title: Anti-TNF-alpha antibody reduces pain-behavioral changes induced by epidural application of nucleus pulposus in a rat model depending on the timing of administration.
abstract: METHODS
  An experimental animal study.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To study if antitumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) antibody, which is administered at different times, reduces the pain behavior induced by application of nucleus pulposus (NP) to the nerve root.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Treatment with TNF-alpha inhibitor reduces the pain-related behavior induced by epidural application of NP in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Left L5 partial laminectomy was performed and NP was applied to the L5 nerve root in 24 rats. The rats were divided into 4 groups. In 3 groups, anti-rat TNF-alpha antibody was intravenously administered immediately after, or 6 or 20 days after NP application. The fourth group was not treated with anti-rat TNF-alpha antibody (untreated rats). The withdrawal threshold of the plantar surface was determined 1 day before up through 28 days after NP application.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The withdrawal threshold of rats that had been treated with anti-rat TNF-alpha antibody immediately after or 6 days after, but not 20 days after, NP application, was significantly higher than that of the untreated rats.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Anti-TNF-alpha antibody reduced allodynia only when it was administered soon after the onset of allodynia. Late administration of anti-TNF-alpha antibody did not have an antiallodynic effect.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima City, Fukushima, Japan. non@fmu.ac.jp
authors.forename: Nobuhisa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.forename: Shin-ichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kikuchi
authors.forename: Shin-ichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Konno
authors.forename: Miho
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sekiguchi
authors.forename: Kazuyuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Watanabe
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004824:Epidural Space / Q000503:physiopathology; D000069285:Infliximab; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000637:transplantation; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000294:innervation / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013997:Time Factors; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000069285:Infliximab