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Vasylyev DV, Liu S, Waxman SG. I h current stabilizes excitability in rodent DRG neurons and reverses hyperexcitability in a nociceptive neuron model of inherited neuropathic pain. J Physiol 2023; 601:5341-5366. [PMID: 37846879 PMCID: PMC10843455 DOI: 10.1113/jp284999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023] Open
Abstract
We show here that hyperpolarization-activated current (Ih ) unexpectedly acts to inhibit the activity of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons expressing WT Nav1.7, the largest inward current and primary driver of DRG neuronal firing, and hyperexcitable DRG neurons expressing a gain-of-function Nav1.7 mutation that causes inherited erythromelalgia (IEM), a human genetic model of neuropathic pain. In this study we created a kinetic model of Ih and used it, in combination with dynamic-clamp, to study Ih function in DRG neurons. We show, for the first time, that Ih increases rheobase and reduces the firing probability in small DRG neurons, and demonstrate that the amplitude of subthreshold oscillations is reduced by Ih . Our results show that Ih , due to slow gating, is not deactivated during action potentials (APs) and has a striking damping action, which reverses from depolarizing to hyperpolarizing, close to the threshold for AP generation. Moreover, we show that Ih reverses the hyperexcitability of DRG neurons expressing a gain-of-function Nav1.7 mutation that causes IEM. In the aggregate, our results show that Ih unexpectedly has strikingly different effects in DRG neurons as compared to previously- and well-studied cardiac cells. Within DRG neurons where Nav1.7 is present, Ih reduces depolarizing sodium current inflow due to enhancement of Nav1.7 channel fast inactivation and creates additional damping action by reversal of Ih direction from depolarizing to hyperpolarizing close to the threshold for AP generation. These actions of Ih limit the firing of DRG neurons expressing WT Nav1.7 and reverse the hyperexcitability of DRG neurons expressing a gain-of-function Nav1.7 mutation that causes IEM. KEY POINTS: Hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN) channels, the molecular determinants of hyperpolarization-activated current (Ih ) have been characterized as a 'pain pacemaker', and thus considered to be a potential molecular target for pain therapeutics. Dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons express Nav1.7, a channel that is not present in central neurons or cardiac tissue. Gain-of-function mutations (GOF) of Nav1.7 identified in inherited erythromelalgia (IEM), a human genetic model of neuropathic pain, produce DRG neuron hyperexcitability, which in turn produces severe pain. We found that Ih increases rheobase and reduces firing probability in small DRG neurons expressing WT Nav1.7, and demonstrate that the amplitude of subthreshold oscillations is reduced by Ih . We also demonstrate that Ih reverses the hyperexcitability of DRG neurons expressing a GOF Nav1.7 mutation (L858H) that causes IEM. Our results show that, in contrast to cardiac cells and CNS neurons, Ih acts to stabilize DRG neuron excitability and prevents excessive firing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dmytro V. Vasylyev
- Department of Neurology and Center for Neuroscience & Regeneration Research, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510
- Rehabilitation Research Center, Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT 06516
| | - Shujun Liu
- Department of Neurology and Center for Neuroscience & Regeneration Research, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510
- Rehabilitation Research Center, Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT 06516
| | - Stephen G. Waxman
- Department of Neurology and Center for Neuroscience & Regeneration Research, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510
- Rehabilitation Research Center, Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT 06516
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Tibbs GR, Uprety R, Warren JD, Beyer NP, Joyce RL, Ferrer MA, Mellado W, Wong VSC, Goldberg DC, Cohen MW, Costa CJ, Li Z, Zhang G, Dephoure NE, Barman DN, Sun D, Ingólfsson HI, Sauve AA, Willis DE, Goldstein PA. An anchor-tether 'hindered' HCN1 inhibitor is antihyperalgesic in a rat spared nerve injury neuropathic pain model. Br J Anaesth 2023; 131:745-763. [PMID: 37567808 PMCID: PMC10541997 DOI: 10.1016/j.bja.2023.06.067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neuropathic pain impairs quality of life, is widely prevalent, and incurs significant costs. Current pharmacological therapies have poor/no efficacy and significant adverse effects; safe and effective alternatives are needed. Hyperpolarisation-activated cyclic nucleotide-regulated (HCN) channels are causally implicated in some forms of peripherally mediated neuropathic pain. Whilst 2,6-substituted phenols, such as 2,6-di-tert-butylphenol (26DTB-P), selectively inhibit HCN1 gating and are antihyperalgesic, the development of therapeutically tolerable, HCN-selective antihyperalgesics based on their inverse agonist activity requires that such drugs spare the cardiac isoforms and do not cross the blood-brain barrier. METHODS In silico molecular dynamics simulation, in vitro electrophysiology, and in vivo rat spared nerve injury methods were used to test whether 'hindered' variants of 26DTB-P (wherein a hydrophilic 'anchor' is attached in the para-position of 26DTB-P via an acyl chain 'tether') had the desired properties. RESULTS Molecular dynamics simulation showed that membrane penetration of hindered 26DTB-Ps is controlled by a tethered diol anchor without elimination of head group rotational freedom. In vitro and in vivo analysis showed that BP4L-18:1:1, a variant wherein a diol anchor is attached to 26DTB-P via an 18-carbon tether, is an HCN1 inverse agonist and an orally available antihyperalgesic. With a CNS multiparameter optimisation score of 2.25, a >100-fold lower drug load in the brain vs blood, and an absence of adverse cardiovascular or CNS effects, BP4L-18:1:1 was shown to be poorly CNS penetrant and cardiac sparing. CONCLUSIONS These findings provide a proof-of-concept demonstration that anchor-tethered drugs are a new chemotype for treatment of disorders involving membrane targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gareth R Tibbs
- Department of Anesthesiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Rajendra Uprety
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - J David Warren
- Department of Biochemistry, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Nicole P Beyer
- Department of Anesthesiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Rebecca L Joyce
- Department of Anesthesiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Matthew A Ferrer
- Department of Anesthesiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Zhucui Li
- Department of Biochemistry, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Guoan Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Noah E Dephoure
- Department of Biochemistry, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Dipti N Barman
- Department of Biochemistry, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Delin Sun
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, USA
| | | | - Anthony A Sauve
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Dianna E Willis
- Burke Neurological Institute, White Plains, NY, USA; Feil Family Brain & Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Peter A Goldstein
- Department of Anesthesiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Feil Family Brain & Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
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Zheng Y, Shao S, Zhang Y, Yuan S, Xing Y, Wang J, Qi X, Cui K, Tong J, Liu F, Cui S, Wan Y, Yi M. HCN2 Channels in the Ventral Hippocampal CA1 Regulate Nociceptive Hypersensitivity in Mice. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13823. [PMID: 37762124 PMCID: PMC10531460 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241813823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic pain is a significant health problem worldwide. Recent evidence has suggested that the ventral hippocampus is dysfunctional in humans and rodents, with decreased neuronal excitability and connectivity with other brain regions, parallel pain chronicity, and persistent nociceptive hypersensitivity. But the molecular mechanisms underlying hippocampal modulation of pain remain poorly elucidated. In this study, we used ex vivo whole-cell patch-clamp recording, immunofluorescence staining, and behavioral tests to examine whether hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated channels 2 (HCN2) in the ventral hippocampal CA1 (vCA1) were involved in regulating nociceptive perception and CFA-induced inflammatory pain in mice. Reduced sag potential and firing rate of action potentials were observed in vCA1 pyramidal neurons from CFA-injected mice. Moreover, the expression of HCN2, but not HCN1, in vCA1 decreased in mice injected with CFA. HCN2 knockdown in vCA1 pyramidal neurons induced thermal hypersensitivity, whereas overexpression of HCN2 alleviated thermal hyperalgesia induced by intraplantar injection of CFA in mice. Our findings suggest that HCN2 in the vCA1 plays an active role in pain modulation and could be a promising target for the treatment of chronic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yawen Zheng
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China; (Y.Z.); (S.S.); (S.Y.); (Y.X.); (J.W.); (X.Q.); (K.C.); (J.T.); (F.L.); (S.C.); (Y.W.)
| | - Shan Shao
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China; (Y.Z.); (S.S.); (S.Y.); (Y.X.); (J.W.); (X.Q.); (K.C.); (J.T.); (F.L.); (S.C.); (Y.W.)
| | - Yu Zhang
- National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Human Disease Comparative Medicine, Beijing Engineering Research Center for Experimental Animal Models of Human Critical Diseases, Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Science (CAMS) & Peking Union Medical College (PUMC), Beijing 100101, China;
| | - Shulu Yuan
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China; (Y.Z.); (S.S.); (S.Y.); (Y.X.); (J.W.); (X.Q.); (K.C.); (J.T.); (F.L.); (S.C.); (Y.W.)
| | - Yuanwei Xing
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China; (Y.Z.); (S.S.); (S.Y.); (Y.X.); (J.W.); (X.Q.); (K.C.); (J.T.); (F.L.); (S.C.); (Y.W.)
