The long-term goal of this research proposal is to provide the fundamental basis for new treatment approaches to gynecologic and obstetric pain. Most research in visceral pain has focused on the gastrointestinal tract, and little is known about pain originating from the lower uterine segment and cervix, the sites of obstetric and many types of gynecologic pain. In preliminary work, we have defined a model of uterine cervical distension (UCD) in order to study primary afferent and integrated responses. UCD in the lightly anesthetized rat results in overlapping stimulus response for activity of afferents in the hypogastric nerve and reflex contraction of the abdominal wall musculature, hemodynamic responses, and cFos expression in the low thoracic spinal cord. Preliminary pharmacological studies suggest that mu-opioid receptor (MOR) agonists inhibit responses to UCD by a central mechanism, whereas kappa-opioid receptor (KOR) agonists act in the periphery. Although peripherally restricted KOR agonists could represent a novel approach to treating pain from the uterine cervix, other visceral studies questioned whether these agents act via traditional opioid receptors or via Na channel blockade. Finally, sensitization of somatic afferents has been extensively examined, and there is an estrogen-dependent, sex difference in second messenger systems responsible for sensitization. Prostaglandins, especially PGE2, are released into the uterine cervix during menses and at the onset of labor, yet whether and how they sensitize afferents have not been examined. Thus, the specific aims of the current proposal are to: 1) Characterize uterine cervical afferent responses, with a focus on their polymodal nature, coding properties, and alteration by estrogen; 2) Examine direct stimulation and sensitization of uterine cervical afferent responses by PGE2 and determine the second messenger mechanisms it activates; 3) Determine receptor mechanisms by which KOR agonists inhibit responses to uterine cervical afferent stimulation. Together, this proposal will test the mechanisms of stimulation and sensitization of afferents that are responsible for obstetric and many types of gynecologic pain and lay the foundation for the study of the unique nature of these afferents.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01NS048065-04
Application #
7193397
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-SSS-8 (02))
Program Officer
Porter, Linda L
Project Start
2004-03-01
Project End
2009-02-28
Budget Start
2007-03-01
Budget End
2009-02-28
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
2007
Total Cost
$314,648
Indirect Cost
Name
Wake Forest University Health Sciences
Department
Anesthesiology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
937727907
City
Winston-Salem
State
NC
Country
United States
Zip Code
27157
Tong, Chuanyao; Conklin, Dawn R; Liu, Baogang et al. (2008) Assessment of behavior during labor in rats and effect of intrathecal morphine. Anesthesiology 108:1081-6
Liu, Baogang; Tong, Chuanyao; Eisenach, James C (2008) Pregnancy increases excitability of mechanosensitive afferents innervating the uterine cervix. Anesthesiology 108:1087-92
Yan, Tao; Liu, Baogang; Du, Dongping et al. (2007) Estrogen amplifies pain responses to uterine cervical distension in rats by altering transient receptor potential-1 function. Anesth Analg 104:1246-50, tables of contents
Tong, Chuanyao; Conklin, Dawn; Eisenach, James C (2006) A pain model after gynecologic surgery: the effect of intrathecal and systemic morphine. Anesth Analg 103:1288-93
Tong, Chuanyao; Conklin, Dawn; Clyne, Brittany B et al. (2006) Uterine cervical afferents in thoracolumbar dorsal root ganglia express transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1 channel and calcitonin gene-related peptide, but not P2X3 receptor and somatostatin. Anesthesiology 104:651-7
Du, Dongping; Eisenach, James C; Ririe, Douglas G et al. (2004) The antinociceptive effects of spinal cyclooxygenase inhibitors on uterine cervical distension. Brain Res 1024:130-6