Stimulation of nuclear receptor REV-ERBs suppresses production of pronociceptive molecules in cultured spinal astrocytes and ameliorates mechanical hypersensitivity of inflammatory and neuropathic pain of mice.

The orphan nuclear receptors REV-ERBα and REV-ERBß (REV-ERBs) are crucial in the regulation of inflammatory-related gene transcription in astroglioma cells, but their role in nociceptive transduction has yet to be elaborated. Spinal dorsal horn astrocytes contribute to the maintenance of chronic pain. Treatment of cultured spinal astrocytes with specific REV-ERBs agonists SR9009 or GSK4112 significantly prevented lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced mRNA upregulation of pronociceptive molecules interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) mRNA, interleukin-6 (IL-6) mRNA and matrix metalloprotease-9 (MMP-9) mRNA, but not CCL2 mRNA expression. Treatment with SR9009 also blocked tumor necrosis factor-induced IL-1ß mRNA, IL-6 mRNA and MMP-9 mRNA. In addition, treatment with SR9009 significantly blocked LPS-induced upregulation of IL-1ß protein, IL-6 protein and MMP-9 activity. The inhibitory effects of SR9009 on LPS-induced expression of pronociceptive molecules were blocked by knockdown of REV-ERBs expression with short interference RNA, confirming that SR9009 exerts its effect through REV-ERBs. Intrathecal LPS treatment in male mice induces hind paw mechanical hypersensitivity, and upregulation of IL-1ß mRNA, IL-6 mRNA and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) expression in spinal dorsal horn. Intrathecal pretreatment of SR9009 prevented the onset of LPS-induced mechanical hypersensitivity, cytokine expression and GFAP expression. Intrathecal injection of SR9009 also ameliorated mechanical hypersensitivity during the maintenance phase of complete Freund's adjuvant-induced inflammatory pain and partial sciatic nerve ligation-, paclitaxel-, and streptozotocin-induced neuropathy in mice. The current findings suggest that spinal astrocytic REV-ERBs could be critical in the regulation of nociceptive transduction through downregulation of pronociceptive molecule expression. Thus, spinal REV-ERBs could be an effective therapeutic target in the treatment of chronic pain.

Downregulation of the spinal dorsal horn clock gene Per1 expression leads to mechanical hypersensitivity via c-jun N-terminal kinase and CCL2 production in mice.

Disturbances of circadian rhythm and dysregulation of clock gene expression are involved in the induction of various neurological disorder states, including chronic pain. However, the relationship between the CNS circadian-clock gene system and nociception remains poorly defined. Significant circadian oscillations of Period (Per1, Per2), Bmal1 and Cryptochrome 1 (Cry1) mRNA expression have been observed in the lumbar spinal dorsal horn of naïve mice. The current study examined the expression of clock genes in the lumbar spinal dorsal horn of mice with neuropathic pain due to a partial sciatic nerve ligation (PSNL). Seven days after PSNL, the mice displayed a robust unilateral hind paw mechanical hypersensitivity. The normal circadian oscillations of Per1, Per2 and Cry1, but not Bmal1, mRNA expression were significantly suppressed in the ipsilateral lumbar spinal dorsal horn of PSNL mice 7days following surgery. The circadian expression of PER1 protein, in particular, was also significantly suppressed in the ipsilateral spinal dorsal horn of PSNL mice. Double-labeling immunohistochemistry revealed downregulation of PER1 in neurons and astrocytes, but not microglia. Knockdown of Per1 expression by intrathecal treatment with Per1 siRNA also induced mechanical hypersensitivity, phosphorylation of c-jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and the upregulation of chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 2 (CCL2) production in the lumbar spinal dorsal horn. Per1 siRNA-induced mechanical hypersensitivity was attenuated with intrathecal treatment of either the JNK inhibitor SP600125 or the selective CCL2 receptor (CCR2) antagonist RS504393, indicating that these intracellular messengers are crucial in mediating the mechanical hypersensitivity following the downregulation of PER1 expression. These results suggest that the downregulation of the spinal dorsal horn clock genes such as Per1 expressed could be crucial in the induction of neuropathic pain following peripheral nerve injury. Modulating clock gene Per1 expression could be a novel therapeutic strategy in alleviating neuropathic pain.

Stimulation of nuclear receptor REV-ERBs regulates tumor necrosis factor-induced expression of proinflammatory molecules in C6 astroglial cells.

Under physiological conditions, astrocytes maintain homeostasis in the CNS. Following inflammation and injury to the CNS, however, activated astrocytes produce neurotoxic molecules such as cytokines and chemokines, amplifying the initial molecular-cellular events evoked by inflammation and injury. Nuclear receptors REV-ERBα and REV-ERBß (REV-ERBs) are crucial in the regulation of inflammation- and metabolism-related gene transcription. The current study sought to elucidate a role of REV-ERBs in rat C6 astroglial cells on the expression of inflammatory molecules following stimulation with the neuroinflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor (TNF). Stimulation of C6 cells with TNF (10 ng/ml) significantly increased the mRNA expression of CCL2, interleukin-6 (IL-6), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and matrix metalloprotease (MMP)-9, but not fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and MMP-2. Treatment with either REV-ERB agonists GSK4112 or SR9009 significantly blocked TNF-induced upregulation of CCL2 mRNA and MMP-9 mRNA, but not IL-6 mRNA and iNOS mRNA expression. Furthermore, treatment with RGFP966, a selective histone deacetylase 3 (HDAC3) inhibitor, potently reversed the inhibitory effects of GSK4112 on TNF-induced expression of MMP-9 mRNA, but not CCL2 mRNA. Expression of Rev-erbs mRNA in C6 astroglial cells, primary cultured rat cortical and spinal astrocytes was confirmed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Together, the findings demonstrate an anti-inflammatory effect, downregulating of MMP-9 and CCL2 transcription, of astroglial REV-ERBs activation through HDAC3-dependent and HDAC3-independent mechanisms.

The induction of Per1 expression by the combined treatment with glutamate, 5-hydroxytriptamine and dopamine initiates a ripple effect on Bmal1 and Cry1 mRNA expression via the ERK signaling pathway in cultured rat spinal astrocytes.

Clock genes contribute to the regulation of spinal cord astrocytic function. Although it was previously found that noradrenaline has a pivotal role in the regulation of clock genes expression in cultured rat spinal astrocytes, it is still unknown whether other neurotransmitters might affect clock gene expression. Thus, the effect of spinal neurotransmitters glutamate (Glu), 5-hydroxytriptamine (5-HT) and dopamine (DA) on clock genes expression was examined in cultured rat spinal astrocytes. Simultaneous treatment with Glu (100 µM), 5-HT (10 µM) and DA (10 µM) led to a transient induction of Per1 expression, and a delayed increase of Bmal1 expression and a decrease of Cry1 expression. By contrast, treatment with either Glu, 5-HT or DA alone increased only Per1 expression. The increase in Per1 mRNA by simultaneous treatment with Glu, 5-HT and DA was dependent on extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) activation, since pretreatment with ERK inhibitor U0126 (3 µM) blocked Per1 expression. Second messengers p38 and c-jun N-terminal kinase were not involved in the neurotransmitter effect on Per1 expression, since pretreatment with SB202190 (3 µM) and SP600125 (10 µM), a p38 inhibitor and c-jun N-terminal kinase inhibitor, respectively, had no effect. Blockade of ERK signaling also prevented changes in Bmal1 and Cry1 mRNA expression induced by co-treatment with Glu, 5-HT and DA. In addition to modulating clock gene expression, co-treatment with Glu, 5-HT and DA significantly increased ERK1/2 phosphorylation. Per1 expression itself modulates the expression of other clock gene as knockdown of Per1 expression by using short interference RNA significantly blocked the increase of Bmal1 mRNA expression and the decrease of Cry1 mRNA expression. Thus, neurotransmitters Glu, 5-HT and DA regulate spinal astrocytic clock genes mRNA expression through the ERK pathway and Per1 is a key clock gene that likely modulates the oscillation of clock genes thereby regulating astrocytic function.