TY  - THES
A1  - Mönter, Boris
T1  - Protonenempfindlichkeit von Spinalganglienneuronen bei Wildtypmäusen und Mausmutanten mit einem Mangel an TRPV 1 oder ASIC 3
T1  - Proton-sensibility of spinal root ganglion neurons in wildtype-mice and mutants with a lack of TRPV 1 or ASIC 3
N2  - In den letzten Jahren wurden große Fortschritte in der Aufklärung von Mechanismen der Protonensensibilität auf molekularer Ebene gemacht, die ein wesentliches Element der Nozizeption darstellt. In dieser Arbeit wurde der Einfluss von den in diesem Zusammenhang entdeckten Kanälen TRPV1 und ASIC3 auf die Protonensensitivität von nativen Spinalganglienneuronen, sowie Unterschiede zwischen der IB4-positiven und der IB4-negativen Population untersucht. Hierzu wurden Patch-Clamp-Studien an isolierten Neuronen von TRPV1-defizienten und ASIC3-defizienten Mäusen durchgeführt. Die Ergebnisse dieser Experimente bestätigen dabei die wesentliche Rolle von TRPV1 für die Protonensensibilität. Insbesondere für nicht desensibilisierende Komponenten von protoneninduzierten Strömen, die für die Transduktion extrazelluärer azidotischer Schmerzzustände in eine anhaltende Erregung des nozizeptiven Systems verantwortlich sind, ist TRPV1 von großer Bedeutung. Diese sind in den TRPV1-defizienten Neuronen stark reduziert. Der Einfluss von ASIC3 auf diese Komponenten ist hingegen gering, auch wenn es Hinweise auf eine Beteiligung dieses Rezeptors an diesen Komponenten gibt. Größere Bedeutung hat ASIC3 für schnell desensibilisierende Komponenten der Reaktion dieser Neurone auf Protonen, die von ASIC3-defizienten seltener als von Wildtyp-Neuronen gezeigt werden. Die Bedeutung dieser transienten Komponenten ist nicht geklärt, wahrscheinlich erfüllen sie eine modulatorische Funktion, nicht nur im nozizeptiven System. Noch wenig ist über die funktionellen Unterschiede der zwei verschiedenen Subpopulationen nozizeptiver Neurone bekannt, die durch die Bindung des Isolektins B4 differenziert werden können. Diese Arbeit gibt Hinweise darauf, dass sich diese auch in ihrer Protonensensitivität unterscheiden. Das könnte Ausdruck dafür sei, dass diese an der Wahrnehmung unterschiedlicher Schmerzzustände beteiligt sind. Die Charakterisierung der Mechanismen des komplexen nozizeptiven Systems auf zellulärer und molekularer Ebene ist Vorraussetzung zur Entwicklung von gezielt wirkenden, analgetischen Pharmaka. Die schon lange bekannte Wirksamkeit von Capsaicin – dem wohl bekanntesten Agonisten von TRPV1 – bei verschiedenen schmerzhaften Zuständen und fortschreitende Erkenntnisse über die Bedeutung dieses und der ASIC-Rezeptoren bei der Wahrnehmung von schmerzassoziierter Gewebsazidose, zeigt Wege auf, über die solche Medikamente ihre Wirkung entfalten könnten.
N2  - Big advantages were made in the last years to enlight the mechanisms of protonsensibility on the molecular level, which is a major element of nociception. The influence of the ion-channels TRPV 1 and ASIC 3 on protonsensitivity, which were discovered in this context and differences between IB4-positive and IB4-negative neuron-populations are investigated in this work. Patch-clamp-studies in isolated neurons of TRPV 1-deficient and ASIC 3-deficient mice were conducted for that purpose. The results of this experiments affirm the essential role of TRPV 1 for protonsensitivity. TRPV 1 is important especially for non-desensitising components of proton-induced currents, which are responsible for the transduction of extracellular acidotic painful states. These are strongly reduced in TRPV 1-deficient mice. The influence of ASIC 3 is small, although there is evidence of a participation of this receptor for this components. ASIC 3 is more important for quickly desensitising components of the reaction to protons of such neurons, which occur less often in AISC 3-deficient than in wildtype-mice. The function of these transient components are not entirely clear, they probably have a modulatory effect, not only within the nociceptive system. Still not much is known about the functional differences of two subpopulations of nociceptive neurons, which can be differentiated by the binding of the Isolectin B4. This work shows, that they differ in their protonsensitivity. This shows that they might be involved in the reception of different painful states. The characterisation of the mechanisms of the complex nociceptive system on cellular and molecular level is required to develop efficient analgetic drugs. The efficiency of capsaicin, probably the best known agonist for TRPV 1, for different painful states and better knowledge about the function of this receptor and those of the ASIC-family for the reception of pain-associated tissue-acidosis shows, how new analgetic drugs might be able to work.
KW  - TRPV 1
KW  - ASIC 3
KW  - Protonen
KW  - Spinalganglienneuron
KW  - Schmerz
KW  - TRPV 1
KW  - ASIC 3
KW  - protons
KW  - dorsal root ganglion neuron
KW  - pain
Y1  - 2004
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-10271
ER  - 
TY  - THES
A1  - Ramthor, Mathias
T1  - Therapeutischer Einfluß von zwei Antidepressiva auf das Schmerzverhalten von Ratten mit einer chronischen Konstriktionsläsion des N. ischiadicus
T1  - Therapeutic Effect of Two Antidepressants on Pain-Related Behaviour of Rats With a Chronic Constriction Injury of The Sciatic Nerve
N2  - In dieser Arbeit sollte an weiblichen Sprague Dawley Ratten untersucht werden, ob sich durch die Antidepressiva Amitriptylin und Venlafaxin Schmerzverhalten nach Nervenläsion verringern läßt und wenn ja, welche Mechanismen dieser Wirkung zugrunde liegen. Den Tieren wurde einseitig der N. ischiadicus nach dem Nervenläsionsmodell der Chronic-Constriction-Injury (CCI) operiert. Das Schmerzverhalten der mit Antidepressiva behandelten Tiere wurde über zwei bis drei Wochen verblindet im Vergleich mit plazebobehandelten Tieren untersucht. Das Ausmaß von Hitzehyperalgesie und taktiler Allodynie wurde durch die Anwendung etablierter Testverfahren quantifiziert. Amitriptylin hatte in der Dosis von zweimal täglich 10 mg/kg KG i.p. keinen relevanten Effekt auf das Schmerzverhalten der Tiere. Eine akute Gabe von Amitriptylin bei Tieren, die zuvor über 19 Tage chronisch mit Amitriptylin behandelt worden waren, reduzierte die taktile Allodynie geringgradig und hatte keinen Einfluß auf die Hitzehyperalgesie. Venlafaxin in der Dosis von zweimal täglich 25 mg/kg KG p.o. reduzierte in einigen Teilversuchen mäßiggradig die Hitzehyperalgesie und die taktile Allodynie nach CCI. Auf diesen Ergebnissen aufbauend wurde versucht, die Wirkung der chronischen Venlafaxin-Medikation durch Kombination mit zusätzlich akut verabreichten alpha-adrenergen- bzw. µ-Opiat-Rezeptor-agonistischen Substanzen zu verstärken. Die Kombination von Venlafaxin mit dem alpha-2A-Rezeptoragonisten Clonidin ergab eine Wirkungsverstärkung in Bezug auf die Reduktion der Hitzehyperalgesie, wobei sich zusätzlich eine Eigenwirkung von Clonidin nachweisen ließ. Der µ-Opiat-Rezeptor-Agonist Morphin führte hingegen zu keiner signifikanten Wirkungsverstärkung in Kombination mit Venlafaxin. Im Anschluß an die jeweilige Testreihe wurde den Tieren Nervengewebe entnommen, welches nach immunhistochemischer Färbung für alpha-2A- und µ-Rezeptoren morphometrisch evaluiert wurde. Dies diente der Untersuchung der Hypothese, daß den o.g. Wirkungen eine Vermehrung der entsprechenden Rezeptoren bei Venlafaxin-behandelten Tieren zugrunde lag. Die chronische postoperative Gabe von Venlafaxin hatte keinen Einfluß auf die Anzahl von alpha-2A-Rezeptor-immunreaktiven Neuronen im Spinalganglion CCI-operierter Ratten. Allerdings ließ sich unter der Medikation die Immunreaktivität für alpha-2A-Rezeptoren vermehrt in großkalibrigen Spinalganglienneuronen nachweisen. Die chronische postoperative Gabe von Venlafaxin führte zudem zu einer Zunahme von µ-Opiat-Rezeptoren im ipsilateralen N. ischiadicus CCI-operierter Ratten. Im Spinalganglion ergab sich nach Venlafaxinbehandlung keine Veränderung der Anzahl der µ-Rezeptor-immunreaktiven Neurone. Allerdings konnte durch chronische Venlafaxin-Medikation eine Phänotyp-Verschiebung mit Auftreten von µ-Rezeptor-Immunreaktivität in großkalibrigen Neuronen, wie sie nach CCI ohne Venlafaxinbehandlung auftrat, verhindert werden. Die Ergebnisse der Arbeit zeigen, daß die chronische, zweimal tägliche Anwendung der Antidepressiva Amitriptylin und Venlafaxin das Schmerz-assoziierte Verhalten von Ratten nach einer peripheren Nervenläsion inkonstant und nur in unzureichendem Ausmaß beeinflussen. Unabhängig davon wurden in den immunhistochemischen Untersuchungen Veränderungen in der Verteilung µ- und alpha-adrenerger Rezeptoren in Spinalganglionzellen und Ischiasnerv beobachtet, die auf eine kontinuierliche Venlafaxin-Medikation zurückzuführen zu sein scheinen. Berücksichtigt man vor diesem Hintergrund die Tatsache, daß sich die Venlafaxinwirkung durch den alpha-2A-Agonisten Clonidin verstärken ließ, so bieten diese Zusammenhänge eine mögliche Erklärung für die zugrundeliegenden Mechanismen der Wirkungsvermittlung von Antidepressiva in der Behandlung einer schmerzhaften Mononeuropathie.
