J Korean Rheum Assoc.  2006 Sep;13(3):218-225.

Hypoxia-A Possibility in Fibromyalgia Syndrome Pathogenesis

• Kim SH
• Moon IS

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
We studied the expression of pain-related molecules such as substance P involved in chronic pain of fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) patients using rat cortical cells in hypoxia.
METHODS
We sacrificed pregnant Sprague-Dawley rat and got embryo. We cultured the cortical cells and compared the expression of pain-related molecules in 1st, 3rd, 5th day cortical cells exposed to hypoxia (37 degrees C, 5% CO2, 98% N2) to control by immunohistochemistry. We measured the density at soma using softwear 'Scion image'.
RESULTS
The expression of substance P was increased in hypoxic cortical cell group than control (control mean: 49.9 vs. hypoxia 1st day: 75.4 (p<0.001), 3rd day: 65.6 (p<0.001), 5th day: 79.9 (p<0.001)). The expression of kainate receptor was increased in hypoxic cortical cell group than control (control mean: 58.4 vs. hypoxia 1st day: 64.9 (p<0.001), 3rd day: 63.3 (p<0.001), 5th day: 62.9 (p<0.001)). The expression of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor 2B was increased in hypoxic cortical cell group than control (control mean : 59.4 vs. hypoxia 1st day: 60.8 (p<0.001), 3rd day: 62.6 (p<0.001), 5th day: 67.1 (p<0.001)). But, the expression of calcitonin gene related peptide was decreased in hypoxic cortical cell group than control (control mean: 76.8 vs. hypoxia 1st day: 76.4 (p<0.001), 3rd day: 71.5 (p<0.001), 5th day: 61.3 (p<0.001)).
CONCLUSION
Hypoxia during night could increase the expression of some pain-related molecules, which might be the cause of chronic pain in FMS patients.

Keyword

Fibromyalgia; Hypoxia; Substance P; Glutamate; Calcitonin gene related

MeSH Terms

Animals
Anoxia
Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide
Carisoprodol
Chronic Pain
Embryonic Structures
Fibromyalgia*
Glutamic Acid
Humans
Immunohistochemistry
N-Methylaspartate
Rats
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
Receptors, Kainic Acid
Substance P
Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide
Carisoprodol
Glutamic Acid
N-Methylaspartate
Receptors, Kainic Acid
Substance P