title: A role for Kalirin-7 in nociceptive sensitization via activity-dependent modulation of spinal synapses.
abstract: Synaptic plasticity is the cornerstone of processes underlying persistent nociceptive activity-induced changes in normal nociceptive sensitivity. Kalirin-7 is a multifunctional guanine-nucleotide-exchange factor (GEF) for Rho GTPases that is characterized by its localization at excitatory synapses, interactions with glutamate receptors and its ability to dynamically modulate the neuronal cytoskeleton. Here we show that spinally expressed Kalirin-7 is required for persistent nociceptive activity-dependent synaptic long-term potentiation as well as activity-dependent remodelling of synaptic spines in the spinal dorsal horn, thereby orchestrating functional and structural plasticity during the course of inflammatory pain.
authors: Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Pharmacology Institute, Medical Faculty Heidelberg, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 366, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
authors: Jianning
authors: J
authors: Lu
authors: Institute of Neuroscience, Fourth Military Medical University, 17 West Chang-le Road, Xi'an 710032, China.
authors: Ceng
authors: C
authors: Luo
authors: Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Pharmacology Institute, Medical Faculty Heidelberg, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 366, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
authors: Kiran Kumar
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9503-1402
authors: KK
authors: Bali
authors: Institute of Neuroscience, Fourth Military Medical University, 17 West Chang-le Road, Xi'an 710032, China.
authors: Rou-Gang
authors: RG
authors: Xie
authors: Department of Neuroscience, University of Connecticut Health Center, 263 Farmington Avenue, Farmington, Connecticut 06030-3401, USA.
authors: Richard E
authors: RE
authors: Mains
authors: Department of Neuroscience, University of Connecticut Health Center, 263 Farmington Avenue, Farmington, Connecticut 06030-3401, USA.|Department of Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Connecticut Health Center, 263 Farmington Avenue, Farmington, Connecticut 06030-3401, USA.
authors: Betty A
authors: BA
authors: Eipper
authors: Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Pharmacology Institute, Medical Faculty Heidelberg, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 366, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
authors: Rohini
authors: R
authors: Kuner
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000229:Dependovirus / Q000235:genetics; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D020662:Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics*; D017774:Long-Term Potentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D059225:Nociception / Q000502:physiology*; D010146:Pain / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D066148:Spinal Cord Dorsal Horn / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013569:Synapses / Q000378:metabolism*; D020830:rac1 GTP-Binding Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D020662:Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors; C548820:KALRN protein, mouse; D009479:Neuropeptides; C484602:Rac1 protein, mouse; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D020830:rac1 GTP-Binding Protein