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Phan TT, Jayathilake NJ, Lee KP, Park JM. BDNF/TrkB Signaling Inhibition Suppresses Astrogliosis and Alleviates Mechanical Allodynia in a Partial Crush Injury Model. Exp Neurobiol 2023; 32:343-353. [PMID: 37927132 PMCID: PMC10628862 DOI: 10.5607/en23031] [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: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/22/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuropathic pain presents a formidable clinical challenge due to its persistent nature and limited responsiveness to conventional analgesic treatments. While significant progress has been made in understanding the role of spinal astrocytes in neuropathic pain, their contribution and functional changes following a partial crush injury (PCI) remain unexplored. In this study, we investigated structural and functional changes in spinal astrocytes during chronic neuropathic pain, employing a partial crush injury model. This model allowes us to replicate the transition from initial nociceptive responses to persistent pain, highlighting the relevance of astrocytes in pain maintenance and sensitization. Through the examination of mechanical allodynia, a painful sensation in response to innocuous stimuli, and the correlation with increased levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) along with reactive astrocytes, we identified a potential mechanistic link between astrocytic activity and BDNF signaling. Ultimately, our research provides evidence that inhibiting astrocyte activation through a BDNF/TrkB inhibitor alleviates mechanical allodynia, underscoring the therapeutic potential of targeting glial BDNF-related pathways for pain management. These findings offer critical insights into the cellular and molecular dynamics of neuropathic pain, paving the way for innovative and targeted treatment strategies for this challenging condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tien Thuy Phan
- Center for Cognition and Sociality, Institute for Basic Science, Daejeon 34126, Korea
- IBS School, University of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34126, Korea
| | - Nishani Jayanika Jayathilake
- Center for Cognition and Sociality, Institute for Basic Science, Daejeon 34126, Korea
- Department of Physiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Korea
| | - Kyu Pil Lee
- Department of Physiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Korea
| | - Joo Min Park
- Center for Cognition and Sociality, Institute for Basic Science, Daejeon 34126, Korea
- IBS School, University of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34126, Korea
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Kim HW, Shim SW, Zhao AM, Roh D, Han HM, Middleton SJ, Kim W, Chung S, Johnson E, Prentice J, Tacon M, Koel-Simmelink MJ, Wieske L, Teunissen CE, Bae YC, Bennett DL, Rinaldi S, Davies AJ, Oh SB. Long-term tactile hypersensitivity after nerve crush injury in mice is characterized by the persistence of intact sensory axons. Pain 2023; 164:2327-2342. [PMID: 37366595 PMCID: PMC10502897 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002937] [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: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Traumatic peripheral nerve injuries are at high risk of neuropathic pain for which novel effective therapies are urgently needed. Preclinical models of neuropathic pain typically involve irreversible ligation and/or nerve transection (neurotmesis). However, translation of findings to the clinic has so far been unsuccessful, raising questions on injury model validity and clinically relevance. Traumatic nerve injuries seen in the clinic commonly result in axonotmesis (ie, crush), yet the neuropathic phenotype of "painful" nerve crush injuries remains poorly understood. We report the neuropathology and sensory symptoms of a focal nerve crush injury using custom-modified hemostats resulting in either complete ("full") or incomplete ("partial") axonotmesis in adult mice. Assays of thermal and mechanically evoked pain-like behavior were paralleled by transmission electron microscopy, immunohistochemistry, and anatomical tracing of the peripheral nerve. In both crush models, motor function was equally affected early after injury; by contrast, partial crush of the nerve resulted in the early return of pinprick sensitivity, followed by a transient thermal and chronic tactile hypersensitivity of the affected hind paw, which was not observed after a full crush injury. The partially crushed nerve was characterized by the sparing of small-diameter myelinated axons and intraepidermal nerve fibers, fewer dorsal root ganglia expressing the injury marker activating transcription factor 3, and lower serum levels of neurofilament light chain. By day 30, axons showed signs of reduced myelin thickness. In summary, the escape of small-diameter axons from Wallerian degeneration is likely a determinant of chronic pain pathophysiology distinct from the general response to complete nerve injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyoung Woo Kim
- Department of Neurobiology and Physiology, School of Dentistry, and Dental Research Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang Wook Shim
- Department of Neurobiology and Physiology, School of Dentistry, and Dental Research Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Anna Mae Zhao
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Dahee Roh
- Department of Neurobiology and Physiology, School of Dentistry, and Dental Research Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hye Min Han
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, School of Dentistry, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Steven J. Middleton
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Wheedong Kim
- Department of Neurobiology and Physiology, School of Dentistry, and Dental Research Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Sena Chung
- Department of Neurobiology and Physiology, School of Dentistry, and Dental Research Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Errin Johnson
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - John Prentice
- Oxford Institute for Radiation Oncology, Old Road Campus Research Building, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Mike Tacon
- Department of Physics, Denys Wilkinson Building, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Marleen J.A. Koel-Simmelink
- Neurochemistry Laboratory, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Luuk Wieske
- Department of Neurology and Neurophysiology, Amsterdam UMC, Academisch Medisch Centrum, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Charlotte E. Teunissen
- Neurochemistry Laboratory, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Yong Chul Bae
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, School of Dentistry, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - David L.H. Bennett
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Simon Rinaldi
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Alexander J. Davies
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Seog Bae Oh
- Department of Neurobiology and Physiology, School of Dentistry, and Dental Research Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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Molnár K, Nógrádi B, Kristóf R, Mészáros Á, Pajer K, Siklós L, Nógrádi A, Wilhelm I, Krizbai IA. Motoneuronal inflammasome activation triggers excessive neuroinflammation and impedes regeneration after sciatic nerve injury. J Neuroinflammation 2022; 19:68. [PMID: 35305649 PMCID: PMC8934511 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-022-02427-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Peripheral nerve injuries are accompanied by inflammatory reactions, over-activation of which may hinder recovery. Among pro-inflammatory pathways, inflammasomes are one of the most potent, leading to release of active IL-1β. Our aim was to understand how inflammasomes participate in central inflammatory reactions accompanying peripheral nerve injury. Methods After axotomy of the sciatic nerve, priming and activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome was examined in cells of the spinal cord. Regeneration of the nerve was evaluated after coaptation using sciatic functional index measurements and retrograde tracing. Results In the first 3 days after the injury, elements of the NLRP3 inflammasome were markedly upregulated in the L4–L5 segments of the spinal cord, followed by assembly of the inflammasome and secretion of active IL-1β. Although glial cells are traditionally viewed as initiators of neuroinflammation, in this acute phase of inflammation, inflammasome activation was found exclusively in affected motoneurons of the ventral horn in our model. This process was significantly inhibited by 5-BDBD, a P2X4 receptor inhibitor and MCC950, a potent NLRP3 inhibitor. Although at later time points the NLRP3 protein was upregulated in microglia too, no signs of inflammasome activation were detected in these cells. Inhibition of inflammasome activation in motoneurons in the first days after nerve injury hindered development of microgliosis in the spinal cord. Moreover, P2X4 or inflammasome inhibition in the acute phase significantly enhanced nerve regeneration on both the morphological and the functional levels. Conclusions Our results indicate that the central reaction initiated by sciatic nerve injury starts with inflammasome activation in motoneurons of the ventral horn, which triggers a complex inflammatory reaction and activation of microglia. Inhibition of neuronal inflammasome activation not only leads to a significant reduction of microgliosis, but has a beneficial effect on the recovery as well. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12974-022-02427-9.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kinga Molnár
- Institute of Biophysics, Biological Research Centre, Eötvös Loránd Research Network (ELKH), Temesvári krt. 62, 6726, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Bernát Nógrádi
- Institute of Biophysics, Biological Research Centre, Eötvös Loránd Research Network (ELKH), Temesvári krt. 62, 6726, Szeged, Hungary.,Theoretical Medicine Doctoral School, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary.,Department of Neurology, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Rebeka Kristóf
- Institute of Biophysics, Biological Research Centre, Eötvös Loránd Research Network (ELKH), Temesvári krt. 62, 6726, Szeged, Hungary.,Theoretical Medicine Doctoral School, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Ádám Mészáros
- Institute of Biophysics, Biological Research Centre, Eötvös Loránd Research Network (ELKH), Temesvári krt. 62, 6726, Szeged, Hungary.,Doctoral School of Biology, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Krisztián Pajer
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - László Siklós
- Institute of Biophysics, Biological Research Centre, Eötvös Loránd Research Network (ELKH), Temesvári krt. 62, 6726, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Antal Nógrádi
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Imola Wilhelm
- Institute of Biophysics, Biological Research Centre, Eötvös Loránd Research Network (ELKH), Temesvári krt. 62, 6726, Szeged, Hungary. .,Institute of Life Sciences, Vasile Goldiş Western University of Arad, Arad, Romania.
| | - István A Krizbai
- Institute of Biophysics, Biological Research Centre, Eötvös Loránd Research Network (ELKH), Temesvári krt. 62, 6726, Szeged, Hungary. .,Institute of Life Sciences, Vasile Goldiş Western University of Arad, Arad, Romania.
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