title: Neural tissue engineering scaffold with sustained RAPA release relieves neuropathic pain in rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of locally slow-released rapamycin (RAPA) from bionic peripheral nerve stent to reduce the incidence of neuropathic pain or mitigate the degree of pain after nerve injury.
  
  
  METHODS
  We constructed a neural tissue engineering scaffold with sustained release of RAPA to repair 20mm defects in rat sciatic nerves. Four presurgical and postsurgical time windows were selected to monitor the changes in the expression of pain-related dorsal root ganglion (DRG) voltage-gated sodium channels 1.3 (Nav1.3), 1.7 (Nav1.7), and 1.8 (Nav1.8) through immunohistochemistry (IHC) and Western Blot, along with the observation of postsurgical pathological pain in rats by pain-related behavior approaches.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Relatively small upregulation of DRG sodium channels was observed in the experimental group (RAPA+poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA)+stent) after surgery, along with low degrees of neuropathic pain and anxiety, which were similar to those in the Autologous nerve graft group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Autoimmune inflammatory response plays a leading role in the occurrence of post-traumatic neuropathic pain, and that RAPA significantly inhibits the abnormal upregulation of sodium channels to reduce pain by alleviating inflammatory response.
authors: Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, PR China.
authors: Tan
authors: T
authors: Ding
authors: Institute of Orthopedics, Xijing Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, PR China.
authors: Chao
authors: C
authors: Zhu
authors: Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, PR China.
authors: Zhen-Zhen
authors: ZZ
authors: Kou
authors: Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, PR China.
authors: Jun-Bin
authors: JB
authors: Yin
authors: Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, PR China.
authors: Ting
authors: T
authors: Zhang
authors: Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, PR China.
authors: Ya-Cheng
authors: YC
authors: Lu
authors: Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, PR China.
authors: Li-Ying
authors: LY
authors: Wang
authors: Institute of Orthopedics, Xijing Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, PR China.
authors: Zhuo-Jing
authors: ZJ
authors: Luo
authors: Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, PR China. Electronic address: prof_liyunqing@126.com.
authors: Yun-Qing
authors: YQ
authors: Li
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D054855:Drug-Eluting Stents; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D015870:Gene Expression; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D062552:NAV1.3 Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D062556:NAV1.7 Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D062559:NAV1.8 Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009437:Neuralgia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D000077182:Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000293:injuries / Q000503:physiopathology; D020123:Sirolimus / Q000494:pharmacology*; D023822:Tissue Engineering; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds
chemical_list: D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D062552:NAV1.3 Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel; D062556:NAV1.7 Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel; D062559:NAV1.8 Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel; C568319:Scn10a protein, rat; C478638:Scn3a protein, rat; C503480:Scn9a protein, rat; D000077182:Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid; D019344:Lactic Acid; D020123:Sirolimus
keywords: Neuropathic pain; Peripheral nerve; Rapamycin; Tissue engineering; Voltage-gated sodium channels