Major histocompatibility complex haplotype is associated with postherpetic pain in mice.
BACKGROUND
Postherpetic neuralgia is one of the major complications of herpes zoster caused by the reactivation of varicella-zoster virus and is characterized by severe pain. The authors previously showed the association of a human major histocompatibility complex (MHC) haplotype with postherpetic neuralgia. This study was performed to experimentally confirm the role of MHC haplotype in the development of postherpetic pain using a mouse model of postherpetic pain, which corresponds to postherpetic neuralgia.


METHODS
BALB/c mice (MHC haplotype: H-2), C57BL/6 mice (MHC haplotype: H-2), and BALB/b mice, a congenic BALB/c strain with H-2, were used. Herpes simplex virus type I was transdermally inoculated on the hind paw. Unilaterally zosteriform skin lesion and pain-related responses (acute herpetic pain) were caused, and some mice showed pain-related responses (postherpetic pain) after the cure of skin lesions. Herpes simplex virus type I antigen and CD3-positive cells were immunostained in the dorsal root ganglion in the acute phase.


RESULTS
The incidence (78%) of postherpetic pain in C57BL/6 mice was significantly higher than that (35%) in BALB/c mice (P = 0.004, odds ratio = 6.7). Furthermore, the incidence of postherpetic pain in BALB/b (H-2) was similar to that in C57BL/6. Herpes simplex virus type I antigen-positive cells were less in the dorsal root ganglion of C57BL/6 mice than that of BALB/c mice. CD3-positive T cells were more in the dorsal root ganglion of C57BL/6 mice than BALB/c mice.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that the MHC haplotype (H-2) is involved in the incidence of postherpetic pain, and CD3-positive T cells may play a role in its pathogenesis.
Sato-Takeda
Masako
M
Department of Anesthesiology, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan. masakost@tg7.so-net.ne.jp
Takasaki
Ichiro
I
Takeda
Kenji
K
Sasaki
Atsushi
A
Andoh
Tsugunobu
T
Nojima
Hiroshi
H
Shiraki
Kimiyasu
K
Kuraishi
Yasushi
Y
Hanaoka
Kazuo
K
Tokunaga
Katsushi
K
Yabe
Toshio
T
D000818:Animals; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D006239:Haplotypes; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008285:Major Histocompatibility Complex / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000187:drug effects; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology; D013045:Species Specificity; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects
D000956:Antigens, Viral; D017252:CD3 Complex