Tissue injury leads rapidly to an exaggerated response to noxious stimuli applied to the injury site. A primary mechanism underlying this behaviorally defined hyperalgesia is nitiation of facilitated processing in the spinal dorsal horn. Previous work on this grant showed that one component of this facilitation arises from lipid mediator release by a constitutively active P38MAPK-PLA2-COX2 cascade. Of importance, we showed that i) the acute facilitation was mediated sy P38MAPK&, but not P38MAPKa, ii) P38MAPKB is present in microglia, not neurons, iii) peripheral njury activates (phosphorylates) P38MAPK in microglia and iv) down regulation of P38MAPKR., but not P38MAPKaby use of intrathecal (IT) antisense (AS) prevents hyperalgesia. These findings ndicate, unexpectedly, an immediate role for this constitutively expressed MAPK isozyme and spinal microglia in short latencied facilitated states initiated by acute afferent input. The results suggest hypotheses focusing on the role of P38MAPK and non-neuronal cells that acutely regulate spinal excitability in pain states arising from peripheral injury. 1) Acute activation of spinal P38 MAPK by tissue injury results from release of afferent transmitters (glutamate, SP, VIP), ATP and chemokines released from neurons and non-neurons, and circulating products released by inflammation (IPS). Accordingly, activation should be initiated by IT delivery of the respective agonists and the activation by peripheral injury will be blocked by spinal injection of respective antagonists. 2) Activation of spinal P38MAPKB will acutely activate the COX-2 cascade leading to spinal prostaglandins (PG)formation. This release will be examined in vivo using spinal dialysis after down regulation of P38MAPKa or P38MAPKB, with the respective IT AS. 3) Given the role of microglia, spinal blockade of activation using agents such as minocycline or pentoxifylline will block: P38 activation, evoked release of spinal PG, COX2 upregulation and hyperalgesia. These studies thus pursue the theme initiated by studies considering the constitutive spinal COX-PG cascade. Further in contrast to the thinking that microglial contributions occur only in the face of major changes in trophic activity this work points to the contribution of spinal microglia in the ongoing regulation of spinal activity.

Public Health Relevance

The association of components of THE P38/PLA2/COX cascade with dorsal horn microglia provides: i) insights into distinct mechanisms of chronic pain processing and ii) provides functional correlates for the development of novel targets for persistent pain states.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Type
Method to Extend Research in Time (MERIT) Award (R37)
Project #
5R37NS016541-30
Application #
8241051
Study Section
Somatosensory and Chemosensory Systems Study Section (SCS)
Program Officer
Porter, Linda L
Project Start
1988-09-01
Project End
2013-02-28
Budget Start
2012-03-01
Budget End
2013-02-28
Support Year
30
Fiscal Year
2012
Total Cost
$378,525
Indirect Cost
$133,525
Name
University of California San Diego
Department
Anesthesiology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
804355790
City
La Jolla
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
92093
Park, H J; Sandor, K; McQueen, J et al. (2016) The effect of gabapentin and ketorolac on allodynia and conditioned place preference in antibody-induced inflammation. Eur J Pain 20:917-25
Bas, D B; Abdelmoaty, S; Sandor, K et al. (2015) Spinal release of tumour necrosis factor activates c-Jun N-terminal kinase and mediates inflammation-induced hypersensitivity. Eur J Pain 19:260-70
Woller, S A; Corr, M; Yaksh, T L (2015) Differences in cisplatin-induced mechanical allodynia in male and female mice. Eur J Pain 19:1476-85
Park, Hue Jung; Stokes, Jennifer A; Corr, Maripat et al. (2014) Toll-like receptor signaling regulates cisplatin-induced mechanical allodynia in mice. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 73:25-34
Marino, Marc J; Terashima, Tetsuji; Steinauer, Joanne J et al. (2014) Botulinum toxin B in the sensory afferent: transmitter release, spinal activation, and pain behavior. Pain 155:674-84
Gregus, Ann M; Dumlao, Darren S; Wei, Spencer C et al. (2013) Systematic analysis of rat 12/15-lipoxygenase enzymes reveals critical role for spinal eLOX3 hepoxilin synthase activity in inflammatory hyperalgesia. FASEB J 27:1939-49
Stokes, Jennifer A; Cheung, Jonathan; Eddinger, Kelly et al. (2013) Toll-like receptor signaling adapter proteins govern spread of neuropathic pain and recovery following nerve injury in male mice. J Neuroinflammation 10:148
Park, Hue Jung; Stokes, Jennifer A; Pirie, Elaine et al. (2013) Persistent hyperalgesia in the cisplatin-treated mouse as defined by threshold measures, the conditioned place preference paradigm, and changes in dorsal root ganglia activated transcription factor 3: the effects of gabapentin, ketorolac, and etanercept. Anesth Analg 116:224-31
Stokes, Jennifer A; Corr, Maripat; Yaksh, Tony L (2013) Spinal toll-like receptor signaling and nociceptive processing: regulatory balance between TIRAP and TRIF cascades mediated by TNF and IFN?. Pain 154:733-42
Gregus, Ann M; Doolen, Suzanne; Dumlao, Darren S et al. (2012) Spinal 12-lipoxygenase-derived hepoxilin A3 contributes to inflammatory hyperalgesia via activation of TRPV1 and TRPA1 receptors. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 109:6721-6

Showing the most recent 10 out of 94 publications