Inflammation-induced upregulation of NK1 receptor mRNA in... : NeuroReport (original) (raw)

Somatosensory Systems, Pain: PDF Only

Inflammation-induced upregulation of NK1 receptor mRNA in dorsal horn neurones

Schäfer, Martin K.-H.1,CA; Nohr, Donatus1; Krause, James E.2; Weihe, Eberhard1

1Dept. of Anatomy, Johannes Gutenberg University, Verfügungsgebäude, Obere Zahlbacherstr. 63, D-6500 Mainz, Germany

2Dept. of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri, USA

CA Corresponding Author

Abstract

The expression of the neurokinin 1 (NK1) receptor (i.e. substance P receptor) gene in spinal cord was studied in rats subjected to unilateral inflammation by semi-quantitative in situ hybridization analysis. Low levels of NK1 receptor mRNA were detected in many neurones throughout the grey matter. Relatively strong labelling was observed in large motoneurones and a subpopulation of superficial dorsal horn neurones. Six days after Freund's adjuvant-induced unilateral hindpaw inflammation, NK1 receptor mRNA levels in lamina I/II of the dorsal horn ipsilateral to the inflamed paw increased almost two fold compared with the contralateral side. These data suggest an inflammation-induced increase of NK1 receptor synthesis in intrinsic spinal cord neurones involved in nociceptive neurotransmission.