Effects of repeated central administration of endothelin type A receptor antagonist on the development of neuropathic pain in rats.
Endothelin-1 (ET-1) predominates in the endothelin family effectively in vascular tone control, mitogenesis, and neuromodulation. Its receptors are widespread in the central nervous system (CNS) associated with endogenous pain control, suggesting an important role of ET-1 in central pain processing. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of central ET-1 on the development of neuropathic pain behaviour by repeated intrathecal administration of endothelin type A receptor (ETAR) antagonist (BQ-123) in a sciatic nerve ligation (SNL) animal model. BQ-123 was administered intrathecally to rats at dosages 15 μg, 20 μg, 25 μg, and 30 μg, daily for 3 days. Mechanical allodynia was assessed daily 30 minutes before/after injection, 1 hour after injection of BQ-123 from post-SNL day 4 to day 6, and once on day 7 (without BQ-123 administration) before rats were sacrificed. Increasing trends of mechanical threshold were observed, and they reached significance at all dosages on post-SNL day 7 (P < 0.05 at dosage 15 μg and P < 0.001 at dosages 20 μg, 25 μg, and 30 μg) in comparison to control group. BQ-123 at dosage 30 μg showed the most stable and significant mechanical threshold rise. Repeated central administration of BQ-123 alleviated mechanical allodynia after SNL. Our results provide insight into the therapeutic strategies, including timing, against neuropathic pain development with ETAR antagonist.
Department of Anaesthesiology, The University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Room 424, 4/F, Block K, 102 Pokfulam, Pokfulam, Hong Kong ; Laboratory and Clinical Research Institute for Pain, The University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Room 424, 4/F, Block K, 102 Pokfulam, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
Lydia W
LW
Tai
Victor K L
VK
Hung
Wei
W
Mei
Qiu
Q
Qiu
Sookja K
SK
Chung
C W
CW
Cheung
D000818:Animals; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D065130:Endothelin A Receptor Antagonists; D006930:Hyperalgesia / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D007278:Injections, Spinal; D008026:Ligation; D008297:Male; D009437:Neuralgia / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010456:Peptides, Cyclic / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D044022:Receptor, Endothelin A / Q000378:metabolism; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012684:Sensory Thresholds / Q000187:drug effects
D065130:Endothelin A Receptor Antagonists; D010456:Peptides, Cyclic; D044022:Receptor, Endothelin A; C072247:cyclo(Trp-Asp-Pro-Val-Leu)