N2  - The main intention of the present study was to show if administration of the antidepressants amitriptyline and venlafaxine possibly alters pain-related behaviour of Sprague-Dawley rats with an experimental peripheral mononeuropathy. The possible underlying mechanisms of such action were of further interest and therefore investigated. All animals were inflicted an experimental mononeuropathy on sciatic nerve according to the Chronic-Constriction-Injury-Model (CCI) as described by Bennett and Xie. The resulting pain-related behaviour - such as allodynia and hyperalgesia - was quantified by established test-procedures with antidepressant-treated rats tested against placebo-treated animals over a time-course of two to three weeks. Chronic administration of amitriptyline, at a dose of 10 mg/kg bodyweight i.p. twice daily, showed no effect on pain-related behaviour of rats; whereas an additional acute booster-dose on postoperative day 19 reduced tactile allodynia in a significant manner in this setup. Chronic distribution of venlafaxine - at 25 mg/kg bodyweight, p.o. twice daily - reduced heat-hyperalgesia and tactile allodynia in the CCI-model moderately in a few of the carried out experiments. Expecting enhanced effectiveness chronic therapy with venlafaxine was combined with acute administration of alpha-adrenergic- or µ-opiate-receptor-agonists. Combination of venlafaxine with clonidine – an alpha-2A-receptor-agonist – showed an enhanced reduction of heat-hyperalgesia in CCI-operated rats compared to monotherapy as well as an effectiveness of clonidine alone. Contrarily, combination of venlafaxine with µ-opiate-receptor-agonist morphine showed no enhancement of analgesia. Following each experimental setup nerve-tissue of the used animals was obtained and microscopically evaluated after immunhistochemical staining for alpha-2A- and µ-opiate-receptors. This approach was meant to verify the hypothesis that attenuation of neuropathic-pain by venlafaxine may be due to mechanisms including quantitative alterations in alpha-adrenergic- or opiate-receptor-quantity. Chronic administration of venlafaxine showed no quantitative impact on alpha-2A-receptor-immunoreactivity in neurons of the dorsal-root-ganglion (DRG) of CCI-operated rats, but immunoreactivity showed an remarkable shift towards neurons with a wider caliber. Furthermore chronic administration of venlafaxine led to a quantitative increase in µ-opiate-receptor-immunoreactivity in ipsilateral sciatic nerve of CCI-operated rats. Also no such quantitative alterations in receptor-immunoreactivity could be shown for DRG-neurons, phenotype-switch towards neurons of wide caliber - as seen in ipsilateral DRG of untreated CCI-rats – was apparently prevented by chronic administration of venlafaxine. In total this experimental study showed that the chronic, twice daily administration of the antidepressant drugs amitriptyline and venlafaxine has an inconstant and dissatifying effect on attenuating pain-related behaviour of CCI-operated rats. Irrespective from these results immunhistochemical staining of peripheral nerve-tissue and DRG showed alterations in the allocation of µ- and alpha-adrenergic-receptor-immunoreactivity which tended to be dependent on precedent venlafaxine-administration. Bearing in mind aforementioned enhancement of venlafaxine-effectiveness by coadministration of clonidine, one could presume that said implications may be a possible explanation for a mechanism of antidepressant action in alleviating pain in an experimental peripheral mononeuropathy.
