title: Existence of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and vanilloid receptor subtype 1 immunoreactive sensory DRG neurons innervating L5/6 intervertebral discs in rats.
abstract: The rat L5/6 intervertebral disc is innervated by L1 to L6 dorsal root ganglia (DRGs). T13 to L2 DRGs innervate the L5/6 intervertebral disc through paravertebral sympathetic trunks, whereas L3 to L6 DRGs directly innervate through sinuvertebral nerves on the posterior longitudinal ligament. The presence of substance P (SP)-immunoreactive (ir) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP-ir) sensory nerve fibers on the lumbar intervertebral disc has been established. SP and CGRP are markers of sensory neurons mainly involved with pain perception. The existence of SP-ir and CGRP-ir DRG neurons innervating the L5/6 intervertebral disc has been also demonstrated. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which exists mainly in the small DRG neurons, plays an important neuromodulatory role in inflammatory conditions. Vanilloid receptor subtype 1 (VR1) in the DRG neurons and spinal dorsal horn is a channel that appears to confer responsiveness to heat and chemical stimuli. The presence of BDNF-ir and the VR1-ir DRG neurons innervating the L5/6 intervertebral disc has not. In this study of DRG neurons innervating the L5/6 intervertebral disc, the proportions of BDNF-ir in L1, L2, L3, L4, and L5 DRG neurons were 14%, 12%, 12%, 12%, and 13% and the proportions of VR1-ir L1, L2, L3, L4, and L5 DRG neurons were 10%, 8%, 24%, 19%, and 23%, respectively. Under physiological conditions in rats these neurons may transmit inflammatory and burning pain of the L5/6 intervertebral disc.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Seiji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ohtori
authors.forename: Kazuhisa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Hideshige
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Moriya
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000502:physiology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000294:innervation*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000294:innervation*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011955:Receptors, Drug / Q000502:physiology*; D050916:TRPV Cation Channels
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D011955:Receptors, Drug; D050916:TRPV Cation Channels; C494484:TRPV1 receptor