Cobalt-complex ATP enhanced regeneration in the dorsal horn of the rat spinal cord

Summary ATP, the energy source for axoplasmic transport, is indispensable for the transport of nerve growth factor (NGF). NGF regulates the regeneration of central processes of the primary sensory neurons, by means of transganglionic regulatory mechanisms. This central regeneration was investigated with the help of the histochemical detection of fluoride-resistant acid phosphatase (FRAP), one of the marker enzymes of the primary nociceptive neurons. Transganglionic degenerative atrophy (TDA) of the central terminals of primary sensory neurons was induced with sciatic nerve crush. Dynamics of central regeneration was studied in rats treated with a cobalt-ATP complex, and with commercially available Na-ATP, respectively, by means of histochemical detection of the restitution of FRAP activity in the Rolando substance. Disappearance of FRAP activity was complete on the 6th postoperative day in the medial two-thirds of the upper dorsal horn in segments L2–L6. The regeneration (i.e. replenishment of FRAP activity) began on the 14th day and was complete by the 31st day in animals treated with cobalt-ATP, while in the animals treated with Na-ATP the replenishment of FRAP activity began on the 20th day and was complete only by the 60th day. It is concluded that the cobalt-ATP-complex significantly enhances central regeneration.     

Expression of neuropeptides and neuropeptide mRNAs in spinal cord after axotomy in the rat,with special reference to motoneurons and galanin

The extent to which the plasticity in peptide expression observed in developing spinal motoneurons occurs following proximal peripheral axotomy in the adult rat was examined using in situ hybridization and immunohistochemical techniques to visualize the changes. Transient upregulation of galanin, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) and substance P messenger ribonucleic acids (mRNAs) was observed within subpopulations of motoneurons ipsilateral to lesion for periods lasting 2–3 weeks after injury. In contrast, the axotomy-induced heterogenous increases in somatostatin and neuropeptide tyrosine mRNA expression in ipsilateral motoneurons remained elevated, or, in the case of somatostatin, continued to increase for the time period studied (1 month). Immunohistochemical analysis agreed with the in situ hybridization results, showing some motoneurons within the injured ventral horn to contain galanin-, VIP-or somatostatin-like immunoreactivity. In some instances, galanin-immunoreactive motoneurons colocalized with calcitonin gene-related peptide immunoreactivity. Most of the neurons expressing the injury-induced peptides appeared large, presumably alpha-motoneurons, but there were also many small neurons expressing galanin in the ventral horn ipsilateral to lesion. This may represent evidence for peptide synthesis in gamma-motoneurons. The only peptide mRNA studied to be downregulated in response to axotomy was enkephalin. The results show that peptide expression in injured motoneurons is dramatically altered, the significance of which remains to be determined.     

Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide in visceral afferent pathways to the sacral spinal cord of the cat

Immunohistochemical studies revealed that vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) is localized primarily to sacral segments of the cat's spinal cord. VIP is most prominent in afferent axons and terminals in Lissauer's tract and in lateral laminae I and V of the dorsal horn. The distribution of VIP terminals is very similar to that of visceral afferent projections identified by horseradish peroxidase. Dye-tracing experiments combined with immunohistochemistry demonstrated that VIP is located in visceral afferent perikarya in the sacral dorsal root ganglia and also in terminals in the sacral autonomic nucleus. These observations suggest that VIP is a neurotransmitter in afferent projections from the pelvic viscera.     

大鼠脊髓半横断损伤对脊神经节P物质表达的影响

目的探讨脊髓半横断损伤对脊神经节P物质(SP)表达的影响。方法选取成年SD大鼠30只,随机分为5组,每组6只;实验组为4组,正常对照组为1组。实验组:脊髓右侧行半横断损伤,术后3、7、14和28d于各时间点分别取出损伤区手术侧脊神经节,石蜡切片后行免疫组织化学染色,结合图像分析技术观察SP在脊神经节内含量的变化。对照组不做任何处理,7d后检测同上。结果术后3d脊神经节内SP的阳性神经元数、阳性细胞百分率较对照组明显增多,7d组较3d组呈下降趋势,14d进一步下降,28d组SP的阳性神经元数、阳性细胞百分率逐渐回升,但仍低于正常对照组。结论脊髓半横断损伤可导致脊神经节SP表达改变,提示SP作为一种感觉神经的传导物质,可能在脊髓半横断损伤过程中发挥作用。     

Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP)-containing neurons in the spinal cord of the rat and their projections

The distribution of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP)-like immunoreactive structures in the rat spinal cord and their projections were investigated by means of an immunofluorescent method. In the normal rat, a small number of VIP-positive fibers were observed in the superficial layer of the dorsal horn and in the lateral funiculus. With colchicine pretreatment, VIP-positive neurons were demonstrated in the lateral spinal nucleus (lsn) and in the lamina X (Rexed). Transections of the spinal cord at various levels revealed that some of the VIP neurons in the lsn might project to supraspinal areas via lateral funiculus.     

坐骨神经损伤后VIP在大鼠脊髓腰段后角中的动态变化

结扎切断SD大鼠左侧坐骨神经或前后根后,在一定的存活时间序列里,用Olympus显微镜的测光装置对经PAP法显色处理后的大鼠腰段脊髓切片后角的VIP(血管活性肠肽)进行了相对变化率(X_c/X_c-1)×100%的测定.结果发现:坐骨神经结扎切断后,术侧VIP在各个时间的值都高于对照侧;术后15天增高至125%(P<0.01),30天时仅增高至27.2%(P<0.05),120天时增高至50.7%(P<0.01)变化曲线呈双峰夹谷状.     

Effect of peripheral nerve section and nerve crush on spinal cord neuropeptides in the rat; increased VIP and PHI in the dorsal horn

An increase in vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) immunoreactivity in the dorsal lumbar hemisegment L4 of the spinal cord was observed by both radioimmunoassay and immunocytochemistry following sciatic nerve section or crush. Compared to the contralateral control hemisegment there was 125% and 35% more VIP immunoreactivity in the L4 hemisegment ipsilateral to the lesion 14 days following nerve section and crush respectively. The contralateral control hemisegment contained levels similar to L4 hemisegments from unoperated control rats. This increase appeared by immunocytochemistry to be confined to the substantia gelatinosa, in the region of termination of the majority of unmyelinated sciatic nerve afferents. Similar increases to VIP were observed for the peptide PHI, which is closely related to VIP. However, spinal cord substance P and somatostatin immunoreactivities were reduced following nerve section and unchanged following nerve crush whilst neurotensin and bombesin immunoreactivities were not affected following either lesion.Previous studies have shown that peripheral nerve injury produces a number of electrophysiological and biochemical changes in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord, including depletion of substance P in primary afferent neurones.The location of the cell bodies of fibres showing increased immunoreactivity remains to be established. Further studies are required to elucidate how these peptide changes are related to the adaptive processes which occur centrally following peripheral nerve injury.     

Reduction of substance P binding sites in the spinal dorsal horn after perineural capsaicin treatment in the rat

The long-term effect of perineural capsaicin treatment on the distribution of substance P (SP) binding sites was studied in the rat spinal dorsal horn using ¹²⁵I-labelled Bolton-Hunter-SP. Three months after local application of capsaicin onto the sciatic nerve quantitative evaluation of the autoradiograms revealed a significant decrease in the densiy of SP binding sites of up to 48% in regions of laminae I and II of the spinal dorsal horn somatotopically related to the capsaicin treated sciatic nerve. It is suggested that reduction in SP binding may result from transganglionic and transsynaptic degenerative changes affecting postsynaptic structures. Changes in the distribution of SP binding sites may significantly contribute to functional alterations observed after perineural treatment with capsaicin.     

Coexistence of substance P and calcitonin gene-related peptide in the frog spinal cord

The localization of substance P (SP) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) was studied in the untreated spinal cord of the frog using single or double immunohistochemical stainings. SP and CGRP appear to coexist in the primary afferent fibers and in the marginal and submarginal dorsal horn zones, as well as in the dorsolateral zone. In other parts of the spinal cord CGRP immunoreactivity was scanty while diffuse SP systems were seen, suggesting that the coexistence of the two peptides is restricted to primary afferent fibers.     

神经病理性痛大鼠脊髓背角缝隙连接蛋白表达变化及鞘内注射甘珀酸的镇痛作用

目的 研究慢性神经病理性痛大鼠脊髓背角内缝隙连接蛋白家族(Cx)中Cx43和Cx32的表达变化,以及鞘内注射缝隙连接阻断剂甘珀酸（CBX）的镇痛作用。 方法 成年SD大鼠50只,分为正常对照组、假手术组和坐骨神经分支选择性损伤组(SNI)。手术前1d、术后3d、5d、10d、20d和30d,观察大鼠行为并检测机械刺激缩足反射阈值(PWMT)。15只大鼠于术后10d、20d、30d取脊髓腰段进行免疫印迹检测,另15只大鼠于术后10d、20d、30d取脊髓腰段进行免疫荧光染色,检测腰段脊髓背角内Cx43和Cx32表达的变化。有10只大鼠先进行鞘内插管,后行SNI手术,术后20d向鞘内注射生理盐水或CBX,观察大鼠PWMT的变化。 结果 SNI大鼠手术侧PWMT阈值较非手术侧或假手术组明显降低,术后20d达最低值。SNI大鼠手术侧脊髓背角内Cx43、32表达增多,明显高于非手术侧和假手术组背角。鞘内注射CBX 3h后,PWMT平均阈值由(2.5±1.0)g上升到(20.0±3.2)g,有抑制效应, 而生理盐水组则无抑制效应。 结论 脊髓背角内的缝隙连接在因外周神经损伤引起的神经病理性痛中起重要作用。     

The synaptic connectivity that underlies the noxious transmission and modulation within the superficial dorsal horn of the spinal cord

Noxious stimuli can usually cause the aversive sensations, pain and itch. The initial integration of such noxious information occurs in the superficial dorsal horn of the spinal cord (SDH), which is very important for understanding pain sensation and developing effective analgesic strategies. The circuits formed by pools of neurons and terminals within SDH are accepted as the platform for such complicated integrations and are highly plastic under conditions of inflammatory or neuropathic pain. Recent literature offers a complicated, yet versatile view of SDH intrinsic circuits with both inhibitory and excitatory components. However, our knowledge about the adaptative regulation of SDH local circuits is still far from sufficient due to the incomplete understanding of their organization as they are intermingled with primary afferent fibers (PAFs), poorly understood or identified SDH neurons, somehow contradictory data for descending control systems. A more positive view emphasizes abundant modern data on SDH neuron morphology and physiology riding on the back of significant technological advancements used in neuroscience. Reviewing the current literature on this topic thus produced an integrated understanding of SDH neurons and the SDH local circuits involved in noxious transmission and modulation.