Gonadectomy affects brain derived neurotrophic factor in rats after chronic constriction nerve injury.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the effect of gonadectomy on brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression in neuropathic pain.


METHODS
Using chronic constriction injury (CCI) model, we detected BDNF mRNA in dorsal root ganglion and protein content in spinal cord by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay respectively. The time point we chose was post CCI operation d 0, 3, 7, 14, and 21.


RESULTS
After CCI surgery, BDNF mRNA in ipsilateral DRGs was upregulated and reached its maximum on post operation d 7. BDNF protein level in ipsilateral spinal cord was also increased and reached its maximum on post operation d 14. The magnitude of this increase in gonadectomy (GDX) rats was significantly smaller than the GDX-sham rats at each time point.


CONCLUSIONS
Gonadectomy reduced the BDNF increment after CCI surgery. Estrogen may affect nociceptive processing by its effect on BDNF.
School of Life Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China. zhaoxin@hotmail.com
Xin
X
Zhao
Xin
X
Wang
Shu-yun
SY
Zheng
Jian-guo
JG
Xu
D000818:Animals; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000378:metabolism*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D010052:Ovariectomy; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020426:Sciatic Neuropathy / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000378:metabolism*
D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D012333:RNA, Messenger