Spinal cord injury-induced attenuation of GABAergic inhibition in spinal dorsal horn circuits is associated with down-regulation of the chloride transporter KCC2 in rat.
Most spinal cord injury (SCI) patients suffer from chronic pain. Effective therapy for this pain is lacking, and the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. The spinal superficial dorsal horn (SDH) contains neuronal circuits capable of modulating primary afferent information involved in pain processing. KCC2 is an isoform of the K(+)-Cl(-) cotransporter that contributes to the regulation of transmembrane anion gradient which plays a key role in shaping GABA(A) receptor-mediated signalling in the CNS. We tested the hypothesis that SCI causes down-regulation of KCC2 distal to the injury and contributes to the neuronal hyperresponsiveness and pain-related behaviours. SCI was a hemisection at T(13) level of adult Sprague-Dawley rats. Spinal sagittal slices with attached dorsal roots (DR) were prepared from L(4) to L(6) level. The reversal potentials of GABA responses (E(GABA)) and DR-evoked IPSPs and EPSPs of L(4-6) SDH neurones in sham-operated and SCI rats were compared using gramicidin-perforated patch-clamp recordings. Here we report that thoracic SCI-induced down-regulation of KCC2 in the lumbar SDH parallels the development of allodynia. The subsequent changes of E(GABA) in SDH neurones attenuate the GABA(A) receptor-mediated inhibitory synaptic transmission. These changes cause certain normally subthreshold primary A and C fibre inputs to evoke action potential output in SDH neurones. We conclude that SCI induces KCC2 down-regulation and subsequent changes of E(GABA) in the SDH below the injury site. The resulting disinhibition unmasks normally ineffective SDH neuronal circuits and may contribute to the below-level central pain-related behaviours after incomplete SCI.
Department of Anaesthesiology, Xijing Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China. yanlu20008@yahoo.com
Yan
Y
Lu
Jihong
J
Zheng
Lize
L
Xiong
Manfred
M
Zimmermann
Jing
J
Yang
D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D001640:Bicuculline / Q000494:pharmacology; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002264:Carboxylic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D019706:Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007192:Indenes / Q000494:pharmacology; D053444:Inhibitory Postsynaptic Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D010146:Pain / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D020671:Posterior Horn Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000502:physiology*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013126:Spinal Nerve Roots / Q000503:physiopathology; D027981:Symporters / Q000378:metabolism*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000502:physiology; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D000096922:K Cl- Cotransporters
D001640:Bicuculline; D002264:Carboxylic Acids; D007192:Indenes; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; D027981:Symporters; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D000096922:K Cl- Cotransporters; C059990:((dihydroindenyl)oxy)alkanoic acid