KW  - Neuropathie
KW  - Schmerz
KW  - CCI
KW  - Amitriptylin
KW  - Venlafaxin
KW  - Neuropathy
KW  - pain
KW  - CCI
KW  - amitriptyline
KW  - venlafaxine
Y1  - 2007
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-23739
ER  - 
TY  - THES
A1  - Graulich, Michael
T1  - Spinale Effekte von TNF-α am Modell des tumorinduzierten Knochenschmerzes der Maus
T1  - Spinal effects of TNF-α in a mouse model of bone cancer pain
N2  - Am Modell des tumorinduzierten Schmerzes der Maus wurden sowohl das Schmerzverhalten der Tiere als auch spezifische morphologische Veränderungen im Hinterhorn des Rückenmarks (Aktivierung von Astrozyten) und im tumorbefallenen Knochen analysiert. Durch Analyse von Mäusen mit Defizienz für TNF-Rezeptor 1, TNF-Rezeptor 2 oder für beide Rezeptoren konnte die Rolle von TNF-α seiner Rezeptoren bei der Entstehung von tumorinduziertem Schmerz untersucht werden. Im Unterschied zu neuropathischen Schmerzmodellen konnte gezeigt werden, dass beide TNF-Rezeptoren ausgeschaltet werden müssen, um eine signifikante Schmerzreduktion zu erzielen. Die systemische Behandlung mit dem TNF-neutralisierenden Fusionsprotein Etanercept konnte die im genetischen Modell gezeigte Reduktion der mechanischen Allodynie teilweise, aber nicht vollständig reproduzieren. Eine Hemmung der Mikrogliaaktivierung mittels Minocyclin erbrachte im Tumor-schmerzmodell keinen Effekt auf das Schmerzverhalten der Tiere. Die histologische Analyse der tumoraffizierten Knochen zeigte eine signifikante Zunahme der Osteoklastenaktivität in tumortragenden Tieren. Die Behandlung mit Minocyclin war ohne erkennbaren Effekt auf die Differenzierung und die Aktivität der Osteoklasten. Es ergaben sich jedoch Hinweise, dass TNF-α einen hemmenden Einfluss auf die Osteoklastenaktivität im Knochentumormodell hat, da sowohl in den TNFR-KO-Tieren als auch unter Gabe von Etanercept eine Steigerung der Osteoklastenaktivität nachgewiesen werden konnte. Die Ergebnisse dieser Arbeit zeigen, dass TNF-α eine wichtige Rolle, sowohl in der Entstehung, als auch in der Aufrechterhaltung von tumorinduziertem Schmerz spielt. Hier liegt der Ansatzpunkt für weitere Studien mit dem Ziel, eine spezifische Pharmakotherapie zu entwickeln mit wirksamer TNF-α Blockade auch bei Patienten mit Tumorschmerzen. Nach den Erkenntnissen dieser Arbeit mit Etanercept sollte ein spezielles Augenmerk auf die ZNS-Gängigkeit dieser Substanzen gelegt werden und die Gefahr der Möglichkeit eines vermehrten Tumorwachstum bedacht werden.
