Intradermal endothelin-1 excites bombesin-responsive superficial dorsal horn neurons in the mouse.

Endothelin-1 (ET-1) has been implicated in nonhistaminergic itch. Here we used electrophysiological methods to investigate whether mouse superficial dorsal horn neurons respond to intradermal (id) injection of ET-1 and whether ET-1-sensitive neurons additionally respond to other pruritic and algesic stimuli or spinal superfusion of bombesin, a homolog of gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) that excites spinal itch-signaling neurons. Single-unit recordings were made from lumbar dorsal horn neurons in pentobarbital-anesthetized C57BL/6 mice. We searched for units that exhibited elevated firing after id injection of ET-1 (1 µg/µl). Responsive units were further tested with mechanical stimuli, bombesin (spinal superfusion, 200 µg·ml(-1)·min(-1)), heating, cooling, and additional chemicals [histamine, chloroquine, allyl isothiocyanate (AITC), capsaicin]. Of 40 ET-1-responsive units, 48% responded to brush and pinch [wide dynamic range (WDR)] and 52% to pinch only [high threshold (HT)]. Ninety-three percent responded to noxious heat, 50% to cooling, and >70% to histamine, chloroquine, AITC, and capsaicin. Fifty-seven percent responded to bombesin, suggesting that they participate in spinal itch transmission. That most ET-1-sensitive spinal neurons also responded to pruritic and algesic stimuli is consistent with previous studies of pruritogen-responsive dorsal horn neurons. We previously hypothesized that pruritogen-sensitive neurons signal itch. The observation that ET-1 activates nociceptive neurons suggests that both itch and pain signals may be generated by ET-1 to result in simultaneous sensations of itch and pain, consistent with observations that ET-1 elicits both itch- and pain-related behaviors in animals and burning itch sensations in humans.

Syndecan-1 deficiency aggravates anti-glomerular basement membrane nephritis.

During the heterologous phase of experimental anti-glomerular basement membrane (anti-GBM) nephritis, leukocyte influx peaks within hours, whereas albuminuria occurs within 1 day. In the subsequent autologous phase, endogenous anti-GBM IgG develops and albuminuria persists. Heparan sulfate (HS) proteoglycans like syndecan-1 play multiple roles during inflammation and we evaluate its role in experimental anti-GBM disease using syndecan-1 knockout (sdc-1-/-) mice. During the heterologous phase, glomerular leukocyte/macrophage influx was significantly higher in the sdc-1-/- mice and this was associated with higher glomerular endothelial expression of specific HS domains. In the autologous phase, glomerular influx of CD4+/CD8+ T cells was higher in the sdc-1-/- mice and these mice had persistently higher albuminuria and serum creatinine levels than wild-type mice. This resulted in a more sever glomerular injury and increased expression of extracellular matrix proteins. The sdc-1-/- mice developed higher plasma levels and glomerular deposits of total mouse Ig and IgG1 anti-rabbit IgG, whereas the levels of mouse IgG2a anti-rabbit IgG were lower. Furthermore, decreased Th1 and higher Th2 renal cytokine/chemokine expression were found in the sdc-1-/- mice. Our studies show that syndecan-1 deficiency exacerbates anti-GBM nephritis shifting the Th1/Th2 balance towards a Th2 response.