title: Functional regulation of tactile sense by brain-derived neurotrophic factor in adult rats during acute inflammation.
abstract: Nerve growth factor is present in skin in limiting amounts and is known to regulate the plasticity and the sensitivity of nociceptive neurons. Recently, knock-out mouse studies showed that neurotrophin-3 and brain-derived neurotrophic factor are required for the postnatal survival and functional maturation, respectively, of tactile sensory neurons. However, the roles of neurotrophin-3 and brain-derived neurotrophic factor in adult sensory neurons have not been clarified. Here, we report an unexpected and marked acute loss of tactile sense in the rat hind paw after adjuvant-induced inflammation. This loss was shown to be closely correlated with decreases in the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, and to a lesser extent of neurotrophin-3 in the inflamed skin. Administration of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, but not neurotrophin-3, after inflammation accelerated the recovery of tactile sense. These results suggested a role of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in the physiological regulation of tactile sense in adulthood.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Branch Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Endo
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kimoto
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Katoh-Semba
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Arakawa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D005528:Foot / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006930:Hyperalgesia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008465:Mechanoreceptors / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D020933:Neurotrophin 3 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012867:Skin / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D014110:Touch / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D020933:Neurotrophin 3; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor