title: Sciatic nerve cuffing in mice: a model of sustained neuropathic pain.
abstract: Because of its severity, chronicity, resistance to usual therapy and its consequences on quality of life, neuropathic pain represents a real clinical challenge. Fundamental research on this pathology uses metabolic, pharmacological or traumatic models in rodents that reproduce the characteristic human pain symptoms. In 1996, Mosconi and Kruger morphologically described a model of peripheral neuropathy in which a cuff of polyethylene tubing was placed around the sciatic nerve in rats. In the present study, we evaluated the behavioral consequences of this neuropathic pain model in C57Bl/6J mice which is the main genetic background used for studies in transgenic mice. A short cuff of polyethylene tubing was unilaterally placed around the main branch of the sciatic nerve. It induced an ipsilateral heat thermal hyperalgesia lasting around 3 weeks, and a sustained ipsilateral mechanical allodynia lasting at least 2 months. We showed that this neuropathic pain model is insensitive to ketoprofen, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug. Morphine treatment acutely suppressed the mechanical allodynia, but tolerance to this effect rapidly developed. The analysis of video recordings revealed that most aspects of spontaneous behavior remained unaffected on the long term, excepted for a decrease in the time spent at social interaction for the neuropathic mice. Using the elevated plus-maze and the marble-burying test, we also showed that neuropathic mice develop an anxiety phenotype. Our data indicate that sciatic nerve cuffing in mice is a pertinent model for the study of nociceptive and emotional consequences of sustained neuropathic pain.
authors.affiliation: Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, Centre National de Recherche Scientifique, Université de Strasbourg, 21 Rue René Descartes, 67084 Strasbourg Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Malika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Benbouzid
authors.forename: Viviane
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pallage
authors.forename: Mathieu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rajalu
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Waltisperger
authors.forename: Stéphane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Doridot
authors.forename: Pierrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Poisbeau
authors.forename: Marie José
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Freund-Mercier
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barrot
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D003250:Constriction; D004361:Drug Tolerance; D004644:Emotions; D004924:Escape Reaction; D006930:Hyperalgesia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D007660:Ketoprofen / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D023421:Models, Animal; D009020:Morphine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009043:Motor Activity; D009294:Narcotics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D020426:Sciatic Neuropathy / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D012920:Social Behavior Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D014741:Video Recording
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D009294:Narcotics; D009020:Morphine; D007660:Ketoprofen