minocycline and Facial-Pain

Trigeminal nerve injury causes a distinct time window of glial activation in the trigeminal spinal subnucleus caudalis (Vc), which are involved in the initiation and maintenance phases of orofacial neuropathic pain. Microglia-derived factors enable the activation of astrocytes. The complement component C1q, which promotes the activation of astrocytes, is known to be synthesized in microglia. However, it is unclear whether microglia-astrocyte communication via C1q is involved in orofacial neuropathic pain. Here, we analyzed microglia-astrocyte communication in a rat model with infraorbital nerve injury (IONI). The orofacial mechanical hypersensitivity induced by IONI was significantly attenuated by preemptive treatment with minocycline. Immunohistochemical analyses revealed that minocycline inhibited the increase in c-Fos immune-reactive (IR) cells and the fluorescence intensity of both Iba1 and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in the Vc following IONI. Intracisternal administration of C1q caused orofacial mechanical hypersensitivity and an increase in the number of c-Fos-IR cells and fluorescence intensity of GFAP. C1q-induced orofacial mechanical hypersensitivity was completely abrogated by intracisternal administration of fluorocitrate. The present findings suggest that the enhancement in the excitability of Vc nociceptive neurons is produced by astrocytic activation via the signaling of C1q released from activated microglia in the Vc following IONI, resulting in persistent orofacial neuropathic pain.

Topics: Animals; Astrocytes; Calcium-Binding Proteins; Citrates; Complement C1q; Disease Models, Animal; Facial Pain; Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; Hyperalgesia; Male; Microfilament Proteins; Microglia; Minocycline; Neuralgia; Nociceptors; Pain Measurement; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Trigeminal Nerve Injuries

Trigeminal neuropathic pain attacks can be excruciating for patients, even after being lightly touched. Although there are rodent trigeminal nerve research models to study orofacial pain, few models have been applied to studies in mice. A mouse trigeminal inflammatory compression (TIC) model is introduced here which successfully and reliably promotes vibrissal whisker pad hypersensitivity.. The chronic orofacial neuropathic pain model is induced after surgical placement of chromic gut suture in the infraorbital nerve fissure in the maxillary bone. Slight compression and chemical effects of the chromic gut suture on the portion of the infraorbital nerve contacted cause mild nerve trauma. Nerve edema is observed in the contacting infraorbital nerve bundle as well as macrophage infiltration in the trigeminal ganglia. Centrally in the spinal trigeminal nucleus, increased immunoreactivity for an activated microglial marker is evident (OX42, postoperative day 70). Mechanical thresholds of the affected whisker pad are significantly decreased on day 3 after chromic gut suture placement, persisting at least 10 weeks. The mechanical allodynia is reversed by suppression of microglial activation. Cold allodynia was detected at 4 weeks.. A simple, effective, and reproducible chronic mouse model mimicking clinical orofacial neuropathic pain (Type 2) is induced by placing chromic gut suture between the infraorbital nerve and the maxillary bone. The method produces mild inflammatory compression with significant continuous mechanical allodynia persisting at least 10 weeks and cold allodynia measureable at 4 weeks.

Topics: Animals; Behavior, Animal; Disease Models, Animal; Facial Pain; Hyperalgesia; Imidazoles; Inflammation; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Microglia; Minocycline; Nerve Compression Syndromes; Neuralgia; Neurons; Orbit; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; Purinergic P2X Receptor Antagonists; Pyridines; Tetrazoles; Trigeminal Ganglion; Trigeminal Nerve; Trigeminal Neuralgia; Trigeminal Nucleus, Spinal

To investigate the involvement of microglial and astrocytic activation in the medullary dorsal horn (MDH) during the mediation of masseter area allodynia induced by experimental tooth movement (ETM).. Five groups of adult Sprague-Dawley rats (n=60) were divided into control (CON), minocycline (MIN), ETM, and 10mg/kg or 30mg/kg MIN plus ETM (METM) groups. The upper-first-molar was moved mesially for rats in ETM and METM groups. Rats were pre-injected with minocycline in the MIN (30mg/kg) and METM (10mg/kg or 30mg/kg) groups. Pressure pain threshold (PPT) in masseter area was tested from day 0 to 14 for all 5 groups. Immunohistochemistry against OX42 (microglial marker) or GFAP (astrocytic maker) in the MDH was examined at days 1, 3, 7 and 14 for CON, MIN and 30mg/kg METM groups.. Baseline PPT was expectedly seen in either CON or MIN groups, masseter mechanical allodynia was detected in the ETM group from day 4 to 13 (P<0.05). OX42 expression level at days 1, 3 and 7, and GFAP expression level at days 3, 7 and 14 were higher in ETM (P<0.05), but not in 30mg/kg METM, than in CON group. Minocycline reduced activation of microglia and astrocytes, and significantly attenuated the development of masseter mechanical allodynia in this model.. These results indicate that mechanical allodynia in the masseter area induced by ETM can be attenuated by minocycline. Activation of microglia, possibly together with subsequent activation of astrocytes, seems to contribute to masseter mechanical allodynia.

Topics: Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Astrocytes; Facial Pain; Male; Masseter Muscle; Microglia; Minocycline; Nerve Tissue Proteins; Pain Threshold; Posterior Horn Cells; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Receptors, Neuropeptide; Tooth Movement Techniques

In addition to caudal subnucleus caudalis (Vc) of the spinal trigeminal complex, recent studies indicate that the subnuclei interpolaris/caudalis (Vi/Vc) transition zone plays a unique role in processing deep orofacial nociceptive input. Studies also suggest that glia and inflammatory cytokines contribute to the development of persistent pain. By systematically comparing the effects of microinjection of the antiinflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-10 and two glial inhibitors, fluorocitrate and minocycline, we tested the hypothesis that there was a differential involvement of Vi/Vc and caudal Vc structures in deep and cutaneous orofacial pain.. Deep or cutaneous inflammatory hyperalgesia, assessed with von Frey filaments, was induced in rats by injecting complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) into the masseter muscle or skin overlying the masseter, respectively. A unilateral injection of CFA into the masseter or skin induced ipsilateral hyperalgesia that started at 30 min, peaked at 1 d and lasted for 1-2 weeks. Secondary hyperalgesia on the contralateral site also developed in masseter-, but not skin-inflamed rats. Focal microinjection of IL-10 (0.006-1 ng), fluorocitrate (1 microg), and minocycline (0.1-1 microg) into the ventral Vi/Vc significantly attenuated masseter hyperalgesia bilaterally but without an effect on hyperalgesia after cutaneous inflammation. Injection of the same doses of these agents into the caudal Vc attenuated ipsilateral hyperalgesia after masseter and skin inflammation, but had no effect on contralateral hyperalgesia after masseter inflammation. Injection of CFA into the masseter produced significant increases in N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor NR1 serine 896 phosphorylation and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) levels, a marker of reactive astrocytes, in Vi/Vc and caudal Vc. In contrast, cutaneous inflammation only produced similar increases in the Vc.. These results support the hypothesis that the Vi/Vc transition zone is involved in deep orofacial injury and suggest that glial inhibition and interruption of the cytokine cascade after inflammation may provide pain relief.

Topics: Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Biomarkers; Citrates; Disease Models, Animal; Facial Pain; Freund's Adjuvant; Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; Gliosis; Hyperalgesia; Inflammation Mediators; Injections, Intramuscular; Injections, Subcutaneous; Interleukin-10; Male; Masseter Muscle; Minocycline; Neuroglia; Pain Measurement; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; Trigeminal Caudal Nucleus; Up-Regulation