Effects of glucocorticoid receptor antagonists on allodynia and hyperalgesia in mouse model of neuropathic pain

Ichiro Takasaki; Takashi Kurihara; Hironao Saegusa; Shuqin Zong; Tsutomu Tanabe

doi:10.1016/j.ejphar.2005.09.045

Effects of glucocorticoid receptor antagonists on allodynia and hyperalgesia in mouse model of neuropathic pain

Eur J Pharmacol. 2005 Nov 7;524(1-3):80-3. doi: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2005.09.045. Epub 2005 Oct 26.

Authors

Ichiro Takasaki¹, Takashi Kurihara, Hironao Saegusa, Shuqin Zong, Tsutomu Tanabe

Affiliation

¹ Department of Pharmacology and Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Bunkyo-ku, Japan.

PMID: 16256102
DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2005.09.045

Abstract

Injury to the spinal nerves of mice induces mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia. In the injured spinal cord, the expression of glucocorticoid receptor mRNA was increased, whereas it was decreased in N-type Ca(2+)-channel-deficient mice, in which neuropathic pain is eliminated. Intrathecal and intraperitoneal injection of the glucocorticoid receptor antagonist RU486 produced antinociceptive effects, whereas intracerebroventricular injection was without effect. The more selective antagonist dexamethasone 21-mesylate suppressed both mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia. These results suggest that spinal glucocorticoid receptors play an important role in neuropathic pain, and that controlling the activity of glucocorticoid receptors may be of great importance in the treatment of neuropathic pain.

Publication types

Comparative Study
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Behavior, Animal / drug effects
Calcium Channels, N-Type / deficiency
Calcium Channels, N-Type / genetics
Calcium Channels, N-Type / physiology
Dexamethasone / analogs & derivatives
Dexamethasone / pharmacology
Disease Models, Animal
Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
Gene Expression Profiling
Hormone Antagonists / administration & dosage
Hormone Antagonists / pharmacology
Hyperalgesia / etiology
Hyperalgesia / prevention & control*
Injections, Intraventricular
Injections, Spinal
Male
Mice
Mice, Inbred C57BL
Mice, Knockout
Mifepristone / administration & dosage
Mifepristone / pharmacology
Motor Activity / drug effects
Neuralgia / etiology
Neuralgia / prevention & control*
Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis
Pain / etiology
Pain / prevention & control*
Pain Threshold / drug effects
Receptors, Glucocorticoid / antagonists & inhibitors*
Receptors, Glucocorticoid / physiology
Spinal Cord Injuries / complications
Spinal Cord Injuries / genetics
Time Factors

Substances

Calcium Channels, N-Type
Hormone Antagonists
Receptors, Glucocorticoid
Mifepristone
Dexamethasone
dexamethasone 21-methanesulfonate