A noxious stimulus induces the preprotachykinin-A gene expression in the rat dorsal root ganglion: a quantitative study using in situ hybridization histochemistry.
Using in situ hybridization histochemistry, we examined the biosynthesis of the preprotachykinin-A (PPTA) mRNAs, which code for substance P (SP) and also a related peptide, substance K (SK), in the rat dorsal root ganglion (DRG). The animals were injected with a small amount of formalin in the right hindpaw for nociceptive chemical stimulation. Analysis of hybridization signals in the emulsion autoradiography showed that the lumbar-5 DRG neurons expressing PPTA mRNAs were significantly increased in number and signal intensity on the formalin-injected side. Such elevation of the PPTA mRNA expression in the DRG was observed as early as 3 h after formalin injection. These results show that the expression of the PPTA gene is activated by chemogenic noxious stimuli.
Noguchi
K
K
Department of Anatomy, Osaka University Medical School, Japan.
Morita
Y
Y
Kiyama
H
H
Ono
K
K
Tohyama
M
M
D000818:Animals; D004247:DNA; D005557:Formaldehyde; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D008297:Male; D009619:Nociceptors / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D010146:Pain / Q000378:metabolism*; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D015320:Tachykinins / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D013997:Time Factors
D011498:Protein Precursors; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D015320:Tachykinins; C044206:preprotachykinin; D005557:Formaldehyde; D004247:DNA