Korean J Phys Anthropol.  2005 Dec;18(4):303-312.

Changes of Neuropathic Pain in nNOS Knock-out Mice

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University. yhlee@cnu.ac.kr
  • 2Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University.
  • 3Department of Orthopedic Surgery, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University.
  • 4Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, Konyang University.

Abstract

Changes in nitric oxide production in spinal cord or dorsal root ganglion have been known to contribute to allodynia after nerve injury. However, regulation of nNOS expression was also reported not to be responsible for the development and/or maintenance of neuropathic allodynia. The aim of this study was to elucidate role of nNOS expression in the sensory nervous system in neuropathic pain. Von Frey and acetone tests were performed in a model of peripheral neuropathy, ligation of 5th lumbar and 6th lumbar spinal nerves, in wild type and nNOS (-/-) mice. The effect of nNOS inhibitor was evaluated in neuropathic pain behavior in the mice. Mechanical allodynia was slightly reduced in nNOS (-/-) mice compared with wild type mice after peripheral neuropathy. nNOS inhibitor, L-NAME, reduced minimally mechanical allodynia, not cold allodynia, but gabapentin reduced remarkably neuropathic pain behavior (mechanical and cold allodynia) in both wild type and nNOS (-/-) mice. These results suggested that nNOS expression in the sensory nervous system may be partially associated with development and/or maintenance of mechanical allodynia in a mouse model of peripheral neuropathy.

Keyword

nNOS; Neuropathic pain; Allodynia; Nitric oxide

MeSH Terms

Acetone
Animals
Ganglia, Spinal
Hyperalgesia
Ligation
Mice
Mice, Knockout*
Nervous System
Neuralgia*
NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester
Nitric Oxide
Peripheral Nervous System Diseases
Spinal Cord
Spinal Nerves
Acetone
NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester
Nitric Oxide
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