title: Anti-fibroblast growth factor-2 antibodies attenuate mechanical allodynia in a rat model of neuropathic pain.
abstract: Peripheral nerve injury leads to the activation of spinal cord astrocytes, which contribute to maintaining neuropathic (NP) pain behavior. Fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2), a neurotrophic and gliogenic factor, is upregulated by spinal cord astrocytes in response to ligation of spinal nerves L5 and L6 (spinal nerve ligation [SpNL]). To evaluate the contribution of spinal astroglial FGF-2 to mechanical allodynia following SpNL, neutralizing antibodies to FGF-2 were injected intrathecally. Administration of 18 microg of anti-FGF-2 antibodies attenuated mechanical allodynia at day 21 after SpNL and reduced FGF-2 and glial acidic fibrillary protein mRNA expression and immunoreactivity in the L5 spinal cord segment of rats with SpNL. These results suggest that endogenous astroglial FGF-2 contributes to maintaining NP tactile allodynia associated with reactivity of spinal cord astrocytes and that inhibition of spinal FGF-2 ameliorates NP pain signs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Madiai
authors.forename: Virginia M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Goettl
authors.forename: Syed-Rehan
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Hussain
authors.forename: Alec R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Clairmont
authors.forename: Robert L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Stephens
authors.forename: Kevin V
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Hackshaw
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006941:Hyperesthesia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007278:Injections, Spinal; D008297:Male; D009437:Neuralgia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010146:Pain / Q000503:physiopathology; D010147:Pain Measurement; D059348:Peripheral Nerve Injuries; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000166:cytology
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2