N2  - Bone-cancer-related pain is one of the most disabling factors in patients suffering from primary bone cancer or bone metastases. Recent studies point toward an important role of proinflammatory cytokines, example tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF), for tumor growth and bone-cancer-associated pain. Mechanisms by which TNF, through its receptor subtypes, TNF receptor 1 (TNFR1) and -2 (TNFR2), elicits altered sensation and pain behavior, are still incompletely understood. To look for a potential role of TNF in bone cancer pain, cancer-related pain was analyzed in fibrosarcoma-bearing C57Bl/6J wild type mice after systemic antagonism of TNF. To further clarify the role of TNF receptor (TNFR) in bone-cancer pain, naive and fibrosarcoma-bearing C57Bl/ 6J wild type and transgenic mice with a deficiency of TNFR1 (TNFR1ko), TNFR2 (TNFR2ko), and TNFR1+2 (TNFR1+2ko) were compared regarding cancer-related pain and hyperalgesia, tumor growth, osteoclast activation, and spinal astrogliosis. Systemic antagonism of TNF significantly alleviated tactile hypersensitivity and spontaneous bone-cancer-related pain behavior. Most interestingly, combined deletion of the TNFR1 and TNFR2, but not of either gene alone, almost completely inhibited the development of tactile hypersensitivity, whereas spontaneous pain behavior was transiently increased. Accordingly, spinal astrogliosis was markedly reduced, whereas tumor growth was significantly increased in TNFR1+2ko mice. In contrast, deletion of the TNFR1 or TNFR2 gene alone did not change tumor growth or spinal astrogliosis. Our findings suggest that the combined absence of TNFR1 and TNFR2 is necessary for the attenuation of cancer-related tactile hypersensitivity and concomitant spinal astrogliosis, whereas tumor growth seems to be inhibited by combined TNFR activation. These findings support the hypothesis of cytokine-dependent pain development in cancer pain. Differential targeting of TNFR activation could be an interesting strategy in bone-cancer-related pain conditions.
KW  - Neuralgie
KW  - Schmerz
KW  - Schmerzforschung
KW  - Tumor-Nekrose-Faktor <alpha>
KW  - Tumor-Nekrose-Faktor <alpha>-Inhibitor
KW  - Experimentaltumor
KW  - Knochentumor
KW  - pain
KW  - tumor
KW  - bone
KW  - neuropathy
KW  - tnf
KW  - glia
KW  - minocycline
KW  - etanercept
Y1  - 2011
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-54439
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Üçeyler, Nurcan
A1  - Kewenig, Susanne
A1  - Kittel-Schneider, Sarah
A1  - Fallgatter, Andreas J.
A1  - Sommer, Claudia
T1  - Increased cortical activation upon painful stimulation in fibromyalgia syndrome
JF  - BMC Neurology
N2  - Background
Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a chronic condition characterized by widespread pain and associated symptoms. We investigated cerebral activation in FMS patients by functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS).

Methods
Two stimulation paradigms were applied: a) painful pressure stimulation at the dorsal forearm; b) verbal fluency test (VFT). We prospectively recruited 25 FMS patients, ten patients with unipolar major depression (MD) without pain, and 35 healthy controls. All patients underwent neurological examination and all subjects were investigated with questionnaires (pain, depression, FMS, empathy).

Results
FMS patients had lower pressure pain thresholds than patients with MD and controls (p < 0.001) and reported higher pain intensity (p < 0.001). Upon unilateral pressure pain stimulation fNIRS recordings revealed increased bilateral cortical activation in FMS patients compared to controls (p < 0.05). FMS patients also displayed a stronger contralateral activity over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in direct comparison to patients with MD (p < 0.05). While all three groups performed equally well in the VFT, a frontal deficit in cortical activation was only found in patients with depression (p < 0.05). Performance and cortical activation correlated negatively in FMS patients (p < 0.05) and positively in patients with MD (p < 0.05).

Conclusion
Our data give further evidence for altered central nervous processing in patients with FMS and the distinction between FMS and MD.
