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Seyed-Razavi Y, Kenyon BM, Qiu F, Harris DL, Hamrah P. A novel animal model of neuropathic corneal pain-the ciliary nerve constriction model. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1265708. [PMID: 38144209 PMCID: PMC10749205 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1265708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Neuropathic pain arises as a result of peripheral nerve injury or altered pain processing within the central nervous system. When this phenomenon affects the cornea, it is referred to as neuropathic corneal pain (NCP), resulting in pain, hyperalgesia, burning, and photoallodynia, severely affecting patients' quality of life. To date there is no suitable animal model for the study of NCP. Herein, we developed an NCP model by constriction of the long ciliary nerves innervating the eye. Methods Mice underwent ciliary nerve constriction (CNC) or sham procedures. Safety was determined by corneal fluorescein staining to assess ocular surface damage, whereas Cochet-Bonnet esthesiometry and confocal microscopy assessed the function and structure of corneal nerves, respectively. Efficacy was assessed by paw wipe responses within 30 seconds of applying hyperosmolar (5M) saline at Days 3, 7, 10, and 14 post-constriction. Additionally, behavior was assessed in an open field test (OFT) at Days 7, 14, and 21. Results CNC resulted in significantly increased response to hyperosmolar saline between groups (p < 0.0001), demonstrating hyperalgesia and induction of neuropathic pain. Further, animals that underwent CNC had increased anxiety-like behavior in an open field test compared to controls at the 14- and 21-Day time-points (p < 0.05). In contrast, CNC did not result in increased corneal fluorescein staining or decreased sensation as compared to sham controls (p > 0.05). Additionally, confocal microscopy of corneal whole-mounts revealed that constriction resulted in only a slight reduction in corneal nerve density (p < 0.05), compared to naïve and sham groups. Discussion The CNC model induces a pure NCP phenotype and may be a useful model for the study of NCP, recapitulating features of NCP, including hyperalgesia in the absence of ocular surface damage, and anxiety-like behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yashar Seyed-Razavi
- Center for Translational Ocular Immunology, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Ophthalmology, Tufts Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Brendan M. Kenyon
- Center for Translational Ocular Immunology, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Ophthalmology, Tufts Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
- Program in Neuroscience, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Fangfang Qiu
- Center for Translational Ocular Immunology, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Ophthalmology, Tufts Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Deshea L. Harris
- Center for Translational Ocular Immunology, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Ophthalmology, Tufts Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Pedram Hamrah
- Center for Translational Ocular Immunology, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Ophthalmology, Tufts Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
- Program in Neuroscience, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University, Boston, MA, United States
- Departments of Neuroscience and Immunology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
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Howard L, Wyatt S, Davies AM. Neuregulin-4 contributes to the establishment of cutaneous sensory innervation. Dev Neurobiol 2021; 81:139-148. [PMID: 33369884 PMCID: PMC8365430 DOI: 10.1002/dneu.22803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Revised: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 12/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Recent work has shown that neuregulin‐4 (NRG4) is a physiological regulator of the growth of sympathetic axons and CNS dendrites in the developing nervous system. Here, we have investigated whether NRG4 plays a role in sensory axon growth and the establishment of cutaneous sensory innervation. Imaging early nerve fibers in the well‐characterized cutaneous trigeminal territory, the brachial plexus, and thorax revealed very marked and highly significant decreases in nerve fiber length and branching density in Nrg4−/− embryos compared with Nrg4+/+ littermates. NRG4 promoted neurotrophin‐independent sensory axon growth from correspondingly early trigeminal ganglion and DRG neurons in culture but not from enteroceptive nodose ganglion neurons. High levels of Nrg4 mRNA were detected in cutaneous tissues but not in sensory ganglia. Our findings suggest that NRG4 is an important target‐derived factor that participates in the establishment of early cutaneous sensory innervation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Howard
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Sean Wyatt
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Alun M Davies
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
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Pincelli C. p75 Neurotrophin Receptor in the Skin: Beyond Its Neurotrophic Function. Front Med (Lausanne) 2017; 4:22. [PMID: 28326307 PMCID: PMC5339601 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2017.00022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2016] [Accepted: 02/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR), also known as CD271, is the low-affinity receptor that, together with the tyrosine kinase receptor tropomyosin-receptor kinase (Trk), mediate neurotrophin (NT) functions. Beside their classic role in skin innervation, NT and their receptors constitute a complex cutaneous network associated with a number of autocrine and paracrine activities. In this context, the role of p75NTR is becoming more and more important. This review will focus on the intriguing functions of p75NTR in healthy and diseased skin. First, p75NTR counterbalances the proliferative and survival activities of its cognate receptor Trk by inducing keratinocyte apoptosis. In addition, p75NTR identifies an early transit-amplifying (TA) keratinocyte population and plays a critical role in keratinocyte stem cell transition to its progeny as well as in epidermal differentiation. p75NTR is absent in psoriatic TA cells, thus rendering these cells resistant to apoptosis. On the other hand, p75NTR infection restores NT-induced apoptosis in psoriatic keratinocytes. Taken together, these results provide evidence for a critical role of p75NTR in epidermal homeostasis, while its lack may account for the TA defect in psoriasis. While the issue of p75NTR as a marker of melanoma initiating cells is still to be solved, there is strong evidence that downregulation of this receptor is a precondition to melanoma invasion and metastasis in vitro and in vivo. All in all, this review points to p75NTR as a major actor in both physiologic and pathologic conditions at the skin level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlo Pincelli
