title: Full-length tropomyosin-related kinase B expression in the brainstem in response to persistent inflammatory pain.
abstract: Supraspinal descending pathways from the periaqueductal gray and rostral ventromedial medulla dynamically modulate nociceptive transmission in the spinal dorsal horn. We examined the expression of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor receptor trkB in response to inflammation. No difference was observed in the number of neurons expressing trkB in the periaqueductal gray or rostral ventromedial medulla 3 h after inflammation; however, by 24 h, there was a significant increase in trkB expression in the periaqueductal gray (P < 0.05) and rostral ventromedial medulla (P < 0.05), compared with naïve levels, which persisted to 7 days and returned to naïve levels by 21 days. These results demonstrate a temporal increase in the number of cells expressing trkB in response to persistent inflammation, suggesting a role for trkB signaling in activity-dependent plasticity in the pain modulatory circuitry.
authors.affiliation: Department of Organizational Systems and Adult Health, School of Nursing, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland 21201-1579, USA.
authors.forename: Cynthia L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Renn
authors.forename: Lu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Sharon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Susan G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Dorsey
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005620:Freund's Adjuvant; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006614:Hindlimb; D006930:Hyperalgesia / Q000209:etiology; D007249:Inflammation / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000201:enzymology*; D008297:Male; D008526:Medulla Oblongata / Q000201:enzymology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009474:Neurons / Q000201:enzymology / Q000502:physiology*; D010146:Pain / Q000201:enzymology*; D010487:Periaqueductal Gray / Q000201:enzymology*; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000502:physiology*; D020813:Receptor, trkB / Q000502:physiology*; D014335:Tropomyosin / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D014335:Tropomyosin; D005620:Freund's Adjuvant; D020813:Receptor, trkB; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt