title: Microglial proliferation in the spinal cord of aged rats with a sciatic nerve injury.
abstract: Nerve injury may lead to chronic neuropathic pain syndromes. We determined whether the extent of central nervous system microglial activation that accompanies nerve injury is age dependent and correlated with behavioral manifestations of pain. We used the Bennett and Xie sciatic nerve chronic constriction injury model (Bennett, G.J., Xie, Y.-K., A peripheral mononeuropathy in rat that produces disorders of pain sensation like those seen in man, Pain, 33 (1998) 87-107) to induce neuropathic pain in three age cohorts of Fischer 344 FBNF1 hybrid rats (4-6, 14-16, and 24-26 months). Rats were assessed for thermal sensitivity (hyperalgesia) of their hind paws pre-injury (day 0) and up to 35 days post injury. On various days post injury, the L4-L5 levels of their spinal cords were reacted for localization of an antibody to OX-42, a marker for microlgia. OX-42 immunoreactivity (ir) was quantified by use of a Bioquant density analysis system. OX-42 ir was heavy in areas of sciatic nerve primary afferent terminations and in the motor columns of its neurons. Aging increases OX-42 ir in the absence of injury. After injury, OX-42 ir increased further, but the increases over control levels decreased with age. Ligation-induced analgesia and hyperalgesia were both correlated with the increases in OX-42 ir, regardless of age.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology and Pharmacology, Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine, Rootstown 44272-0095, USA. sls@neoucom.edu
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Stuesse
authors.forename: W L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Cruce
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Lovell
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: McBurney
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Crisp
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D030161:Avian Proteins; D051926:Basigin; D001798:Blood Proteins; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006930:Hyperalgesia / Q000473:pathology; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000032:analysis; D017628:Microglia / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology*; D020671:Posterior Horn Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000293:injuries*; D012585:Sciatica / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D030161:Avian Proteins; D001798:Blood Proteins; C102624:Bsg protein, Gallus gallus; C079432:Bsg protein, rat; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D051926:Basigin