title: Effects of exogenous galanin on neuropathic pain state and change of galanin and its receptors in DRG and SDH after sciatic nerve-pinch injury in rat.
abstract: A large number of neuroanatomical, neurophysiologic, and neurochemical mechanisms are thought to contribute to the development and maintenance of neuropathic pain. However, mechanisms responsible for neuropathic pain have not been completely delineated. It has been demonstrated that neuropeptide galanin (Gal) is upregulated after injury in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) and spinal dorsal horn (SDH) where it plays a predominantly antinociceptive role. In the present study, sciatic nerve-pinch injury rat model was used to determine the effects of exogenous Gal on the expression of the Gal and its receptors (GalR1, GalR2) in DRG and SDH, the alterations of pain behavior, nerve conduction velocity (NCV) and morphology of sciatic nerve. The results showed that exogenous Gal had antinociceptive effects in this nerve-pinch injury induced neuropathic pain animal model. It is very interesting that Gal, GalR1 and GalR2 change their expression greatly in DRG and SDH after nerve injury and intrathecal injection of exougenous Gal. Morphological investigation displays a serious damage after nerve-pinch injury and an amendatory regeneration after exogenous Gal treatment. These findings imply that Gal, via activation of GalR1 and/or GalR2, may have neuroprotective effects in reducing neuropathic pain behaviors and improving nerve regeneration after nerve injury.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Shandong University School of Medicine, Jinan, China.
authors.forename: Xiaofeng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Xiangdong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xiuying
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Huaxiang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Zhenzhong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000700:Analgesics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D019004:Galanin / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000378:metabolism*; D006930:Hyperalgesia / Q000188:drug therapy; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D020671:Posterior Horn Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D044088:Receptors, Galanin / Q000378:metabolism*; D020426:Sciatic Neuropathy / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D012585:Sciatica / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D017931:DNA Primers; D044088:Receptors, Galanin; D019004:Galanin