| | - Jiaxin Wang
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China; (Y.Z.); (S.S.); (S.Y.); (Y.X.); (J.W.); (X.Q.); (K.C.); (J.T.); (F.L.); (S.C.); (Y.W.)
| | - Xuetao Qi
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China; (Y.Z.); (S.S.); (S.Y.); (Y.X.); (J.W.); (X.Q.); (K.C.); (J.T.); (F.L.); (S.C.); (Y.W.)
| | - Kun Cui
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China; (Y.Z.); (S.S.); (S.Y.); (Y.X.); (J.W.); (X.Q.); (K.C.); (J.T.); (F.L.); (S.C.); (Y.W.)
| | - Jifu Tong
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China; (Y.Z.); (S.S.); (S.Y.); (Y.X.); (J.W.); (X.Q.); (K.C.); (J.T.); (F.L.); (S.C.); (Y.W.)
| | - Fengyu Liu
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China; (Y.Z.); (S.S.); (S.Y.); (Y.X.); (J.W.); (X.Q.); (K.C.); (J.T.); (F.L.); (S.C.); (Y.W.)
| | - Shuang Cui
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China; (Y.Z.); (S.S.); (S.Y.); (Y.X.); (J.W.); (X.Q.); (K.C.); (J.T.); (F.L.); (S.C.); (Y.W.)
| | - You Wan
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China; (Y.Z.); (S.S.); (S.Y.); (Y.X.); (J.W.); (X.Q.); (K.C.); (J.T.); (F.L.); (S.C.); (Y.W.)
- Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, Ministry of Education/National Health Commission, Peking University, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Ming Yi
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China; (Y.Z.); (S.S.); (S.Y.); (Y.X.); (J.W.); (X.Q.); (K.C.); (J.T.); (F.L.); (S.C.); (Y.W.)
- Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, Ministry of Education/National Health Commission, Peking University, Beijing 100101, China
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Wang X, Gan S, Zhang Z, Zhu P, Li CH, Luo F. HCN-Channel-Dependent Hyperexcitability of the Layer V Pyramidal Neurons in IL-mPFC Contributes to Fentanyl-Induced Hyperalgesia in Male Rats. Mol Neurobiol 2023; 60:2553-2571. [PMID: 36689134 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-023-03218-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Opioids are often first-line analgesics in pain therapy. However, prolonged use of opioids causes paradoxical pain, termed "opioid-induced hyperalgesia (OIH)." The infralimbic medial prefrontal cortex (IL-mPFC) has been suggested to be critical in inflammatory and neuropathic pain processing through its dynamic output from layer V pyramidal neurons. Whether OIH condition induces excitability changes of these output neurons and what mechanisms underlie these changes remains elusive. Here, with combination of patch-clamp recording, immunohistochemistry, as well as optogenetics, we revealed that IL-mPFC layer V pyramidal neurons exhibited hyperexcitability together with higher input resistance. In line with this, optogenetic and chemogenetic activation of these neurons aggravates behavioral hyperalgesia in male OIH rats. Inhibition of these neurons alleviates hyperalgesia in male OIH rats but exerts an opposite effect in male control rats. Electrophysiological analysis of hyperpolarization-activated cation current (Ih) demonstrated that decreased Ih is a prerequisite for the hyperexcitability of IL-mPFC output neurons. This decreased Ih was accompanied by a decrease in HCN1, but not HCN2, immunolabeling, in these neurons. In contrast, the application of HCN channel blocker increased the hyperalgesia threshold of male OIH rats. Consequently, we identified an HCN-channel-dependent hyperexcitability of IL-mPFC output neurons, which governs the development and maintenance of OIH in male rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xixi Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Sifei Gan
- Department of Anesthesiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Zeru Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Pengfei Zhu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Chen Hong Li
- The Laboratory of Membrane Ion Channels and Medicine, Key Laboratory of Cognitive Science, State Ethnic Affairs Commission, College of Biomedical Engineering, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Fang Luo
- Department of Anesthesiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
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Zhou C, Chen X, Zhang X. Progress in Neuropharmacology of Anesthetics and Analgesics for the
Improvement of Medical Treatment. Curr Neuropharmacol 2022; 20:3. [PMID: 35060453 PMCID: PMC9199551 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x20666220105121554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Zhou
- West China Hospital
Sichuan University
Chengdu, 610041
China
| | - Xiangdong Chen
- Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College
Huazhong University of Science and Technology
Wuhan, 430022
China
| | - Xia Zhang
- Institute of Neuropsychiatric Diseases
Qingdao University
Qingdao, 266001
China
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