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CC BY 4.0 · Arq Neuropsiquiatr 2023; 81(03): 233-239
DOI: 10.1055/s-0043-1761491
Original Article

The effect of dexmedetomidine on expression of neuronal nitric oxide synthase in spinal dorsal cord in a rat model with chronic neuropathic pain

O efeito da dexmedetomidina na expressão do óxido nítrico sintase neuronal na medula espinhal dorsal em um modelo rato com dor neuropática crônica
Jun Pang 
1   Tongji Shanxi Hospital, Third Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Shanxi Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Department of Anesthesiology, Taiyuan, People's Republic of China.
2   Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Wuhan, People's Republic of China.
,
Suming Zhang 
3   Xuzhou Medical University, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou, Department of Critical Care Medicine, Xuzhou, People's Republic of China.
,
Ying Kong 
1   Tongji Shanxi Hospital, Third Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Shanxi Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Department of Anesthesiology, Taiyuan, People's Republic of China.
2   Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Wuhan, People's Republic of China.
,
Zhe Wang 
1   Tongji Shanxi Hospital, Third Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Shanxi Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Department of Anesthesiology, Taiyuan, People's Republic of China.
2   Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Wuhan, People's Republic of China.
,
Ruomeng Pei 
1   Tongji Shanxi Hospital, Third Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Shanxi Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Department of Anesthesiology, Taiyuan, People's Republic of China.
2   Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Wuhan, People's Republic of China.
,
Ping Zhuang 
1   Tongji Shanxi Hospital, Third Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Shanxi Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Department of Anesthesiology, Taiyuan, People's Republic of China.
2   Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Wuhan, People's Republic of China.
,
Xiaopeng Wang 
1   Tongji Shanxi Hospital, Third Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Shanxi Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Department of Anesthesiology, Taiyuan, People's Republic of China.
2   Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Wuhan, People's Republic of China.
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ErratumArq Neuropsiquiatr 2023; 81(10): 939-940
DOI: 10.1055/s-0043-1775834

Abstract

Background Neuropathic pain typically refers to the pain caused by somatosensory system injury or diseases, which is usually characterized by ambulatory pain, allodynia, and hyperalgesia. Nitric oxide produced by neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) in the spinal dorsal cord might serve a predominant role in regulating the algesia of neuropathic pain. The high efficacy and safety, as well as the plausible ability in providing comfort, entitle dexmedetomidine (DEX) to an effective anesthetic adjuvant. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of DEX on the expression of nNOS in spinal dorsal cord in a rat model with chronic neuropathic pain.

Methods Male Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were randomly assigned into three groups: sham operation group (sham), (of the sciatic nerve) operation (CCI) group, and dexmedetomidine (DEX) group. Chronic neuropathic pain models in the CCI and DEX groups were established by sciatic nerve ligation. The thermal withdrawal latency (TWL) was measured on day 1 before operation and on day 1, 3, 7 and 14 after operation. Six animals were sacrificed after TWL measurement on day 7, and 14 days after operation, in each group, the L4–6 segment of the spinal cords was extracted for determination of nNOS expression by immunohistochemistry.

Results Compared with the sham group, the TWL threshold was significantly decreased and the expression of nNOS was up-regulated after operation in the CCI and DEX groups. Compared with the CCI grou[, the TWL threshold was significantly increased and the expression of nNOS was significantly down-regulated on day 7 and 14 days after operation in the DEX group.

Conclusion Down-regulated nNOS in the spinal dorsal cord is involved in the attenuation of neuropathic pain by DEX.

Resumo

Antecedentes A dor neuropática refere-se tipicamente à dor causada por lesões ou doenças do sistema somatossensorial. De modo geral, é caracterizada por dor à ambulação, alodinia e hiperalgesia. O óxido nítrico produzido pela enzima óxido nítrico sintase neuronal (nNOS) na medula espinhal dorsal pode ter um papel predominante na regulação da dor neuropática. A alta eficácia e segurança, bem como a plausível capacidade de proporcionar conforto, faz com que a dexmedetomidina (DEX) seja um adjuvante anestésico eficaz. O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar o efeito da DEX na expressão de nNOS na medula espinhal dorsal em um modelo de ratos com dor neuropática crônica.

Métodos Ratos Sprague Dawley (SD) machos foram distribuídos aleatoriamente em três grupos: grupo de cirurgia simulada (sham), grupo de cirurgia (do nervo ciático; CCI) e grupo dexmedetomidina (DEX). Os modelos de dor neuropática crônica nos grupos CCI e DEX foram estabelecidos por ligadura do nervo ciático. A latência de retirada térmica (TWL) foi medida no dia 1 antes da cirurgia e nos dias 1, 3, 7 e 14 após o procedimento. Seis animais de cada grupo foram eutanasiados após a medida de TWL nos dias 7 e 14 após a cirurgia e o segmento L4-6 da medula espinhal foi extraído para determinação da expressão de nNOS por imuno-histoquímica.

Resultados Em comparação ao grupo sham, o limiar de TWL diminuiu significativamente e a expressão de nNOS foi regulada de maneira positiva após a cirurgia nos grupos CCI e DEX. Comparado ao grupo CCI, o limiar de TWL aumentou de forma significativa e a expressão de nNOS caiu significativamente diminuída nos dia 7 e 14 após a cirurgia no grupo DEX.

Conclusão A regulação negativa de nNOS na medula espinhal dorsal está envolvida na atenuação da dor neuropática pela DEX.

Keywords

Dexmedetomidine - Neuralgia - Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I

Palavras-chave

Dexmedetomidina - Neuralgia - Óxido Nítrico Sintase Tipo I

Authors' Contributions

JP: was the guarantor of integrity of the entire study and helped to prepare and edit the manuscript; JP, SZ: contributed equally to this work; JP, XW: contributed with the study's concept and design; JP, XW, YK: helped with definition of the intellectual content; JP, SZ, ZW, RP: contributed to the literature research; YR, ZW: contributed to experimental studies; ZW, RP: helped with data acquisition; JP, SZ, ZW, PZ: helped with data analysis; XW: helped with manuscript review.




Publication History

Received: 04 July 2022

Accepted: 10 November 2022

Article published online:
14 April 2023

© 2023. Academia Brasileira de Neurologia. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

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