 Zhong-Huan-Nan Road, Jiaxing, 314001, China.
| | - Ming Yao
- Department of Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, No. 1882 Zhong-Huan-Nan Road, Jiaxing, 314001, China.
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15
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Barattini AE, Montanari C, Edwards KN, Edwards S, Gilpin NW, Pahng AR. Chronic inflammatory pain promotes place preference for fentanyl in male rats but does not change fentanyl self-administration in male and female rats. Neuropharmacology 2023; 231:109512. [PMID: 36948356 PMCID: PMC10786182 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2023.109512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2023]
Abstract
The current opioid epidemic is a national health crisis marked by skyrocketing reports of opioid misuse and overdose deaths. Despite the risks involved, prescription opioid analgesics are the most powerful and effective medications for treating pain. There is a clear need to investigate the risk of opioid misuse liability in male and female adults experiencing chronic pain. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that chronic inflammatory pain would increase fentanyl intake, motivation to acquire fentanyl, and drug seeking in the absence of fentanyl in rats. Fentanyl intake, motivation for fentanyl, and drug seeking were tested under limited and extended access conditions using intravenous fentanyl self-administration. Fos activity in ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine neurons following intravenous fentanyl challenge (35 μg/kg) was examined using immunohistochemistry. Finally, we tested whether low-dose fentanyl supports development of conditioned place preference under an inflammatory pain state in rats. Contrary to our hypothesis, fentanyl self-administration and VTA Fos activity were unaffected by inflammatory pain status. During acquisition, males exhibited increased fentanyl intake compared to females. Animals given extended access to fentanyl escalated fentanyl intake over time, while animals given limited access did not. Males given extended access to fentanyl demonstrated a greater increase in fentanyl intake over time compared to females. During the dose-response test, females given limited access to fentanyl demonstrated increased motivation to acquire fentanyl compared to males. Both sexes displayed significant increases in responding for fentanyl as unit fentanyl doses were lowered. Following fentanyl challenge, females exhibited higher numbers of Fos-positive non-dopaminergic VTA neurons compared to males. Using conditioned place preference, we found that chronic inflammatory pain promotes fentanyl preference in males, but not females. These findings suggest that established fentanyl self-administration is resistant to change by inflammatory pain manipulation in both sexes, but chronic inflammatory pain increases the rewarding properties of low-dose fentanyl in males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela E Barattini
- Department of Physiology, LSU Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, United States; Alcohol & Drug Abuse Center of Excellence, LSU Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, United States; Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System, New Orleans, LA, United States
| | - Christian Montanari
- Department of Physiology, LSU Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, United States; Alcohol & Drug Abuse Center of Excellence, LSU Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, United States; Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System, New Orleans, LA, United States
| | - Kimberly N Edwards
- Department of Physiology, LSU Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, United States; Alcohol & Drug Abuse Center of Excellence, LSU Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, United States
| | - Scott Edwards
- Department of Physiology, LSU Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, United States; Alcohol & Drug Abuse Center of Excellence, LSU Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, United States; Neuroscience Center of Excellence, LSU Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, United States; Comprehensive Alcohol-HIV/AIDS Research Center, LSU Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, United States
| | - Nicholas W Gilpin
- Department of Physiology, LSU Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, United States; Alcohol & Drug Abuse Center of Excellence, LSU Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, United States; Neuroscience Center of Excellence, LSU Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, United States; Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System, New Orleans, LA, United States
| | - Amanda R Pahng
- Department of Physiology, LSU Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, United States; Alcohol & Drug Abuse Center of Excellence, LSU Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, United States; Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System, New Orleans, LA, United States.
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16
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Jesús Trujillo M, Ilarraz C, Kasanetz F. Plasticity of cortico-striatal neurons of the caudal anterior cingulate cortex during experimental neuropathic pain. Neuroscience 2023:S0306-4522(23)00230-0. [PMID: 37236391 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2023.05.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Revised: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Maladaptive neuronal plasticity is a main mechanism for the development and maintenance of pathological pain. Affective, motivational and cognitive deficits that are comorbid with pain involve cellular and synaptic modifications in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), a major brain mediator of pain perception. Here we use a model of neuropathic pain (NP) in male mice and ex-vivo electrophysiology to investigate whether layer 5 caudal ACC (cACC) neurons projecting to the dorsomedial striatum (DMS), a critical region for motivational regulation of behavior, are involved in aberrant neuronal plasticity. We found that while the intrinsic excitability of cortico-striatal cACC neurons (cACC-CS) was preserved in NP animals, excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSP) induced after stimulation of distal inputs were enlarged. The highest synaptic responses were evident both after single stimuli and in each of the EPSP that compose responses to trains of stimuli, and were accompanied by increased synaptically-driven action potentials. EPSP temporal summation was intact in ACC-CS neurons from NP mice, suggesting that the plastic changes were not due to alterations in dendritic integration but rather through synaptic mechanisms. These results demonstrate for the first time that NP affects cACC neurons that project to the DMS and reinforce the notion that maladaptive plasticity of the cortico-striatal pathway may be a key factor in sustaining pathological pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Jesús Trujillo
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Departamento de Ciencias Fisiológicas, Grupo de Neurociencia de Sistemas, Buenos Aires, Argentina; CONICET - Universidad de Buenos Aires, Instituto de Fisiología y Biofísica Bernardo Houssay (IFIBIO Houssay), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Constanza Ilarraz
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Departamento de Ciencias Fisiológicas, Grupo de Neurociencia de Sistemas, Buenos Aires, Argentina; CONICET - Universidad de Buenos Aires, Instituto de Fisiología y Biofísica Bernardo Houssay (IFIBIO Houssay), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Fernando Kasanetz
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Departamento de Ciencias Fisiológicas, Grupo de Neurociencia de Sistemas, Buenos Aires, Argentina; CONICET - Universidad de Buenos Aires, Instituto de Fisiología y Biofísica Bernardo Houssay (IFIBIO Houssay), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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17
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He CB, Jin Y, Li Y, Zhang Q, Yang B, Xu M, Yang J, Yi XN, Dong YL, Wang J, Li YQ. Collateral projections from the ventral tegmental area/substantia nigra pars compacta to the nucleus accumbens and insular cortex in the rat. Anat Sci Int 2023:10.1007/s12565-023-00728-4. [PMID: 37160827 DOI: 10.1007/s12565-023-00728-4] [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: 12/03/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Midbrain dopaminergic (DAergic) regions including ventral tegmental area (VTA) and substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) are involved in diverse brain functions. Previous studies demonstrated that the VTA/SNc to nucleus accumbens (NAc) pathway is critical in reward and motivation. Moreover, DAergic innervations within the insular cortex (IC) are reported to play important roles in pain regulation. To investigate whether VTA/SNc sends collateral projections to NAc and IC, we injected retrograde tracer Fluoro-Gold (FG) into the NAc and Fluorescent retrograde tracer beads (RetroBeads) into the ipsilateral IC in rats. Then, to detect whether collateral projection neurons participate in neuropathic pain, parts of the rats received the spare nerve injury (SNI) surgery. The immunofluorescence staining results showed that FG, RetroBeads, and FG/RetroBeads double-labeled neurons were distributed in the VTA/SNc bilaterally with an ipsilateral predominance. The proportion of FG/RetroBeads double-labeled neurons to the total number of FG and RetroBeads-labeled neurons was 16.7% and 30.3%, respectively. About 90.3% of FG/RetroBeads double-labeled neurons showed DAergic neuron marker tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-immunoreactive (IR), whereas, only 7.5% exhibited a subset of GABAergic inhibitory projection neuron marker parvalbumin (PV)-IR. One week after SNI, about 53.1% and 33.6% of FG- and RetroBeads-labeled neurons were FG/Fos- and RetroBeads/Fos-IR neurons, respectively. Finally, about 35.9% of the FG/RetroBeads double-labeled neurons showed Fos-IR. The present study indicates that parts of DAergic and PV-IR GABAergic neurons in the VTA/SNc send collateral projections to both NAc and IC, which are activated under SNI-induced neuropathic pain, and probably contribute to the regulation of nociception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng-Bo He
- Department of Human Anatomy, Basic Medical College, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, 563006, China
- Department of Anatomy & K. K. Leung Brain Research Centre, Air Force Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China
| | - Yuan Jin
- Department of Human Anatomy, Basic Medical College, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, 563006, China
| | - Yan Li
- Department of Human Anatomy, Basic Medical College, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, 563006, China
| | - Qian Zhang
- Department of Human Anatomy, Basic Medical College, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, 563006, China
| | - Bai Yang
- Department of Anatomy & K. K. Leung Brain Research Centre, Air Force Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China
| | - Mang Xu
- Department of Anatomy, Basic Medical College, Dali University, Dali, 671000, China
| | - Juan Yang
- Key Laboratory of Brain Science Research and Transformation in Tropical Environment of Hainan Province, Haikou, 571199, China
| | - Xi-Nan Yi
- Key Laboratory of Brain Science Research and Transformation in Tropical Environment of Hainan Province, Haikou, 571199, China
| | - Yu-Lin Dong
- Department of Anatomy & K. K. Leung Brain Research Centre, Air Force Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China
| | - Jian Wang
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, General Hospital of Western Theater Command, Chengdu, 610083, China.
| | - Yun-Qing Li
- Department of Anatomy & K. K. Leung Brain Research Centre, Air Force Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China.
