Deficient AMPK activity contributes to hyperexcitability in peripheral nociceptive sensory neurons and thermal hyperalgesia in lupus mice.

ABSTRACT: Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) often suffer from chronic pain. Little is known about the peripheral mechanisms underlying the genesis of chronic pain induced by SLE. The aim of this study was to investigate whether and how membrane properties in nociceptive neurons in the dorsal root ganglions (DRGs) are altered by SLE. We found elevation of resting membrane potentials, smaller capacitances, lower action potential thresholds and rheobases in nociceptive neurons in the DRGs from MRL/lpr mice (an SLE mouse model) with thermal hyperalgesia. DRGs from MRL/lpr mice had increased protein expressions in TNFα, IL-1β, and phosphorylated ERK but suppressed AMPK activity, and no changes in sodium channel 1.7 protein expression. We showed that intraplantar injection of Compound C (an

SUBMITTER: Viatchenko-Karpinski V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10343046 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature