title: Decreased spinal alpha2a- and alpha2c-adrenergic receptor subtype mRNA in a rat model of neuropathic pain.
abstract: Northern blot analyses performed on the lumbar spinal cords (L4-L6) of rats with the Bennett and Xie chronic constriction injury (CCI) nerve ligation model of neuropathic pain were compared to non-ligation surgery and unoperated control rats to determine if there is a change in alpha2-adrenergic receptor mRNA expression with neuropathic pain. Compared to unoperated rats, CCI rats had bilaterally lower RG-20 mRNA, corresponding to the alpha2A-adrenergic receptor subtype (affected 62.4 +/- 22.1% and contralateral 69.5 +/- 16.6% of unoperated, P<0.05), and RG-10 mRNA, corresponding to the alpha2C-adrenergic receptor subtype (affected 49.2 +/- 19.1% and contralateral 50.0 +/- 14.4% of unoperated, P<0.05). These results would suggest a corresponding decrease in alpha2A- and alpha2C-adrenergic receptor concentrations in the CCI and non-ligation surgery rats' spinal cords.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurosurgery, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA. leiphart@ucla.edu
authors.forename: James W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Leiphart
authors.forename: Cynthia V
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Dills
authors.forename: Robert M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Levy
mesh_terms: D000344:Afferent Pathways / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000235:genetics; D008026:Ligation; D008297:Male; D009437:Neuralgia / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D018341:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-2 / Q000235:genetics*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: C547770:Adra2a protein, rat; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018341:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-2; D009638:Norepinephrine