Neuronal Plasticity and Signaling in Neuropathic Pain Project Summary Activity-dependent synaptic plasticity at the spinal cord level is fundamentally important to the development of neuropathic pain caused by traumatic nerve injury and surgery. N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors in the spinal dorsal horn are critically involved in central sensitization and maintenance of neuropathic pain. However, the mechanisms of potentiated NMDA receptor activity in the spinal cord after nerve injury remain poorly understood. Although increased phosphorylation of NMDA receptors after nerve injury is known, the upstream mechanisms of increased NMDA receptor activity in neuropathic pain remain to be determined. In our preliminary studies, we found that inhibition of the protein kinase CK2 in the spinal cord completely reversed increased NMDA receptor activity and produced long-lasting attenuation of allodynia caused by nerve injury. In this application, we will use an animal model of neuropathic pain to test the central hypothesis that nerve injury increases CK2 activity in the spinal cord, which facilitates phosphorylation of the NR1 subunit of NMDA receptors and potentiates NMDA-mediated synaptic transmission in neuropathic pain.
The specific aims of this application are to (1) define the role of imbalance between the CK2(phosphorylation) and calcineurin(de-phosphorylation) activities in augmented NMDA-mediated synaptic transmission at the spinal cord level and neuropathic pain; (2) determine the level of CK2 activity and its role in increased phosphorylation of the NR1 subunit of NMDA receptors in the spinal cord after nerve injury; and (3) identify the protein interaction between NR1 and CK2 subunits, the CK2 phosphorylation sites on the NMDA receptor, and their roles in regulation of increased NMDA receptor activity in neuropathic pain. The role of CK2 in the development of synaptic plasticity in the spinal cord induced by nerve injury has not been recognized previously. We expect that new findings from this proposal will be critical not only to the significant improvement of our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of neuropathic pain but also to the development of new strategies to treat neuropathic pain. Because directly blocking NMDA receptors produces intolerable side effects, targeting CK2 and its specific NMDA receptor phosphorylation sites could represent novel strategies for reducing the NMDA receptor activity and neuropathic pain.

Public Health Relevance

Neuropathic pain remains a major clinical problem because available pain medications are less effective and possess serious side effects. This application seeks to define the mechanisms involved in the maintenance of chronic neuropathic pain caused by nerve injury. Findings from this proposal not only are critical to significantly improve our understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms of neuropathic pain but also are important to the development of new strategies to treat neuropathic pain.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01NS073935-05
Application #
8839310
Study Section
Surgery, Anesthesiology and Trauma Study Section (SAT)
Program Officer
Oshinsky, Michael L
Project Start
2011-03-15
Project End
2016-08-28
Budget Start
2015-03-01
Budget End
2016-08-28
Support Year
5
Fiscal Year
2015
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Department
Anesthesiology
Type
Hospitals
DUNS #
800772139
City
Houston
State
TX
Country
United States
Zip Code
77030
Xie, Jing-Dun; Chen, Shao-Rui; Chen, Hong et al. (2016) Presynaptic N-Methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) Receptor Activity Is Increased Through Protein Kinase C in Paclitaxel-induced Neuropathic Pain. J Biol Chem 291:19364-73
Zhang, Yuhao; Chen, Shao-Rui; Laumet, Geoffroy et al. (2016) Nerve Injury Diminishes Opioid Analgesia through Lysine Methyltransferase-mediated Transcriptional Repression of ?-Opioid Receptors in Primary Sensory Neurons. J Biol Chem 291:8475-85
Li, Lingyong; Chen, Shao-Rui; Chen, Hong et al. (2016) Chloride Homeostasis Critically Regulates Synaptic NMDA Receptor Activity in Neuropathic Pain. Cell Rep 15:1376-1383
Zhou, Meng-Hua; Bavencoffe, Alexis; Pan, Hui-Lin (2015) Molecular Basis of Regulating High Voltage-Activated Calcium Channels by S-Nitrosylation. J Biol Chem 290:30616-23
Chen, Shao-Rui; Hu, Yi-Min; Chen, Hong et al. (2014) Calcineurin inhibitor induces pain hypersensitivity by potentiating pre- and postsynaptic NMDA receptor activity in spinal cords. J Physiol 592:215-27
Chen, Shao-Rui; Zhu, Lihong; Chen, Hong et al. (2014) Increased spinal cord Na?-K?-2Cl? cotransporter-1 (NKCC1) activity contributes to impairment of synaptic inhibition in paclitaxel-induced neuropathic pain. J Biol Chem 289:31111-20
Bavencoffe, Alexis; Chen, Shao-Rui; Pan, Hui-Lin (2014) Regulation of nociceptive transduction and transmission by nitric oxide. Vitam Horm 96:1-18
Hu, Yi-Min; Chen, Shao-Rui; Chen, Hong et al. (2014) Casein kinase II inhibition reverses pain hypersensitivity and potentiated spinal N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor activity caused by calcineurin inhibitor. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 349:239-47
Chen, Shao-Rui; Chen, Hong; Yuan, Wei-Xiu et al. (2014) Differential regulation of primary afferent input to spinal cord by muscarinic receptor subtypes delineated using knockout mice. J Biol Chem 289:14321-30
Pachuau, Judith; Li, De-Pei; Chen, Shao-Rui et al. (2014) Protein kinase CK2 contributes to diminished small conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channel activity of hypothalamic pre-sympathetic neurons in hypertension. J Neurochem 130:657-67

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