- Department of Anatomy, Basic Medical College, Dali University, Dali, 671000, China.
- Key Laboratory of Brain Science Research and Transformation in Tropical Environment of Hainan Province, Haikou, 571199, China.
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18
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Tanaka K, Kondo T, Narita M, Muta T, Yoshida S, Sato D, Suda Y, Hamada Y, Shimizu T, Kuzumaki N, Narita M. Cancer aggravation due to persistent pain signals with the increased expression of pain-related mediators in sensory neurons of tumor-bearing mice. Mol Brain 2023; 16:19. [PMID: 36737827 PMCID: PMC9896755 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-023-01001-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
A growing body of evidence suggests that intractable pain reduces both the quality of life and survival in cancer patients. In the present study, we evaluated whether chronic pain stimuli could directly affect cancer pathology using tumor-bearing mice. For this purpose, we used two different models of chronic pain in mice, neuropathic pain and persistent postsurgical pain, with Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) as tumor cells. We found that tumor growth was dramatically promoted in these pain models. As well as these pain models, tumor growth of LLC, severe osteosarcoma (AXT) and B16 melanoma cells was significantly promoted by concomitant activation of sensory neurons in AAV6-hM3Dq-injected mice treated with the designer drug clozapine-N-oxide (CNO). Significant increases in mRNA levels of vascular endothelial growth factor-A (Vegfa), tachykinin precursor 1 (Tac1) and calcitonin-related polypeptide alpha (Calca) in the ipsilateral side of dorsal root ganglion of AAV6-hM3Dq-injected mice were observed by concomitant activation of sensory neurons due to CNO administration. Moreover, in a model of bone cancer pain in which mice were implanted with AXT cells into the right femoral bone marrow cavity, the survival period was significantly prolonged by repeated inhibition of sensory neurons of AAV6-hM4Di-injected mice by CNO administration. These findings suggest that persistent pain signals may promote tumor growth by the increased expression of sensory-located peptides and growth factors, and controlling cancer pain may prolong cancer survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenichi Tanaka
- grid.412239.f0000 0004 1770 141XPresent Address: Department of Pharmacology, Hoshi University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-4-41 Ebara, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, 142-8501 Japan ,grid.272242.30000 0001 2168 5385Division of Cancer Pathophysiology, National Cancer Center Research Institute, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-0045 Japan
| | - Takashige Kondo
- grid.412239.f0000 0004 1770 141XPresent Address: Department of Pharmacology, Hoshi University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-4-41 Ebara, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, 142-8501 Japan
| | - Michiko Narita
- grid.272242.30000 0001 2168 5385Division of Cancer Pathophysiology, National Cancer Center Research Institute, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-0045 Japan
| | - Takeru Muta
- grid.412239.f0000 0004 1770 141XPresent Address: Department of Pharmacology, Hoshi University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-4-41 Ebara, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, 142-8501 Japan
| | - Sara Yoshida
- grid.412239.f0000 0004 1770 141XPresent Address: Department of Pharmacology, Hoshi University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-4-41 Ebara, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, 142-8501 Japan ,grid.272242.30000 0001 2168 5385Division of Cancer Pathophysiology, National Cancer Center Research Institute, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-0045 Japan
| | - Daisuke Sato
- grid.412239.f0000 0004 1770 141XPresent Address: Department of Pharmacology, Hoshi University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-4-41 Ebara, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, 142-8501 Japan
| | - Yukari Suda
- grid.412239.f0000 0004 1770 141XPresent Address: Department of Pharmacology, Hoshi University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-4-41 Ebara, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, 142-8501 Japan ,grid.272242.30000 0001 2168 5385Division of Cancer Pathophysiology, National Cancer Center Research Institute, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-0045 Japan
| | - Yusuke Hamada
- grid.412239.f0000 0004 1770 141XPresent Address: Department of Pharmacology, Hoshi University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-4-41 Ebara, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, 142-8501 Japan ,grid.272242.30000 0001 2168 5385Division of Cancer Pathophysiology, National Cancer Center Research Institute, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-0045 Japan
| | - Takatsune Shimizu
- grid.412239.f0000 0004 1770 141XDepartment of Pathophysiology, Hoshi University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-4-41 Ebara, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, 142-8501 Japan
| | - Naoko Kuzumaki
- Department of Pharmacology, Hoshi University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-4-41 Ebara, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, 142-8501, Japan. .,Division of Cancer Pathophysiology, National Cancer Center Research Institute, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-0045, Japan.
| | - Minoru Narita
- Department of Pharmacology, Hoshi University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-4-41 Ebara, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, 142-8501, Japan. .,Division of Cancer Pathophysiology, National Cancer Center Research Institute, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-0045, Japan.
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19
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Bryant S, Balouek JA, Geiger LT, Barker DJ, Peña CJ. Neuropathic pain as a trigger for histone modifications in limbic circuitry. GENES, BRAIN, AND BEHAVIOR 2023; 22:e12830. [PMID: 36412100 PMCID: PMC9994138 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Chronic pain involves both central and peripheral neuronal plasticity that encompasses changes in the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nociceptors. Within the forebrain, mesocorticolimbic regions associated with emotional regulation have recently been shown to exhibit lasting gene expression changes in models of chronic pain. To better understand how such enduring transcriptional changes might be regulated within brain structures associated with processing of pain or affect, we examined epigenetic modifications involved with active or permissive transcriptional states (histone H3 lysine 4 mono and trimethylation, and histone H3 lysine 27 acetylation) in periaqueductal gray (PAG), lateral hypothalamus (LH), nucleus accumbens (NAc), and ventral tegmental area (VTA) 5 weeks after sciatic nerve injury in mice to model chronic pain. For both male and female mice in chronic pain, we observed an overall trend for a reduction of these epigenetic markers in periaqueductal gray, LH, and NAc, but not VTA. Moreover, we discovered that some epigenetic modifications exhibited changes associated with pain history, while others were associated with individual differences in pain sensitivity. When taken together, these results suggest that nerve injury leads to chronic chromatin-mediated suppression of transcription in key limbic brain structures and circuits, which may underlie enduring changes in pain processing and sensitivity within these systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Svetlana Bryant
- Department of Psychology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Julie-Anne Balouek
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Luke T Geiger
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - David J Barker
- Department of Psychology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA.,Brain Health Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Catherine J Peña
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
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20
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Sakloth F, Sanchez-Reyes OB, Ruiz A, Nicolais A, Serafini RA, Pryce KD, Bertherat F, Torres-Berrío A, Gomes I, Devi LA, Wacker D, Zachariou V. A Regional and Projection-Specific Role of RGSz1 in the Ventrolateral Periaqueductal Grey in the Modulation of Morphine Reward. Mol Pharmacol 2023; 103:1-8. [PMID: 36310031 PMCID: PMC11033942 DOI: 10.1124/molpharm.122.000528] [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: 03/08/2022] [Revised: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Opioid analgesics exert their therapeutic and adverse effects by activating μ opioid receptors (MOPR); however, functional responses to MOPR activation are modulated by distinct signal transduction complexes within the brain. The ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (vlPAG) plays a critical role in modulation of nociception and analgesia, but the exact intracellular pathways associated with opioid responses in this region are not fully understood. We previously showed that knockout of the signal transduction modulator Regulator of G protein Signaling z1 (RGSz1) enhanced analgesic responses to opioids, whereas it decreased the rewarding efficacy of morphine. Here, we applied viral mediated gene transfer methodology and delivered adeno-associated virus (AAV) expressing Cre recombinase to the vlPAG of RGSz1fl\fl mice to demonstrate that downregulation of RGSz1 in this region decreases sensitivity to morphine in the place preference paradigm, under pain-free as well as neuropathic pain states. We also used retrograde viral vectors along with flippase-dependent Cre vectors to conditionally downregulate RGSz1 in vlPAG projections to the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and show that downregulation of RGSz1 prevents the development of place conditioning to low morphine doses. Consistent with the role for RGSz1 as a negative modulator of MOPR activity, RGSz1KO enhances opioid-induced cAMP inhibition in periaqueductal gray (PAG) membranes. Furthermore, using a new generation of bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) sensors, we demonstrate that RGSz1 modulates Gαz but not other Gαi family subunits and selectively impedes MOPR-mediated Gαz signaling events invoked by morphine and other opioids. Our work highlights a regional and circuit-specific role of the G protein-signaling modulator RGSz1 in morphine reward, providing insights on midbrain intracellular pathways that control addiction-related behaviors. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: This study used advanced genetic mouse models to highlight the role of the signal transduction modulator named RGSz1 in responses to clinically used opioid analgesics. We show that RGSz1 controls the rewarding efficacy of opioids by actions in ventrolateral periaqueductal gray projections to the ventral tegmental area, a key component of the midbrain dopamine pathway. These studies highlight novel mechanisms by which pain-modulating structures control the rewarding efficacy of opioids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farhana Sakloth
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute (F.S., A.R., A.N., R.A.S., K.D.P., F.B., A.T.-B., L.A.D., D.W., V.Z.) and Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York (O.B.S.R., I.G., L.A.D., D.W., V.Z.)
| | - Omar B Sanchez-Reyes
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute (F.S., A.R., A.N., R.A.S., K.D.P., F.B., A.T.-B., L.A.D., D.W., V.Z.) and Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York (O.B.S.R., I.G., L.A.D., D.W., V.Z.)
| | - Anne Ruiz
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute (F.S., A.R., A.N., R.A.S., K.D.P., F.B., A.T.-B., L.A.D., D.W., V.Z.) and Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York (O.B.S.R., I.G., L.A.D., D.W., V.Z.)
| | - Andrew Nicolais
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute (F.S., A.R., A.N., R.A.S., K.D.P., F.B., A.T.-B., L.A.D., D.W., V.Z.) and Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York (O.B.S.R., I.G., L.A.D., D.W., V.Z.)
| | - Randal A Serafini
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute (F.S., A.R., A.N., R.A.S., K.D.P., F.B., A.T.-B., L.A.D., D.W., V.Z.) and Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York (O.B.S.R., I.G., L.A.D., D.W., V.Z.)
| | - Kerri D Pryce
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute (F.S., A.R., A.N., R.A.S., K.D.P., F.B., A.T.-B., L.A.D., D.W., V.Z.) and Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York (O.B.S.R., I.G., L.A.D., D.W., V.Z.)
| | - Feodora Bertherat
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute (F.S., A.R., A.N., R.A.S., K.D.P., F.B., A.T.-B., L.A.D., D.W., V.Z.) and Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York (O.B.S.R., I.G., L.A.D., D.W., V.Z.)
| | - Angélica Torres-Berrío
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute (F.S., A.R., A.N., R.A.S., K.D.P., F.B., A.T.-B., L.A.D., D.W., V.Z.) and Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York (O.B.S.R., I.G., L.A.D., D.W., V.Z.)
| | - Ivone Gomes
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute (F.S., A.R., A.N., R.A.S., K.D.P., F.B., A.T.-B., L.A.D., D.W., V.Z.) and Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York (O.B.S.R., I.G., L.A.D., D.W., V.Z.)
| | - Lakshmi A Devi
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute (F.S., A.R., A.N., R.A.S., K.D.P., F.B., A.T.-B., L.A.D., D.W., V.Z.) and Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York (O.B.S.R., I.G., L.A.D., D.W., V.Z.)
| | - Daniel Wacker
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute (F.S., A.R., A.N., R.A.S., K.D.P., F.B., A.T.-B., L.A.D., D.W., V.Z.) and Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York (O.B.S.R., I.G., L.A.D., D.W., V.Z.)
| | - Venetia Zachariou
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute (F.S., A.R., A.N., R.A.S., K.D.P., F.B., A.T.-B., L.A.D., D.W., V.Z.) and Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York (O.B.S.R., I.G., L.A.D., D.W., V.Z.)
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21
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Manning CE, Fritz M, Kauer JA. Function of Excitatory Periaqueductal Gray Synapses in the Ventral Tegmental Area following Inflammatory Injury. eNeuro 2022; 9:ENEURO.0324-22.2022. [PMID: 36635253 PMCID: PMC9797208 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0324-22.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2022] [Revised: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Manipulating the activity of ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine (DA) neurons can drive nocifensive reflexes, and their firing rates are reduced following noxious stimuli. However, the pain-relevant inputs to the VTA remain incompletely understood. In this study, we used male and female mice in combination with identified dopamine and GABA neurons in the VTA that receive excitatory inputs from the periaqueductal gray (PAG), a nexus of ascending pain information. We tested whether PAG-VTA synapses undergo functional plasticity in response to a pain model using optical stimulation in conjunction with slice electrophysiology. We found that acute carrageenan inflammation does not significantly affect the strength of excitatory PAG synapses onto VTA DA neurons. However, at the PAG synapses on VTA GABA neurons, the subunit composition of NMDA receptors is altered; the complement of NR2D subunits at synaptic sites appears to be lost. Thus, our data support a model in which injury initially alters synapses on VTA GABA neurons. Over time, these alterations may increase tonic inhibition of VTA DA neurons leading to their reduced firing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Elena Manning
- Nancy Pritzker Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305-5101
| | - Michael Fritz
- Nancy Pritzker Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305-5101
| | - Julie Ann Kauer
- Nancy Pritzker Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305-5101
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22
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Guo F, Du Y, Qu FH, Lin SD, Chen Z, Zhang SH. Dissecting the Neural Circuitry for Pain Modulation and Chronic Pain: Insights from Optogenetics. Neurosci Bull 2022; 38:440-452. [PMID: 35249185 PMCID: PMC9068856 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-022-00835-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Pain is an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with, or resembling that associated with, actual or potential tissue damage. The processing of pain involves complicated modulation at the levels of the periphery, spinal cord, and brain. The pathogenesis of chronic pain is still not fully understood, which makes the clinical treatment challenging. Optogenetics, which combines optical and genetic technologies, can precisely intervene in the activity of specific groups of neurons and elements of the related circuits. Taking advantage of optogenetics, researchers have achieved a body of new findings that shed light on the cellular and circuit mechanisms of pain transmission, pain modulation, and chronic pain both in the periphery and the central nervous system. In this review, we summarize recent findings in pain research using optogenetic approaches and discuss their significance in understanding the pathogenesis of chronic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang Guo
- Department of Pharmacology and Department of Anesthesiology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Yu Du
- Department of Pharmacology and Department of Anesthesiology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Feng-Hui Qu
- Department of Pharmacology and Department of Anesthesiology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Shi-Da Lin
- Department of Pharmacology and Department of Anesthesiology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Zhong Chen
- Key Laboratory of Neuropharmacology and Translational Medicine of Zhejiang Province, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310053, China.
| | - Shi-Hong Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology and Department of Anesthesiology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
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23
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Current Understanding of the Neural Circuitry in the Comorbidity of Chronic Pain and Anxiety. Neural Plast 2022; 2022:4217593. [PMID: 35211169 PMCID: PMC8863453 DOI: 10.1155/2022/4217593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Revised: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic pain patients often develop mental disorders, and anxiety disorders are common. We hypothesize that the comorbid anxiety results from an imbalance between the reward and antireward system due to persistent pain, which leads to the dysfunction of the pain and anxiety regulatory system. In this review, we will focus on changes in neuroplasticity, especially in neural circuits, during chronic pain and anxiety as observed in animal studies. Several neural circuits within specific regions of the brain, including the nucleus accumbens, lateral habenular, parabrachial nucleus, medial septum, anterior cingulate cortex, amygdala, hippocampus, medial prefrontal cortex, and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, will be discussed based on novel findings after chemogenetic or optogenetic manipulation. We believe that these animal studies provide novel insights into human conditions and can guide clinical practice.
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24
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Benarroch E. What Are the Interactions Between the Midbrain Dopamine System in Pain? Neurology 2022; 98:274-278. [PMID: 35165154 DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000013253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
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25
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Pramipexole treatment attenuates mechanical hypersensitivity in male rats experiencing chronic inflammatory pain. Neuropharmacology 2022; 208:108976. [PMID: 35085583 PMCID: PMC10171400 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2022.108976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Revised: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Opioids are commonly prescribed for pain despite growing evidence of their low efficacy in the treatment of chronic inflammatory pain and the high potential for misuse. There is a clear need to investigate non-opioid alternatives for the treatment of pain. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that acute and repeated dopamine agonist treatment would attenuate mechanical hypersensitivity in male Long-Evans rats experiencing chronic inflammatory pain. We used two clinically available therapeutics, l-DOPA (precursor of dopamine biosynthesis) and pramipexole (dopamine D2/3 receptor agonist), to examine the functional role of dopamine signaling on mechanical hypersensitivity using an animal model of chronic inflammatory pain (complete Freund's adjuvant, CFA). We found that both acute and repeated pramipexole treatment attenuated hyperalgesia-like behavior in CFA-treated animals but exhibited no analgesic effects in control animals. In contrast, there was no effect of acute or repeated l-DOPA treatment on mechanical hypersensitivity in either CFA- or saline-treated animals. Notably, we discovered some extended effects of l-DOPA and pramipexole on decreasing pain-like behavior at three days and one week post-drug treatment. We also examined the effects of pramipexole treatment on glutamatergic and presynaptic signaling in pain- and reward-related brain regions including the nucleus accumbens (NAc), dorsal striatum (DS), ventral tegmental area (VTA), cingulate cortex (CC), central amygdala (CeA), and periaqueductal gray (PAG). We found that pramipexole treatment decreased AMPA receptor phosphorylation (pGluR1845) in the NAc and DS but increased pGluR1845 in the CC and CeA. A marker of presynaptic vesicle release, pSynapsin, was also increased in the DS, VTA, CC, CeA, and PAG following pramipexole treatment. Interestingly, pramipexole increased pSynapsin in the NAc of saline-treated animals, but not CFA-treated animals, suggesting blunted presynaptic vesicle release in the NAc of CFA-treated animals following pramipexole treatment. To examine the functional implications of impaired presynaptic signaling in the NAc of CFA animals, we used ex vivo electrophysiology to examine the effects of pramipexole treatment on the intrinsic excitability of NAc neurons in CFA- and saline-treated animals. We found that pramipexole treatment reduced NAc intrinsic excitability in saline-treated animals but produced no change in NAc intrinsic excitability in CFA-treated animals. These findings indicate alterations in dopamine D2/3 receptor signaling in the NAc of animals with a history of chronic pain in association with the anti-hyperalgesic effects of pramipexole treatment.
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26
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Sato D, Narita M, Hamada Y, Mori T, Tanaka K, Tamura H, Yamanaka A, Matsui R, Watanabe D, Suda Y, Senba E, Watanabe M, Navratilova E, Porreca F, Kuzumaki N, Narita M. Relief of neuropathic pain by cell-specific manipulation of nucleus accumbens dopamine D1- and D2-receptor-expressing neurons. Mol Brain 2022; 15:10. [PMID: 34991655 PMCID: PMC8740378 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-021-00896-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Emerging evidence suggests that the mesolimbic dopaminergic network plays a role in the modulation of pain. As chronic pain conditions are associated with hypodopaminergic tone in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), we evaluated the effects of increasing signaling at dopamine D1/D2-expressing neurons in the NAc neurons in a model of neuropathic pain induced by partial ligation of sciatic nerve. Bilateral microinjection of either the selective D1-receptor (Gs-coupled) agonist Chloro-APB or the selective D2-receptor (Gi-coupled) agonist quinpirole into the NAc partially reversed nerve injury-induced thermal allodynia. Either optical stimulation of D1-receptor-expressing neurons or optical suppression of D2-receptor-expressing neurons in both the inner and outer substructures of the NAc also transiently, but significantly, restored nerve injury-induced allodynia. Under neuropathic pain-like condition, specific facilitation of terminals of D1-receptor-expressing NAc neurons projecting to the VTA revealed a feedforward-like antinociceptive circuit. Additionally, functional suppression of cholinergic interneurons that negatively and positively control the activity of D1- and D2-receptor-expressing neurons, respectively, also transiently elicited anti-allodynic effects in nerve injured animals. These findings suggest that comprehensive activation of D1-receptor-expressing neurons and integrated suppression of D2-receptor-expressing neurons in the NAc may lead to a significant relief of neuropathic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daisuke Sato
- Department of Pharmacology, Hoshi University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-4-41 Ebara, Shinagawa-ku, 142-8501, Tokyo, Japan.,Division of Cancer Pathophysiology, National Cancer Center Research Institute (NCCRI), 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, 104-0045, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Michiko Narita
- Division of Cancer Pathophysiology, National Cancer Center Research Institute (NCCRI), 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, 104-0045, Tokyo, Japan.,Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, Institute of Medical science, Tokyo Medical University, 6-7-1 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, 160-0023, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yusuke Hamada
- Department of Pharmacology, Hoshi University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-4-41 Ebara, Shinagawa-ku, 142-8501, Tokyo, Japan.,Division of Cancer Pathophysiology, National Cancer Center Research Institute (NCCRI), 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, 104-0045, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tomohisa Mori
- Department of Pharmacology, Hoshi University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-4-41 Ebara, Shinagawa-ku, 142-8501, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kenichi Tanaka
- Department of Pharmacology, Hoshi University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-4-41 Ebara, Shinagawa-ku, 142-8501, Tokyo, Japan.,Division of Cancer Pathophysiology, National Cancer Center Research Institute (NCCRI), 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, 104-0045, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hideki Tamura
- Institute for Advanced Life Sciences, Hoshi University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-4-41 Ebara, Shinagawa-ku, 142-0063, Tokyo, Japan.,Laboratory of Biofunctional Science, Hoshi University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-4-41 Ebara, Shinagawa-ku, 142-0063, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Akihiro Yamanaka
- Department of Neuroscience II, Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, 464-8601, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Ryosuke Matsui
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate school of Medicine, Kyoto University, Yoshida, Sakyo-ku, 606-8501, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Dai Watanabe
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate school of Medicine, Kyoto University, Yoshida, Sakyo-ku, 606-8501, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Yukari Suda
- Department of Pharmacology, Hoshi University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-4-41 Ebara, Shinagawa-ku, 142-8501, Tokyo, Japan.,Division of Cancer Pathophysiology, National Cancer Center Research Institute (NCCRI), 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, 104-0045, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Emiko Senba
- Department of Physical Therapy, Osaka Yukioka College of Health Science, 1-1-41 Sojiji, Ibaraki-City, 567-0801, Osaka, Japan.,Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Wakayama Medical University, 811-1 Kimiidera,Wakayama City, 641-8509, Wakayama, Japan
| | - Moe Watanabe
- Department of Pharmacology, Arizona Health Sciences Center, University of Arizona, 1501 N. Campbell Avenue, 85724, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Edita Navratilova
- Department of Pharmacology, Arizona Health Sciences Center, University of Arizona, 1501 N. Campbell Avenue, 85724, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Frank Porreca
- Department of Pharmacology, Arizona Health Sciences Center, University of Arizona, 1501 N. Campbell Avenue, 85724, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Naoko Kuzumaki
- Department of Pharmacology, Hoshi University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-4-41 Ebara, Shinagawa-ku, 142-8501, Tokyo, Japan. .,Division of Cancer Pathophysiology, National Cancer Center Research Institute (NCCRI), 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, 104-0045, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Minoru Narita
- Department of Pharmacology, Hoshi University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-4-41 Ebara, Shinagawa-ku, 142-8501, Tokyo, Japan. .,Division of Cancer Pathophysiology, National Cancer Center Research Institute (NCCRI), 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, 104-0045, Tokyo, Japan.
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The Role of Mesostriatal Dopamine System and Corticostriatal Glutamatergic Transmission in Chronic Pain. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11101311. [PMID: 34679376 PMCID: PMC8533867 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11101311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2021] [Revised: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
There is increasing recognition of the involvement of the nigrostriatal and mesolimbic dopamine systems in the modulation of chronic pain. The first part of the present article reviews the evidence indicating that dopamine exerts analgesic effects during persistent pain by stimulating the D2 receptors in the dorsal striatum and nucleus accumbens (NAc). Thereby, dopamine inhibits striatal output via the D2 receptor-expressing medium spiny neurons (D2-MSN). Dopaminergic neurotransmission in the mesostriatal pathways is hampered in chronic pain states and this alteration maintains and exacerbates pain. The second part of this article focuses on the glutamatergic inputs from the medial prefrontal cortex to the NAc, their activity changes in chronic pain, and their role in pain modulation. Finally, interactions between dopaminergic and glutamatergic inputs to the D2-MSN are considered in the context of persistent pain. Studies using novel techniques indicate that pain is regulated oppositely by two independent dopaminergic circuits linking separate parts of the ventral tegmental area and of the NAc, which also interact with distinct regions of the medial prefrontal cortex.
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Ghasemzadeh Z, Seddighfar M, Alijanpour S, Rezayof A. Ventral tegmental area serotonin 5-HT 1A receptors and corticolimbic cFos/BDNF/GFAP signaling pathways mediate dextromethorphan/morphine anti-allodynia. Physiol Behav 2021; 239:113522. [PMID: 34242672 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2021.113522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Revised: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
AIMS The present study examined the role of ventral tegmental area (VTA) serotonergic 5HT1A receptors in dextromethorphan/morphine-induced anti-allodynia and the possible changes of corticolimbic cFos, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) following the treatments. MATERIALS AND METHODS The VTA cannulation and the chronic constriction of the sciatic nerve were performed in male Wistar rats. Flexion withdrawal thresholds to mechanical stimulation in the hind-limb were determined using von Frey hairs. The expressions of cFos, BDNF, and GFAP were evaluated using the Western blotting technique. KEY FINDINGS BDNF (in the hippocampus), and GFAP (in the targeted sites) levels were increased following neuropathic pain. Morphine administration induced an anti-allodynic effect with a decrease in the amygdala BDNF level. Dextromethorphan/morphine-induced anti-allodynia was accompanied by the decrease of hippocampus/amygdala/PFC GFAP and amygdala cFos expressions. The PFC BDNF expression level was increased in dextromethorphan/morphine-treated rats. Intra-VTA microinjection of (S)-WAY100135 (1 µg/rat), a selective 5-HT1A receptor antagonist, inhibited the anti-allodynic effect of dextromethorphan/morphine. This treatment increased the cFos level in the hippocampus and the amygdala while decreased the PFC level of cFos. The hippocampal BDNF expression was significantly increased, while the amygdala and the PFC expressions of BDNF were decreased under treatment. (S)-WAY100135 plus dextromethorphan/morphine increased the hippocampal/amygdala and PFC levels of GFAP. SIGNIFICANCE These findings indicate that dextromethorphan could potentiate the analgesic effect of morphine via the implication of the VTA serotonin 5-HT1A receptors. It seems that the changes in the corticolimbic cFos/BDNF/GFAP signaling pathway may be involved in the observed anti-allodynic effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Ghasemzadeh
- Department of Animal Biology, School of Biology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Masoud Seddighfar
- Department of Animal Biology, School of Biology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sakineh Alijanpour
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Gonbad Kavous University, Gonbad Kavous, Iran
| | - Ameneh Rezayof
- Department of Animal Biology, School of Biology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
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Fu J, Mu G, Qiu L, Zhao J, Ou C. c-Abl-p38 α signaling pathway mediates dopamine neuron loss in trigeminal neuralgia. Mol Pain 2021; 16:1744806920930855. [PMID: 32498644 PMCID: PMC7278317 DOI: 10.1177/1744806920930855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Trigeminal neuralgia is a common neuropathic pain in the head and face. The pathogenesis of trigeminal neuralgia is complex, and so far, the pathogenesis of trigeminal neuralgia involving peripheral and central nervous inflammation theory has not been explained clearly. The loss of dopamine neurons in striatum may play an important role in the development of trigeminal nerve, but the reason is not clear. C-Abl is a nonreceptor tyrosine kinase, which can be activated abnormally in the environment of neuroinflammation and cause neuron death. We found that in the rat model of infraorbital nerve ligation trigeminal neuralgia, the pain threshold decreased, the expression of c-Abl increased significantly, the downstream activation product p38 was also activated abnormally and the loss of dopamine neurons in striatum increased. When treated with imatinib mesylate (STI571), a specific c-Abl family kinase inhibitor, the p38 expression was decreased and the loss of dopaminergic neurons was reduced. The mechanical pain threshold of rats was also improved. In conclusion, c-abl-p38 signaling pathway may play an important role in the pathogenesis of trigeminal neuralgia, and it is one of the potential targets for the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Fu
- Department of Pain, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Guo Mu
- Department of Pain, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Ling Qiu
- Department of Pain, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Jiaomei Zhao
- Department of Pain, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Cehua Ou
- Department of Pain, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.,Laboratory of Anesthesiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
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KCNQ Channels in the Mesolimbic Reward Circuit Regulate Nociception in Chronic Pain in Mice. Neurosci Bull 2021; 37:597-610. [PMID: 33900570 PMCID: PMC8099961 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-021-00668-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Mesocorticolimbic dopaminergic (DA) neurons have been implicated in regulating nociception in chronic pain, yet the mechanisms are barely understood. Here, we found that chronic constructive injury (CCI) in mice increased the firing activity and decreased the KCNQ channel-mediated M-currents in ventral tegmental area (VTA) DA neurons projecting to the nucleus accumbens (NAc). Chemogenetic inhibition of the VTA-to-NAc DA neurons alleviated CCI-induced thermal nociception. Opposite changes in the firing activity and M-currents were recorded in VTA DA neurons projecting to the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) but did not affect nociception. In addition, intra-VTA injection of retigabine, a KCNQ opener, while reversing the changes of the VTA-to-NAc DA neurons, alleviated CCI-induced nociception, and this was abolished by injecting exogenous BDNF into the NAc. Taken together, these findings highlight a vital role of KCNQ channel-mediated modulation of mesolimbic DA activity in regulating thermal nociception in the chronic pain state.
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Ferrari LF, Pei J, Zickella M, Rey C, Zickella J, Ramirez A, Taylor NE. D2 Receptors in the Periaqueductal Gray/Dorsal Raphe Modulate Peripheral Inflammatory Hyperalgesia via the Rostral Ventral Medulla. Neuroscience 2021; 463:159-173. [PMID: 33826955 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2021.03.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2020] [Revised: 03/24/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Dopamine neurons in the periaqueductal gray (PAG)/dorsal raphe are key modulators of antinociception with known supraspinal targets. However, no study has directly tested whether these neurons contribute to descending pain inhibition. We hypothesized that PAG dopamine neurons contribute to the analgesic effect of D-amphetamine via a mechanism that involves descending modulation via the rostral ventral medulla (RVM). Male C57BL/6 mice showed increased c-FOS expression in PAG dopamine neurons and a significant increase in paw withdrawal latency to thermal stimulation after receiving a systemic injection of D-amphetamine. Targeted microinfusion of D-amphetamine, L-DOPA, or the selective D2 agonist quinpirole into the PAG produced analgesia, while a D1 agonist, chloro APB, had no effect. In addition, inhibition of D2 receptors in the PAG by eticlopride prevented the systemic D-amphetamine analgesic effect. D-amphetamine and PAG D2 receptor-mediated analgesia were inhibited by intra-RVM injection of lidocaine or the GABAA receptor agonist muscimol, indicating a PAG-RVM signaling pathway in this model of analgesia. Finally, both systemic D-amphetamine and local PAG microinjection of quinpirole, inhibited inflammatory hyperalgesia induced by carrageenan. This hyperalgesia was transiently restored by intra-PAG injection of eticlopride, as well as RVM microinjection of muscimol. We conclude that D-amphetamine analgesia is partially mediated by descending inhibition and that D2 receptors in the PAG are responsible for this effect via modulating neurons that project to the RVM. These results further our understanding of the antinociceptive effects of dopamine and elucidate a mechanism by which clinically available dopamine modulators produce analgesia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luiz F Ferrari
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Utah School of Medicine, 30 N 1900 E, RM 3C444 SOM, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, United States.
| | - JunZhu Pei
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Florida International University, United States.
| | - Michael Zickella
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Utah School of Medicine, 30 N 1900 E, RM 3C444 SOM, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, United States
| | - Charles Rey
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Utah School of Medicine, 30 N 1900 E, RM 3C444 SOM, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, United States
| | - Jacqueline Zickella
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Utah School of Medicine, 30 N 1900 E, RM 3C444 SOM, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, United States
| | - Anna Ramirez
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Utah School of Medicine, 30 N 1900 E, RM 3C444 SOM, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, United States.
| | - Norman E Taylor
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Utah School of Medicine, 30 N 1900 E, RM 3C444 SOM, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, United States.
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The Distinct Functions of Dopaminergic Receptors on Pain Modulation: A Narrative Review. Neural Plast 2021; 2021:6682275. [PMID: 33688340 PMCID: PMC7920737 DOI: 10.1155/2021/6682275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Revised: 02/06/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic pain is considered an economic burden on society as it often results in disability, job loss, and early retirement. Opioids are the most common analgesics prescribed for the management of moderate to severe pain. However, chronic exposure to these drugs can result in opioid tolerance and opioid-induced hyperalgesia. On pain modulation strategies, exploiting the multitarget drugs with the ability of the superadditive or synergistic interactions attracts more attention. In the present report, we have reviewed the analgesic effects of different dopamine receptors, particularly D1 and D2 receptors, in different regions of the central nervous system, including the spinal cord, striatum, nucleus accumbens (NAc), and periaqueductal gray (PAG). According to the evidence, these regions are not only involved in pain modulation but also express a high density of DA receptors. The findings can be categorized as follows: (1) D2-like receptors may exert a higher analgesic potency, but D1-like receptors act in different manners across several mechanisms in the mentioned regions; (2) in the spinal cord and striatum, antinociception of DA is mainly mediated by D2-like receptors, while in the NAc and PAG, both D1- and D2-like receptors are involved as analgesic targets; and (3) D2-like receptor agonists can act as adjuvants of μ-opioid receptor agonists to potentiate analgesic effects and provide a better approach to pain relief.
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Setsu T, Hamada Y, Oikawa D, Mori T, Ishiuji Y, Sato D, Narita M, Miyazaki S, Furuta E, Suda Y, Sakai H, Ochiya T, Tezuka H, Iseki M, Inada E, Yamanaka A, Kuzumaki N, Narita M. Direct evidence that the brain reward system is involved in the control of scratching behaviors induced by acute and chronic itch. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2020; 534:624-631. [PMID: 33220930 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2020.11.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
In the present study, we demonstrated that there is a direct relationship between scratching behaviors induced by itch and functional changes in the brain reward system. Using a conditional place preference test, the rewarding effect was clearly evoked by scratching under both acute and chronic itch stimuli. The induction of ΔFosB, a member of the Fos family of transcription factors, was observed in dopamine transporter (DAT)-positive dopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) of mice suffering from a chronic itch sensation. Based on a cellular analysis of scratching-activated neurons, these neurons highly expressed tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and DAT genes in the VTA. Furthermore, in an in vivo microdialysis study, the levels of extracellular dopamine in the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) were significantly increased by transient scratching behaviors. To specifically suppress the mesolimbic dopaminergic pathway using pharmacogenetics, we used the TH-cre/hM4Di mice. Pharmacogenetic suppression of mesolimbic dopaminergic neurons significantly decreased scratching behaviors. Under the itch condition with scratching behaviors restricted by an Elizabethan collar, the induction of ΔFosB was found mostly in corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH)-containing neurons of the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN). These findings suggest that repetitive abnormal scratching behaviors under acute and chronic itch stimuli may activate mesolimbic dopamine neurons along with pleasant emotions, while the restriction of such scratching behaviors may initially induce the activation of PVN-CRH neurons associated with stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takao Setsu
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Pharmacology, Hoshi University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yusuke Hamada
- Department of Pharmacology, Hoshi University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokyo, Japan; Division of Cancer Pathophysiology, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Daisuke Oikawa
- Department of Pharmacology, Hoshi University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tomohisa Mori
- Department of Pharmacology, Hoshi University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yozo Ishiuji
- Department of Dermatology, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Daisuke Sato
- Department of Pharmacology, Hoshi University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Michiko Narita
- Division of Cancer Pathophysiology, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shogo Miyazaki
- Department of Pharmacology, Hoshi University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Eri Furuta
- Department of Pharmacology, Hoshi University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yukari Suda
- Department of Pharmacology, Hoshi University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokyo, Japan; Division of Cancer Pathophysiology, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroyasu Sakai
- Department of Biomolecular Pharmacology, Hoshi University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takahiro Ochiya
- Department of Pharmacology, Hoshi University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Tezuka
- Department of Cellular Function Analysis, Research Promotion and Support Headquarters, Fujita Health University, Aichi, Japan
| | - Masako Iseki
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Eiichi Inada
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Akihiro Yamanaka
- Department of Neuroscience II, Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Nagoya University, Aichi, Japan
| | - Naoko Kuzumaki
- Department of Pharmacology, Hoshi University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Minoru Narita
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Pharmacology, Hoshi University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokyo, Japan; Division of Cancer Pathophysiology, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan.
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Vergara F, Sardi NF, Pescador AC, Guaita GO, Jark Stern CA, Chichorro JG, Fischer L. Contribution of mesolimbic dopamine and kappa opioid systems to the transition from acute to chronic pain. Neuropharmacology 2020; 178:108226. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2020.108226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Revised: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 06/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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Abstract
A recently defined structure, the rostromedial tegmental nucleus (RMTg; aka tail of the ventral tegmental area [VTA]), has been proposed as an inhibitory control center for dopaminergic activity of the VTA. This region is composed of GABAergic cells that send afferent projections to the ventral midbrain and synapse onto dopaminergic cells in the VTA and substantia nigra. These cells exhibit µ-opioid receptor immunoreactivity, and in vivo, ex vivo, and optogenetic/electrophysiological approaches demonstrate that morphine excites dopamine neurons by targeting receptors on GABAergic neurons localized in the RMTg. This suggests that the RMTg may be a key modulator of opioid effects and a major brake regulating VTA dopamine systems. However, no study has directly manipulated RMTg GABAergic neurons in vivo and assessed the effect on nociception or opioid analgesia. In this study, multiplexing of GABAergic neurons in the RMTg was achieved using stimulatory Designer Receptors Exclusively Activated by Designer Drugs (DREADDs) and inhibitory kappa-opioid receptor DREADDs (KORD). Our data show that locally infused RMTg morphine or selective RMTg GABAergic neuron inhibition produces 87% of the maximal antinociceptive effect of systemic morphine, and RMTg GABAergic neurons modulate dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens. In addition, chemoactivation of VTA dopamine neurons significantly reduced pain behaviors both in resting and facilitated pain states and reduced by 75% the dose of systemic morphine required to produce maximal antinociception. These results provide compelling evidence that RMTg GABAergic neurons are involved in processing of nociceptive information and are important mediators of opioid analgesia.
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SIRT1 Mediates Neuropathic Pain Induced by Sciatic Nerve Chronic Constrictive Injury in the VTA-NAc Pathway. Pain Res Manag 2020; 2020:4245968. [PMID: 32922581 PMCID: PMC7453274 DOI: 10.1155/2020/4245968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2020] [Revised: 06/12/2020] [Accepted: 07/01/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Background Mounting evidence has shown that sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), a class III histone deacetylase, alleviated several types of neuropathic pain in the spinal cord and dorsal root ganglion and regulated some aberrant behaviors in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and the nucleus accumbens (NAc). Methods In this context, the effect of SIRT1 on neuropathic pain in the VTA-NAc pathway was investigated in the model of chronic constrictive injury (CCI). Results SIRT1 was localized in the VTA neurons in naive mice. The expression of SIRT1 was decreased in the contralateral VTA of CCI mice. After microinjection of SRT1720 (an activator of SIRT1) in the contralateral VTA of CCI mice, the established thermal hyperalgesia was attenuated. However, it was further exacerbated by EX-527 (an inhibitor of SIRT1). The elevated level of acetyl-histone 3 was reduced by SRT1720 but further elevated by EX-527 in the contralateral VTA of CCI mice. The increased expression of Fos in both VTA and NAc was downregulated by SRT1720 but further upregulated by EX-527 in CCI mice. Conclusions The discovery of the effect of SIRT1 on neuropathic pain in the VTA represents an important step forward in understanding the analgesic mechanisms of the VTA-NAc pathway.
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Matini T, Haghparast A, Rezaee L, Salehi S, Tehranchi A, Haghparast A. Role of Dopaminergic Receptors Within the Ventral Tegmental Area in Antinociception Induced by Chemical Stimulation of the Lateral Hypothalamus in an Animal Model of Orofacial Pain. J Pain Res 2020; 13:1449-1460. [PMID: 32606911 PMCID: PMC7304680 DOI: 10.2147/jpr.s255250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2020] [Accepted: 06/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction The ventral tegmental area (VTA), as one of the classical components of the brain reward circuitry, shares large neural networks with the pain processing system. We previously showed the role of VTA dopamine receptors in modulation of lateral hypothalamus (LH)-induced antinociception in acute pain conditions. However, considering the fact that the neural systems involved in the mediation of tonic pain are not the same as those that mediate phasic pain. In the present study, we aimed to examine the role of intra-VTA dopamine receptors in LH-induced antinociceptive responses during tonic orofacial pain conditions. Methods Male Wistar rats weighing 230-250 g were implanted with two separate cannulae into the LH and VTA on the same side. Different solutions of carbachol (62.5, 125 and 250 nM), as a non-selective cholinergic receptor agonist that activates the LH projecting neurons, were microinjected into the LH. In the other groups, D1-like dopamine receptor antagonist, SCH-23390 (0.25, 1 and 4 µg/03 µL saline) or D2-like dopamine receptor antagonist, Sulpiride (0.25, 1 and 4 µg/0.3 µL DMSO 12%) were microinjected into VTA, 5 min prior intra-LH carbachol (250 nM), then subjected to orofacial formalin test. Intra-LH carbachol microinjection dose-dependently attenuated biphasic orofacial pain. Results Intra-VTA administration of SCH-23390 or Sulpiride dose-dependently decreased intra-LH carbachol-induced antinociception during both phases of orofacial formalin test with further effects in the late phase. Discussion The findings suggest that chemical stimulation of the LH by carbachol possibly activates the orexin projecting neurons and subsequently, the VTA dopaminergic neurons involved in the orofacial pain modulation. Detecting such neural circuitry offers an alternative approach in the development of more efficient therapies for such debilitating pain conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tina Matini
- School of Dentistry, International Branch of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Amir Haghparast
- School of Dentistry, International Branch of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Laleh Rezaee
- Neuroscience Research Center, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sakineh Salehi
- Neuroscience Research Center, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Department of Medicine, Ardabil Medical Sciences Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ardabil, Iran
| | - Azita Tehranchi
- Dental Research Center, Research Institute of Dental Sciences, Dental School, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Abbas Haghparast
- Neuroscience Research Center, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Kuner R, Kuner T. Cellular Circuits in the Brain and Their Modulation in Acute and Chronic Pain. Physiol Rev 2020; 101:213-258. [PMID: 32525759 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00040.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 149] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic, pathological pain remains a global health problem and a challenge to basic and clinical sciences. A major obstacle to preventing, treating, or reverting chronic pain has been that the nature of neural circuits underlying the diverse components of the complex, multidimensional experience of pain is not well understood. Moreover, chronic pain involves diverse maladaptive plasticity processes, which have not been decoded mechanistically in terms of involvement of specific circuits and cause-effect relationships. This review aims to discuss recent advances in our understanding of circuit connectivity in the mammalian brain at the level of regional contributions and specific cell types in acute and chronic pain. A major focus is placed on functional dissection of sub-neocortical brain circuits using optogenetics, chemogenetics, and imaging technological tools in rodent models with a view towards decoding sensory, affective, and motivational-cognitive dimensions of pain. The review summarizes recent breakthroughs and insights on structure-function properties in nociceptive circuits and higher order sub-neocortical modulatory circuits involved in aversion, learning, reward, and mood and their modulation by endogenous GABAergic inhibition, noradrenergic, cholinergic, dopaminergic, serotonergic, and peptidergic pathways. The knowledge of neural circuits and their dynamic regulation via functional and structural plasticity will be beneficial towards designing and improving targeted therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rohini Kuner
- Institute of Pharmacology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany; and Department of Functional Neuroanatomy, Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Thomas Kuner
- Institute of Pharmacology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany; and Department of Functional Neuroanatomy, Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
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Sugiyama E, Skelly AN, Suematsu M, Sugiura Y. In situ imaging of monoamine localization and dynamics. Pharmacol Ther 2020; 208:107478. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2020.107478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2018] [Accepted: 11/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
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Xu X, Mee T, Jia X. New era of optogenetics: from the central to peripheral nervous system. Crit Rev Biochem Mol Biol 2020; 55:1-16. [PMID: 32070147 DOI: 10.1080/10409238.2020.1726279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Optogenetics has recently gained recognition as a biological technique to control the activity of cells using light stimulation. Many studies have applied optogenetics to cell lines in the central nervous system because it has the potential to elucidate neural circuits, treat neurological diseases and promote nerve regeneration. There have been fewer studies on the application of optogenetics in the peripheral nervous system. This review introduces the basic principles and approaches of optogenetics and summarizes the physiology and mechanism of opsins and how the technology enables bidirectional control of unique cell lines with superior spatial and temporal accuracy. Further, this review explores and discusses the therapeutic potential for the development of optogenetics and its capacity to revolutionize treatment for refractory epilepsy, depression, pain, and other nervous system disorders, with a focus on neural regeneration, especially in the peripheral nervous system. Additionally, this review synthesizes the latest preclinical research on optogenetic stimulation, including studies on non-human primates, summarizes the challenges, and highlights future perspectives. The potential of optogenetic stimulation to optimize therapy for peripheral nerve injuries (PNIs) is also highlighted. Optogenetic technology has already generated exciting, preliminary evidence, supporting its role in applications to several neurological diseases, including PNIs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Xu
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Thomas Mee
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Xiaofeng Jia
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Department of Orthopedics, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Regional Hyperexcitability and Chronic Neuropathic Pain Following Spinal Cord Injury. Cell Mol Neurobiol 2020; 40:861-878. [PMID: 31955281 DOI: 10.1007/s10571-020-00785-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2019] [Accepted: 01/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Spinal cord injury (SCI) causes maladaptive changes to nociceptive synaptic circuits within the injured spinal cord. Changes also occur at remote regions including the brain stem, limbic system, cortex, and dorsal root ganglia. These maladaptive nociceptive synaptic circuits frequently cause neuronal hyperexcitability in the entire nervous system and enhance nociceptive transmission, resulting in chronic central neuropathic pain following SCI. The underlying mechanism of chronic neuropathic pain depends on the neuroanatomical structures and electrochemical communication between pre- and postsynaptic neuronal membranes, and propagation of synaptic transmission in the ascending pain pathways. In the nervous system, neurons are the only cell type that transmits nociceptive signals from peripheral receptors to supraspinal systems due to their neuroanatomical and electrophysiological properties. However, the entire range of nociceptive signaling is not mediated by any single neuron. Current literature describes regional studies of electrophysiological or neurochemical mechanisms for enhanced nociceptive transmission post-SCI, but few studies report the electrophysiological, neurochemical, and neuroanatomical changes across the entire nervous system following a regional SCI. We, along with others, have continuously described the enhanced nociceptive transmission in the spinal dorsal horn, brain stem, thalamus, and cortex in SCI-induced chronic central neuropathic pain condition, respectively. Thus, this review summarizes the current understanding of SCI-induced neuronal hyperexcitability and maladaptive nociceptive transmission in the entire nervous system that contributes to chronic central neuropathic pain.
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Lab-Scale Production of Recombinant Adeno-Associated Viruses (AAV) for Expression of Optogenetic Elements. Methods Mol Biol 2020; 2173:83-100. [PMID: 32651911 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-0755-8_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Optogenetics, that is, the use of photoswitchable/-activatable moieties to precisely control or monitor the activity of cells and genes at unprecedented spatiotemporal resolution, holds tremendous promise for a wide array of applications in fundamental and clinical research. To fully realize and harness this potential, the availability of gene transfer vehicles ("vectors") that are easily produced and that allow to deliver the essential components to desired target cells in an efficient manner is key. For in vivo applications, it is, moreover, important that these vectors exhibit a high degree of cell specificity in order to reduce the risk of adverse side effects in off-targets and to minimize manufacturing costs. Here, we describe a set of basic protocols for the cloning, production, purification, and quality control of a particular vector that can fulfill all these requirements, that is, recombinant adeno-associated viruses (AAV). The latter are very attractive owing to their apathogenicity, their compatibility with the lowest biosafety level 1 conditions, their occurrence in multiple natural variants with distinct properties, and their exceptional amenability to engineering of the viral capsid and genome. The specific procedures reported here complement alternative protocols for AAV production described by others and us before, and, together, should enable any laboratory to generate these vectors on a small-to-medium scale for ex vivo or in vivo expression of optogenetic elements.
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Grenier P, Mailhiot MC, Cahill CM, Olmstead MC. Blockade of dopamine D1 receptors in male rats disrupts morphine reward in pain naïve but not in chronic pain states. J Neurosci Res 2019; 100:297-308. [PMID: 31721270 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2019] [Revised: 10/18/2019] [Accepted: 10/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The rewarding effect of opiates is mediated through dissociable neural systems in drug naïve and drug-dependent states. Neuroadaptations associated with chronic drug use are similar to those produced by chronic pain, suggesting that opiate reward could also involve distinct mechanisms in chronic pain and pain-naïve states. We tested this hypothesis by examining the effect of dopamine (DA) antagonism on morphine reward in a rat model of neuropathic pain.Neuropathic pain was induced in male Sprague-Dawley rats through chronic constriction (CCI) of the sciatic nerve; reward was assessed in the conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm in separate groups at early (4-8 days post-surgery) and late (11-15 days post-surgery) phases of neuropathic pain. Minimal effective doses of morphine that produced a CPP in early and late phases of neuropathic pain were 6 mg/kg and 2 mg/kg respectively. The DA D1 receptor antagonist, SCH23390, blocked a morphine CPP in sham, but not CCI, rats at a higher dose (0.5 mg/kg), but had no effect at a lower dose (0.1 mg/kg). The DA D2 receptor antagonist, eticlopride (0.1 and 0.5 mg/kg), had no effect on a morphine CPP in sham or CCI rats, either in early or late phases of neuropathic pain. In the CPP paradigm, morphine reward involves DA D1 mechanisms in pain-naïve but not chronic pain states. This could reflect increased sensitivity to drug effects in pain versus no pain conditions and/or differential mediation of opiate reward in these two states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Grenier
- Department of Psychology, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada
| | | | - Catherine M Cahill
- Hatos Center for Neuropharmacology, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Mary C Olmstead
- Department of Psychology, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada.,Centre for Neuroscience Studies, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada
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Huang S, Borgland SL, Zamponi GW. Peripheral nerve injury-induced alterations in VTA neuron firing properties. Mol Brain 2019; 12:89. [PMID: 31685030 PMCID: PMC6827252 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-019-0511-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2019] [Accepted: 10/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The ventral tegmental area (VTA) is one of the main brain regions harboring dopaminergic (DA) neurons, and plays important roles in reinforcement and motivation. Recent studies have indicated that DA neurons not only respond to rewarding stimuli, but also to noxious stimuli. Furthermore, VTA DA neurons undergo plasticity during chronic pain. Lateral and medial VTA neurons project to different brain areas, and have been characterized via their distinct electrophysiological properties. In this study, we characterized electrophysiological properties of lateral and medial VTA DA neurons using DAT-cre reporter mice, and examined their plasticity during neuropathic pain states. We observed various DA subpopulations in both the lateral and medial VTA, as defined by action potential firing patterns, independently of synaptic inputs. Our results demonstrated that lateral and medial VTA DA neurons undergo differential plasticity after peripheral nerve injury that leads to neuropathic pain. However, these changes only reside in specific DA subpopulations. This study suggests that lateral and medial VTA DA neurons are differentially affected during neuropathic pain conditions, and emphasizes the importance of subpopulation specificity when targeting VTA DA neurons for treatment of neuropathic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuo Huang
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Children's Hospital Research Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Stephanie L Borgland
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Gerald W Zamponi
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Calgary, AB, Canada. .,Children's Hospital Research Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
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Jarrin S, Finn DP. Optogenetics and its application in pain and anxiety research. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2019; 105:200-211. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2019] [Revised: 08/02/2019] [Accepted: 08/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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Seddighfar M, Ghasemzadeh Z, Rezayof A. The blockade of 5-HT1A receptors in the ventral tegmental area inhibited morphine/dextromethorphan-induced analgesia in pain rat models. Brain Res 2019; 1715:27-34. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2019.03.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2018] [Revised: 03/12/2019] [Accepted: 03/16/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
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Sugiyama E, Kondo T, Kuzumaki N, Honda K, Yamanaka A, Narita M, Suematsu M, Sugiura Y. Mechanical allodynia induced by optogenetic sensory nerve excitation activates dopamine signaling and metabolism in medial nucleus accumbens. Neurochem Int 2019; 129:104494. [PMID: 31233839 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2019.104494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2018] [Revised: 06/12/2019] [Accepted: 06/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
The mesolimbic dopaminergic signaling, such as that originating from the ventral tegmental area (VTA) neurons in the medial part of the nucleus accumbens (mNAc), plays a role in complex sensory and affective components of pain. To date, we have demonstrated that optogenetic sensory nerve stimulation rapidly alters the dopamine (DA) content within the mNAc. However, the physiological role and biochemical processes underlying such rapid and regional dynamics of DA remain unclear. In this study, using imaging mass spectrometry (IMS), we observed that sensitized pain stimulation by optogenetic sensory nerve activation increased DA and 3-Methoxytyramine (3-MT; a post-synaptic metabolite obtained following DA degradation) in the mNAc of the experimental mice. To delineate the mechanism associated with elevation of DA and 3-MT, the de novo synthesized DA in the VTA/substantia nigra terminal areas was evaluated using IMS by visualizing the metabolic conversion of stable isotope-labeled tyrosine (13C15N-Tyr) to DA. Our approach revealed that at steady state, the de novo synthesized DA occupied >10% of the non-labeled DA pool in the NAc within 1.5 h of isotope-labeled Tyr administration, despite no significant increase following pain stimulation. These results suggested that sensitized pain triggered an increase in the release and postsynaptic intake of DA in the mNAc, followed by its degradation, and likely delayed de novo DA synthesis. In conclusion, we demonstrated that short, peripheral nerve excitation with mechanical stimulation accelerates the mNAc-specific DA signaling and metabolism which might be associated with the development of mechanical allodynia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eiji Sugiyama
- Department of Biochemistry, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku, Tokyo, 160-8582, Japan
| | - Takashige Kondo
- Department of Pharmacology, Hoshi University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Naoko Kuzumaki
- Department of Pharmacology, Hoshi University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokyo, Japan; Life Science Tokyo Advanced Research Center (L-StaR), Hoshi University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kurara Honda
- Department of Biochemistry, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku, Tokyo, 160-8582, Japan
| | - Akihiro Yamanaka
- Department of Neuroscience II, Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya, 464-8601, Japan
| | - Minoru Narita
- Department of Pharmacology, Hoshi University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokyo, Japan; Life Science Tokyo Advanced Research Center (L-StaR), Hoshi University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Makoto Suematsu
- Department of Biochemistry, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku, Tokyo, 160-8582, Japan
| | - Yuki Sugiura
- Department of Biochemistry, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku, Tokyo, 160-8582, Japan.
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49
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Taylor NE, Pei J, Zhang J, Vlasov KY, Davis T, Taylor E, Weng FJ, Van Dort CJ, Solt K, Brown EN. The Role of Glutamatergic and Dopaminergic Neurons in the Periaqueductal Gray/Dorsal Raphe: Separating Analgesia and Anxiety. eNeuro 2019; 6:ENEURO.0018-18.2019. [PMID: 31058210 PMCID: PMC6498422 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0018-18.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2018] [Revised: 01/08/2019] [Accepted: 01/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The periaqueductal gray (PAG) is a significant modulator of both analgesic and fear behaviors in both humans and rodents, but the underlying circuitry responsible for these two phenotypes is incompletely understood. Importantly, it is not known if there is a way to produce analgesia without anxiety by targeting the PAG, as modulation of glutamate or GABA neurons in this area initiates both antinociceptive and anxiogenic behavior. While dopamine (DA) neurons in the ventrolateral PAG (vlPAG)/dorsal raphe display a supraspinal antinociceptive effect, their influence on anxiety and fear are unknown. Using DAT-cre and Vglut2-cre male mice, we introduced designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs (DREADD) to DA and glutamate neurons within the vlPAG using viral-mediated delivery and found that levels of analgesia were significant and quantitatively similar when DA and glutamate neurons were selectively stimulated. Activation of glutamatergic neurons, however, reliably produced higher indices of anxiety, with increased freezing time and more time spent in the safety of a dark enclosure. In contrast, animals in which PAG/dorsal raphe DA neurons were stimulated failed to show fear behaviors. DA-mediated antinociception was inhibitable by haloperidol and was sufficient to prevent persistent inflammatory pain induced by carrageenan. In summary, only activation of DA neurons in the PAG/dorsal raphe produced profound analgesia without signs of anxiety, indicating that PAG/dorsal raphe DA neurons are an important target involved in analgesia that may lead to new treatments for pain.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - JunZhu Pei
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge 02139, MA
| | - Jie Zhang
- University of Utah, Salt Lake City 84112, UT
| | | | | | - Emma Taylor
- University of Massachusetts, Lowell 01854, MA
| | - Feng-Ju Weng
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge 02139, MA
| | | | - Ken Solt
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston 02114, MA
| | - Emery N Brown
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston 02114, MA
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston 02114, MA
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50
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Apkarian AV, Reckziegel D. Peripheral and central viewpoints of chronic pain, and translational implications. Neurosci Lett 2018; 702:3-5. [PMID: 30503914 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2018.11.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
This overview covers advances in mechanisms of chronic pain and their consequent clinical opportunities. Our research field is fractured into two separate camps: "peripheralists" and "centralists". While the strong position of the first group is the contention that mechanisms of chronic pain can be understood within the limits of afferent inputs and spinal cord circuitry, the second group insists that the rest of the brain plays a critical role. Here we attempt to conjoin these positions, across clinical pain conditions and animal studies, and demonstrate that the effort can lead to novel translational concepts.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Vania Apkarian
- Department of Physiology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 303 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA; Department of Anesthesia, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 303 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 303 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.
| | - Diane Reckziegel
- Department of Physiology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 303 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
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