Activation of microglial GPR109A alleviates thermal hyperalgesia in female lupus mice by suppressing IL-18 and glutamatergic synaptic activity.

ABSTRACT: Many patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) live with chronic pain despite advances in medical management in reducing mortality related to SLE. Few animal studies have addressed mechanisms and treatment for chronic pain caused by SLE. In this study, we provide the first evidence for the analgesic effects of a GPR109A specific agonist (MK1903) and its action mechanisms in thermal hyperalgesia in female MRL/lpr mice, an SLE mouse model. Specifically, we show that MRL/lpr mice had a higher sensitivity to thermal stimuli at age 11-16 weeks, which was accompanied with significantly microglial and astrocytic activation, increases in p38 MAPK and glutamatergic synaptic activities in the spinal dorsal horn. We demonstrate that thermal hyperalgesia in MRL/lpr mice was significantly attenu

SUBMITTER: Viatchenko-Karpinski V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9048580 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature