Neuropeptide Y-expressing dorsal horn inhibitory interneurons gate spinal pain and itch signalling.

ABSTRACT: Somatosensory information is processed by a complex network of interneurons in the spinal dorsal horn. It has been reported that inhibitory interneurons that express neuropeptide Y (NPY), either permanently or during development, suppress mechanical itch, with no effect on pain. Here, we investigate the role of interneurons that continue to express NPY (NPY-INs) in the adult mouse spinal cord. We find that chemogenetic activation of NPY-INs reduces behaviours associated with acute pain and pruritogen-evoked itch, whereas silencing them causes exaggerated itch responses that depend on cells expressing the gastrin-releasing peptide receptor. As predicted by our previous studies, silencing of another population of inhibitory interneurons (those expressing dynorphin) also increases itch, but t

SUBMITTER: Boyle KA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10392120 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature