Expression of artemin and GFRα3 in an animal model of migraine: possible role in the pathogenesis of this disorder.
BACKGROUND
Neurotrophic factors have been implicated in hyperalgesia and peripheral levels of these molecules are altered in migraine pathophysiology. Artemin, a vasculature-derived neurotrophic factor, contributes to pain modulation and trigeminal primary afferent sensitization through binding its selective receptor GFRα3. The distribution of artemin and GFRα3 in the dura mater raises an anatomy supports that they may be involved in migraine. In this study we evaluated the expression of artemin and GFRα3 in an animal migraine model that may be relevant for migraine.


METHODS
In this study, using a rat migraine model by administration of nitroglycerin (NTG), we investigated the expression of artemin in the dura mater and GFRα3 in the trigeminal ganglia (TG) by means of quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, western blot and immunofluorescence labeling.


RESULTS
Artemin immunoreactivity was found in the smooth muscle cells of dural vasculature and GFRα3 was present in cytoplasm of TG neurons. The mRNA levels of artemin and GFRα3 were significantly elevated after NTG treatment at 2 and 4 h respectively (P < 0.05). The expression of artemin protein was increased at 4 h and continually up to 8 h in the dura mater following NTG administration (P < 0.05). The expression of GFRα3 protein was elevated at 4 h and continually up to 10 h in the TG following NTG administration (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The findings suggest that artemin and GFRα3 play an important role in the pathogenesis of migraine and may represent potential therapeutic targets for the treatment of migraine.
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, 250021, People's Republic of China.|Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Otology, Jinan, 250022, People's Republic of China.
Hai-Qiong
HQ
Shang
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, 250021, People's Republic of China.|Department of Otolaryngology, People's Hospital of Rizhao, Rizhao, 276800, People's Republic of China.
Yan
Y
Wang
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, 250021, People's Republic of China.|Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Otology, Jinan, 250022, People's Republic of China.
Yan-Yan
YY
Mao
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, 250021, People's Republic of China.|Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Otology, Jinan, 250022, People's Republic of China.
Li-Gang
LG
Kong
Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Otology, Jinan, 250022, People's Republic of China.|Institute of Eye and ENT, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, 250022, People's Republic of China.
Gao-Ying
GY
Sun
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, 250021, People's Republic of China.
Lei
L
Xu
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, 250021, People's Republic of China.
Dao-Gong
DG
Zhang
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, 250021, People's Republic of China.
Yue-Chen
YC
Han
Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Otology, Jinan, 250022, People's Republic of China.|Institute of Eye and ENT, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, 250022, People's Republic of China.
Jian-Feng
JF
Li
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, 250021, People's Republic of China.|Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Otology, Jinan, 250022, People's Republic of China.|Institute of Eye and ENT, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, 250022, People's Republic of China.
Hai-Bo
HB
Wang
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, 250021, People's Republic of China. fanzment@outlook.com.
Zhao-Min
ZM
Fan
D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004388:Dura Mater / Q000378:metabolism*; D051097:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Receptors / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism*; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012668:Trigeminal Ganglion / Q000378:metabolism*
C490887:Artn protein, rat; C494995:Gfra3 protein, rat; D051097:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Receptors; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins
Artemin; Dura mater; GFRα3; Migraine; Trigeminal ganglia