title: Therapeutic efficacy in experimental polyarthritis of viral-driven enkephalin overproduction in sensory neurons.
abstract: Rheumatoid arthritis is characterized by erosive inflammation of the joints, new bone proliferation, and ankylosis, leading to severely reduced locomotion and intense chronic pain. In a model of this disease, adjuvant-induced polyarthritis in the rat, neurons involved in pain transmission and control undergo plastic changes, especially at the spinal level. These changes affect notably neurons that contain opioids, such as enkephalins deriving from preproenkephalin A (PA) precursor protein. Using recombinant herpes simplex virus containing rat PA cDNA, we enhanced enkephalin synthesis in sensory neurons of polyarthritic rats. This treatment markedly improved locomotion and reduced hyperalgesia. Furthermore, the progression of bone destruction slowed down, which is the most difficult target to reach in the treatment of patients suffering from arthritis. These data demonstrate the therapeutic efficacy of enkephalin overproduction in a model of systemic inflammatory and painful chronic disorder.
authors.affiliation: Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale U288, NeuroPsychoPharmacologie Moléculaire, Cellulaire, et Fonctionnelle and Service de Rhumatologie, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, 75013 Paris, France.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Braz
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Beaufour
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Coutaux
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Epstein
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cesselin
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hamon
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pohl
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001168:Arthritis / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D001169:Arthritis, Experimental / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D018450:Disease Progression; D004745:Enkephalins / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D005620:Freund's Adjuvant; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005822:Genetic Vectors / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000235:genetics; D006614:Hindlimb / Q000294:innervation / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006930:Hyperalgesia / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000187:drug effects; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D020079:Terminal Repeat Sequences / Q000235:genetics; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D004745:Enkephalins; D011498:Protein Precursors; D005620:Freund's Adjuvant; C033660:preproenkephalin