Upregulation of dorsal root ganglion (alpha)2(delta) calcium channel subunit and its correlation with allodynia in spinal nerve-injured rats.

ABSTRACT: Peripheral nerve injury can lead to a persistent neuropathic pain state in which innocuous tactile stimulation elicits pain behavior (tactile allodynia). Spinal administration of the anticonvulsant gabapentin suppresses allodynia by an unknown mechanism. In vitro studies indicate that gabapentin binds to the alpha(2)delta-1 (hereafter referred to as alpha(2)delta) subunit of voltage-gated calcium channels. We hypothesized that nerve injury may result in altered alpha(2)delta subunit expression in spinal cord and dorsal root ganglia (DRGs) and that this change may play a role in neuropathic pain processing. Using a rat neuropathic pain model in which gabapentin-sensitive tactile allodynia develops after tight ligation of the left fifth and sixth lumbar spinal nerves, we found a >17-fold, ti

SUBMITTER: Luo ZD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6762626 | biostudies-literature | 2001 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature