The reduction of intraepidermal P2X3 nerve fiber density correlates with behavioral hyperalgesia in a rat model of nerve injury-induced pain

摘要: Skin biopsies from patients with neuropathic pain often show changes in epidermal innervation, although it remains to be elucidated what extent such can linked a particular subgroup of nerve fibers and how these are correlated intensity. Here, we investigated behavioral signs hyperalgesia immunohistochemical peptidergic non-peptidergic rat model injury-induced pain. Rats subjected unilateral partial ligation the sciatic developed significant mechanical thermal as tested by withdrawal responses ipsilateral footpad von Frey hairs hotplate stimulation. At day 14, fiber density total length/mm2 were significantly consistently reduced compared contralateral side, following testing re-testing two blinded observers. The expression calcitonin gene-related peptide, marker for fibers, was not changed on side. In contrast, P2X3 receptor, only but could also hyperalgesia. When labeling both pan-neuronal PGP9.5, reduced, albeit without correlation conjunction, our data suggest that pathology selectively neuropathy, highlighting possibility is degeneration drives