Chronic Stress and Gonadectomy Affect the Expression of Cx37, Cx40 and Cx43 in the Spinal Cord.

ABSTRACT: The study aimed to determine whether the exposure to chronic stress and/or performance of gonadectomy might lead to disturbance in the expression of connexin (Cx) 37, 40 and 43 in the spinal cord (SC), as a potential explanation for sex differences in stress-related chronic pain conditions. After the rats were sham-operated or gonadectomized, three 10-day sessions of sham or chronic stress were applied. Immunohistochemistry and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to examine Cx localization and expression in the SC. The gonadectomy resulted in an increase of Cx37 expression in the dorsal horn (DH) of the female rats, but chronic stress suppressed the effects of castration. In male rats, only the combined effects of castration and chronic stress increased Cx37 expression. The in

SUBMITTER: Juric M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8706389 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature