title: TWIK-Related Spinal Cord K⁺ Channel Expression Is Increased in the Spinal Dorsal Horn after Spinal Nerve Ligation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The TWIK-related spinal cord K⁺ channel (TRESK) has recently been discovered and plays an important role in nociceptor excitability in the pain pathway. Because there have been no reports on the TRESK expression or its function in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord in neuropathic pain, we analyzed TRESK expression in the spinal dorsal horn in a spinal nerve ligation (SNL) model.
  
  
  METHODS
  We established a SNL mouse model by using the L5-6 spinal nerves ligation. We used real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry to investigate TRESK expression in the dorsal horn and L5 dorsal rot ganglion (DRG).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The SNL group showed significantly higher expression of TRESK in the ipsilateral dorsal horn under pain, but low expression in L5 DRG. Double immunofluorescence staining revealed that immunoreactivity of TRESK was mostly restricted in neuronal cells, and that synapse markers GAD67 and VGlut2 appeared to be associated with TRESK expression. We were unable to find a significant association between TRESK and calcineurin by double immunofluorescence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TRESK in spinal cord neurons may contribute to the development of neuropathic pain following injury.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, Chungnam National University Medical School, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Hee Youn
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, Chungnam National University Hospital, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Enji
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, Chungnam National University Hospital, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Sangil
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, Chungnam National University Hospital, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Woosuk
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, Chungnam National University Hospital, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Sunyeul
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Chungnam National University Medical School, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Dong Woon
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, Chungnam National University Hospital, Daejeon, Korea. annn8432@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Youngkwon
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, Chungnam National University Hospital, Daejeon, Korea. whlee@cnu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Wonhyung
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006930:Hyperalgesia; D008026:Ligation; D008297:Male; D009437:Neuralgia / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D009619:Nociceptors; D010146:Pain / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D066148:Spinal Cord Dorsal Horn / Q000378:metabolism*; D013127:Spinal Nerves / Q000293:injuries*
chemical_list: C546314:Kcnk18 protein, rat; D015221:Potassium Channels
keywords: TRESK protein; neuralgia; pain; rat