- Laboratory of Cutaneous Biology, Department of Surgical, Medical, Dental and Morphological Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia , Modena , Italy
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Pagella P, Neto E, Jiménez-Rojo L, Lamghari M, Mitsiadis TA. Microfluidics co-culture systems for studying tooth innervation. Front Physiol 2014; 5:326. [PMID: 25202282 PMCID: PMC4142415 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2014.00326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2014] [Accepted: 08/06/2014] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Innervation plays a key role in the development and homeostasis of organs and tissues of the orofacial complex. Among these structures, teeth are peculiar organs as they are not innervated until later stages of development. Furthermore, the implication of neurons in tooth initiation, morphogenesis and differentiation is still controversial. Co-cultures constitute a valuable method to investigate and manipulate the interactions of nerve fibers with their target organs in a controlled and isolated environment. Conventional co-cultures between neurons and their target tissues have already been performed, but these cultures do not offer optimal conditions that are closely mimicking the in vivo situation. Indeed, specific cell populations require different culture media in order to preserve their physiological properties. In this study we evaluate the usefulness of a microfluidics system for co-culturing mouse trigeminal ganglia and developing teeth. This device allows the application of specific media for the appropriate development of both neuronal and dental tissues. The results show that mouse trigeminal ganglia and teeth survive for long culture periods in this microfluidics system, and that teeth maintain the attractive or repulsive effect on trigeminal neurites that has been observed in vivo. Neurites are repealed when co-cultured with embryonic tooth germs, while postnatal teeth exert an attractive effect to trigeminal ganglia-derived neurons. In conclusion, microfluidics system devices provide a valuable tool for studying the behavior of neurons during the development of orofacial tissues and organs, faithfully imitating the in vivo situation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierfrancesco Pagella
- Department of Orofacial Development and Regeneration, Faculty of Medicine, Centre for Dental Medicine, Institute of Oral Biology, University of Zurich Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Estrela Neto
- NEW Therapies Group, INEB - Instituto de Engenharia Biomédica, Universidade do Porto Porto, Portugal ; Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade do Porto Porto, Portugal
| | - Lucia Jiménez-Rojo
- Department of Orofacial Development and Regeneration, Faculty of Medicine, Centre for Dental Medicine, Institute of Oral Biology, University of Zurich Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Meriem Lamghari
- NEW Therapies Group, INEB - Instituto de Engenharia Biomédica, Universidade do Porto Porto, Portugal ; Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto Porto, Portugal
| | - Thimios A Mitsiadis
- Department of Orofacial Development and Regeneration, Faculty of Medicine, Centre for Dental Medicine, Institute of Oral Biology, University of Zurich Zurich, Switzerland
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Dai LG, Huang GS, Hsu SH. Sciatic nerve regeneration by cocultured Schwann cells and stem cells on microporous nerve conduits. Cell Transplant 2012. [PMID: 23192007 DOI: 10.3727/096368912x658953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Cell transplantation is a useful therapy for treating peripheral nerve injuries. The clinical use of Schwann cells (SCs), however, is limited because of their limited availability. An emerging solution to promote nerve regeneration is to apply injured nerves with stem cells derived from various tissues. In this study, different types of allogeneic cells including SCs, adipose-derived adult stem cells (ASCs), dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs), and the combination of SCs with ASCs or DPSCs were seeded on nerve conduits to test their efficacy in repairing a 15-mm-long critical gap defect of rat sciatic nerve. The regeneration capacity and functional recovery were evaluated by the histological staining, electrophysiology, walking track, and functional gait analysis after 8 weeks of implantation. An in vitro study was also performed to verify if the combination of cells led to synergistic neurotrophic effects (NGF, BDNF, and GDNF). Experimental rats receiving conduits seeded with a combination of SCs and ASCs had the greatest functional recovery, as evaluated by the walking track, functional gait, nerve conduction velocity (NCV), and histological analysis. Conduits seeded with cells were always superior to the blank conduits without cells. Regarding NCV and the number of blood vessels, conduits seeded with SCs and DPSCs exhibited better values than those seeded with DPSCs only. Results from the in vitro study confirmed the synergistic NGF production from the coculture of SCs and ASCs. It was concluded that coculture of SCs with ASCs or DPSCs in a conduit promoted peripheral nerve regeneration over a critical gap defect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lien-Guo Dai
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
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