title: Persistent neuropathic pain increases synaptic GluA1 subunit levels in core and shell subregions of the nucleus accumbens.
abstract: The nucleus accumbens (NAc) is a key component of the brain reward system, and it is composed of core and shell subregions. Glutamate transmission through AMPA-type receptors in both core and shell of the NAc has been shown to regulate reward- and aversion-type behaviors. Previous studies have additionally demonstrated a role for AMPA receptor signaling in the NAc in chronic pain states. Here, we show that persistent neuropathic pain, modeled by spared nerve injury (SNI), selectively increases the numbers of GluA1 subunits of AMPA receptors at the synapse of both core and shell subregions. Such increases are not observed, however, for the GluA2 subunits. Furthermore, we find that phosphorylation at Ser845-GluA1 is increased by SNI at both core and shell subregions. These results demonstrate that persistent neuropathic pain increases AMPA receptor delivery to the synapse in both NAc core and shell, implying a role for AMPA receptor signaling in these regions in pain states.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York, NY 10016, United States.
authors.forename: Duo
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York, NY 10016, United States.
authors.forename: Chen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Su
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York, NY 10016, United States.
authors.forename: Hau-Yueh
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York, NY 10016, United States.
authors.forename: Toby
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Manders
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York, NY 10016, United States; Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, United States. Electronic address: jing.wang2@nyumc.org.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D008297:Male; D009437:Neuralgia / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009714:Nucleus Accumbens / Q000378:metabolism*; D010543:Peroneal Nerve / Q000293:injuries; D021122:Protein Subunits / Q000378:metabolism; D021381:Protein Transport; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D018091:Receptors, AMPA / Q000378:metabolism*; D013569:Synapses / Q000378:metabolism*; D013979:Tibial Nerve / Q000293:injuries
chemical_list: D021122:Protein Subunits; D018091:Receptors, AMPA
keywords: Core; GluA1; Neuropathic pain; Nucleus accumbens; SNI; Shell