Levels of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species increase in rat neuropathic spinal dorsal horn neurons

doi:10.1016/j.neulet.2005.08.055

Neuroscience Letters

Volume 391, Issue 3, 2 January 2006, Pages 108-111

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neulet.2005.08.055 Get rights and content

Abstract

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are toxic agents that may be involved in various neurodegenerative diseases. Recent studies indicate that ROS are also involved in persistent pain through a spinal mechanism. Since the major source of ROS in neurons is mitochondria, mitochondrial ROS generation was examined in dorsal horn neurons of neuropathic rats. Neuropathic rats were produced by L5 spinal nerve ligation and mitochondrial ROS was detected by the mitochondrial marker, Mitotracker Red^® CM-H₂XRos (MT-Red). Neurons were identified immunohistochemically for the neuronal marker NeuN. The number of MT-Red positive cells was increased 60–100% in the neuropathic dorsal horn. Approximately 75–85% of MT-Red positive cells were neurons. These data suggest that increased mitochondrial ROS in dorsal horn neurons may contribute to central sensitization in neuropathic rats.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by National Institutes of Health Grants NS11255 and NS31680. We would like to express our gratitude to Ms. Denise Broker for her excellent assistance in editing the manuscript.

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Levels of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species increase in rat neuropathic spinal dorsal horn neurons

Abstract

Section snippets

Acknowledgements

Superoxide production in rat hippocampal neurons: selective imaging with hydroethidine

J. Neurosci.

Importance of hyperexcitability of DRG neurons in neuropathic pain

Pain Practice

Oxidative stress, glutamate, and neurodegenerative disorders

Science

Pathophysiology of damaged nerves in relation to chronic pain

Enhancement of NMDA receptor phosphorylation of the spinal dorsal horn neurons in neuropathic rats

Pain

Glial perspectives of metabolic states during cerebral hypoxia—calcium regulation and metabolic energy

Cell Calcium

Glutamate-mediated influx of extracellular Ca2+ is coupled with reactive oxygen species generation in cultured hippocampal neurons but not in astrocytes

J. Neurosci. Res.

Analysis of mitochondrial free radical generation in animal models of neuronal disease

Free Radic. Biol. Med.

Glutamate-mediated influx of extracellular Ca²⁺ is coupled with reactive oxygen species generation in cultured hippocampal neurons but not in astrocytes