Laminar-selective spinal astrocyte population capable of converting tactile information into nociceptive in rats.

We previously identified a spinal astrocyte population that expresses hairy and enhancer of split 5 (Hes5) and is selectively present in superficial laminae in mice. However, it was unclear whether such astrocyte heterogeneity is commonly observed across species. Using adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors incorporating a rat Hes5 promotor (AAV-Hes5P), we found that AAV-Hes5P-captured astrocytes were selectively located in the superficial laminae in rats. Furthermore, activation of AAV-Hes5P+ astrocytes elicited allodynia-like behavior and increased c-FOS+ cells in the superficial laminae. Thus, laminar-selective Hes5+ astrocytes are conserved beyond species and have the capability to convert tactile information to nociceptive.

Identification of Spinal Inhibitory Interneurons Required for Attenuating Effect of Duloxetine on Neuropathic Allodynia-like Signs in Rats.

Neuropathic pain is a chronic pain condition that occurs after nerve damage; allodynia, which refers to pain caused by generally innocuous stimuli, is a hallmark symptom. Although allodynia is often resistant to analgesics, the antidepressant duloxetine has been used as an effective therapeutic option. Duloxetine increases spinal noradrenaline (NA) levels by inhibiting its transporter at NAergic terminals in the spinal dorsal horn (SDH), which has been proposed to contribute to its pain-relieving effect. However, the mechanism through which duloxetine suppresses neuropathic allodynia remains unclear. Here, we identified an SDH inhibitory interneuron subset (captured by adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors incorporating a rat neuropeptide Y promoter; AAV-NpyP+ neurons) that is mostly depolarized by NA. Furthermore, this excitatory effect was suppressed by pharmacological blockade or genetic knockdown of α1B-adrenoceptors (ARs) in AAV-NpyP+ SDH neurons. We found that duloxetine suppressed Aß fiber-mediated allodynia-like behavioral responses after nerve injury and that this effect was not observed in AAV-NpyP+ SDH neuron-selective α1B-AR-knockdown. These results indicate that α1B-AR and AAV-NpyP+ neurons are critical targets for spinal NA and are necessary for the therapeutic effect of duloxetine on neuropathic pain, which can support the development of novel analgesics.

Selective Involvement of a Subset of Spinal Dorsal Horn Neurons Operated by a Prodynorphin Promoter in Aß Fiber-Mediated Neuropathic Allodynia-Like Behavioral Responses in Rats.

Mechanical allodynia (pain produced by innocuous stimuli such as touch) is the main symptom of neuropathic pain. Its underlying mechanism remains to be elucidated, but peripheral nerve injury (PNI)-induced malfunction of neuronal circuits in the central nervous system, including the spinal dorsal horn (SDH), is thought to be involved in touch-pain conversion. Here, we found that intra-SDH injection of adeno-associated viral vectors including a prodynorphin promoter (AAV-PdynP) captured a subset of neurons that were mainly located in the superficial laminae, including lamina I, and exhibited mostly inhibitory characteristics. Using transgenic rats that enable optogenetic stimulation of touch-sensing Aß fibers, we found that the light-evoked paw withdrawal behavior and aversive responses after PNI were attenuated by selective ablation of AAV-PdynP-captured SDH neurons. Notably, the ablation had no effect on withdrawal behavior from von Frey filaments. Furthermore, Aß fiber stimulation did not excite AAV-PdynP+ SDH neurons under normal conditions, but after PNI, this induced excitation, possibly due to enhanced Aß fiber-evoked excitatory synaptic inputs and elevated resting membrane potentials of these neurons. Moreover, the chemogenetic silencing of AAV-PdynP+ neurons of PNI rats attenuated the Aß fiber-evoked paw withdrawal behavior and c-FOS expression in superficial SDH neurons. Our findings suggest that PNI renders AAV-PdynP-captured neurons excitable to Aß fiber stimulation, which selectively contributes to the conversion of Aß fiber-mediated touch signal to nociceptive. Thus, reducing the excitability of AAV-PdynP-captured neurons may be a new option for the treatment of neuropathic allodynia.