Increases in spinal vasoactive intestinal polypeptide and neuropeptide Y are not sufficient for the genesis of neuropathic pain in rats.
We tested the hypothesis that increases in the spinal levels of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) and neuropeptide Y (NPY) were related to the development of neuropathic pain. To this aim, we compared two groups of rats. One group showed well-developed neuropathic pain in the tail following unilateral transection of the inferior and superior caudal trunks between the S1 and S2 spinal nerves, and the other group showed poorly-developed neuropathic pain despite the same nerve injury. The increases in immunoreactivity of VIP and NPY in the S1 dorsal horn (injured segment) were not significantly different between the two groups. These results suggested that increases in the spinal levels of VIP and NPY after peripheral nerve injury were not sufficient for the development of neuropathic pain.
Kim
Hee Jin
HJ
Department of Life Science, Yonsei University Wonju Campus, 220-710, Wonju, South Korea.
Back
Seung Keun
SK
Kim
Junesun
J
Sung
Backil
B
Hong
Seung Kil
SK
Na
Heung Sik
HS
D000818:Animals; D003080:Cold Temperature; D006358:Hot Temperature; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D009478:Neuropeptide Y / Q000378:metabolism*; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000378:metabolism*; D013127:Spinal Nerves / Q000293:injuries; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide / Q000378:metabolism*
D009478:Neuropeptide Y; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide