SIP30 (SNAP25 interacting protein of 30) is a SNAP25 interaction protein of 30 kDa that functions in neurotransmitter release. Using a chronic constriction injury (CCI) model of neuropathic pain, we profiled gene expression in the rat spinal cord and brain and identified sip30, which was upregulated after CCI. Here, we show that CCI induced a bilateral increase of SIP30 in the rostral anterior ...

To evaluate the involvement of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade in orofacial neuropathic pain mechanisms, this study assessed nocifensive behavior evoked by mechanical or thermal stimulation of the whisker pad skin, phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) in trigeminal spinal subnucleus caudalis (Vc) neurons, and Vc neuronal responses to mechanical or t...

OBJECTIVE To investigate whether comorbidity as assessed by the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) is associated with mortality in a long-term followup of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients. METHODS Data were collected from 499 SLE patients attending the Lupus Clinic at the McGill University Health Center, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and 170 SLE patients from the Department of Rheumatolo...

BACKGROUND Neuropathic pain (NP) is partially mediated by neuroinflammatory mechanisms, and also modulates local neurogenic inflammation. Dietary lipids, in particular the total amount and relative proportions of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) of the omega-3 and omega-6 families, have been reported to modify the threshold for thermal and mechanical allodynia in the partial sciatic nerve li...

PURPOSE Pregnancy-induced analgesia develops during late pregnancy, but it is unclear whether this analgesia is effective against neuropathic pain. The detailed molecular mechanisms underlying pregnancy-induced analgesia have not been investigated. We examined the antinociceptive effect of pregnancy-induced analgesia in a neuropathic pain model and the expression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-...

Recent studies have shown that opioid treatment can reduce pro-inflammatory cytokine production and counteract various neuropathic pain syndromes. Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) can promote immune cell differentiation by increasing leukocytes (mainly opioid-containing polymorphonuclear (PMN) cells), suggesting a potential beneficial role in treating chronic pain. This study shows...

An increase in calcium ion concentration in the cytoplasm due to the influence of various toxic agents causes disturbances in the structure and function of hepatocytes, leading to their damage and even death. Calcium ions enter the cell mostly through calcium channels, therefore, it has been suggested that calcium channel inhibitors (CCI) could protect hepatocytes from the action of toxic subst...

Purpose Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy has been suggested to palliate neuropathic pain, but the mechanisms involved are not well understood. This study explored the involvement of microglial mitophagy via HBO relative to neuropathic pain therapy. Materials and methods A total of 80 male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into two groups: a normal group (n = 40) and a mitophagy inhibit...

Voltage-gated sodium channels play important roles in modulating dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neuron hyperexcitability and hyperalgesia after peripheral nerve injury or inflammation. We report that chronic compression of DRG (CCD) produces profound effect on tetrodotoxin-resistant (TTX-R) and tetrodotoxin-sensitive (TTX-S) sodium currents, which are different from that by chronic constriction inj...

PURPOSE To validate and explore the application of a rat model of chronic constriction injury to the partial sciatic nerve in investigation of acupuncture analgesia. METHODS Chronic constriction injury of the sciatic nerve (CCI) and chronic constriction injury of the partial sciatic nerve (CCIp) models were generated by ligating either the sciatic nerve trunk or its branches in rats. Both mod...