KW  - fibromyalgia syndrome
KW  - depression
KW  - cortical activation
KW  - pain
KW  - near-infrared spectroscopy
Y1  - 2015
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-125230
VL  - 15
IS  - 210
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Üçeyler, Nurcan
A1  - Biko, Lydia
A1  - Hose, Dorothea
A1  - Hoffmann, Lukas
A1  - Sommer, Claudia
T1  - Comprehensive and differential long-term characterization of the alpha-galactosidase A deficient mouse model of Fabry disease focusing on the sensory system and pain development
JF  - Molecular Pain
N2  - Fabry disease is an X-linked lysosomal storage disorder due to impaired activity of alpha-galactosidase A with intracellular accumulation of globotriaosylceramide. Associated small fiber pathology leads to characteristic pain in Fabry disease. We systematically assessed sensory system, physical activity, metabolic parameters, and morphology of male and female mice with alpha-galactosidase A deficiency (Fabry ko) from 2 to 27 months of age and compared results with those of age- and gender-matched wild-type littermates of C57Bl/6J background. Results From the age of two months, male and female Fabry mice showed mechanical hypersensitivity (p < 0.001 each) compared to wild-type littermates. Young Fabry ko mice of both genders were hypersensitive to heat stimulation (p < 0.01) and developed heat hyposensitivity with aging (p < 0.05), while cold hyposensitivity was present constantly in young (p < 0.01) and old (p < 0.05) Fabry ko mice compared to wild-type littermates. Stride angle increased only in male Fabry ko mice with aging (p < 0.01) in comparison to wild-type littermates. Except for young female mice, male (p < 0.05) and female (p < 0.01) Fabry ko mice had a higher body weight than wild-type littermates. Old male Fabry ko mice were physically less active than their wild-type littermates (p < 0.05), had lower chow intake (p < 0.001), and lost more weight (p < 0.001) in a one-week treadmill experiment than wild-type littermates. Also, Fabry ko mice showed spontaneous pain protective behavior and developed orofacial dysmorphism resembling patients with Fabry disease.
Conclusions. Mice with alpha-galactosidase A deficiency show age-dependent and distinct deficits of the sensory system. alpha-galactosidase A-deficient mice seem to model human Fabry disease and may be helpful when studying the pathophysiology of Fabry-associated pain.
KW  - Fabry disease
KW  - alpha-galactosidase A
KW  - mouse model
KW  - pain
Y1  - 2016
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-147562
VL  - 12
IS  - 1744806916646370
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Pritchard, Rory A.
A1  - Falk, Lovissa
A1  - Larsson, Mathilda
A1  - Leinders, Mathias
A1  - Sorkin, Linda S.
T1  - Different phosphoinositide 3-kinase isoforms mediate carrageenan nociception and inflammation
JF  - Pain
N2  - Phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3Ks) participate in signal transduction cascades that can directly activate and sensitize nociceptors and enhance pain transmission. They also play essential roles in chemotaxis and immune cell infiltration leading to inflammation. We wished to determine which PI3K isoforms were involved in each of these processes. Lightly anesthetized rats (isoflurane) were injected subcutaneously with carrageenan in their hind paws. This was preceded by a local injection of 1% DMSO vehicle or an isoform-specific antagonist to PI3K-α (compound 15-e), -β (TGX221), -δ (Cal-101), or -γ (AS252424). We measured changes in the mechanical pain threshold and spinal c-Fos expression (4 hours after injection) as indices of nociception. Paw volume, plasma extravasation (Evans blue, 0.3 hours after injection), and neutrophil (myeloperoxidase; 1 hour after injection) and macrophage (CD11b+; 4 hour after injection) infiltration into paw tissue were the measured inflammation endpoints. Only PI3K-γ antagonist before treatment reduced the carrageenan-induced pain behavior and spinal expression of c-Fos (P ≤ 0.01). In contrast, pretreatment with PI3K-α, -δ, and-γ antagonists reduced early indices of inflammation. Plasma extravasation PI3K-α (P ≤ 0.05), -δ (P ≤ 0.05), and -γ (P ≤ 0.01), early (0-2 hour) edema -α (P ≤ 0.05), -δ (P ≤ 0.001), and -γ (P ≤ 0.05), and neutrophil infiltration (all P ≤ 0.001) were all reduced compared to vehicle pretreatment. Later (2-4 hour), edema and macrophage infiltration (P ≤ 0.05) were reduced by only the PI3K-δ and -γ isoform antagonists, with the PI3K-δ antagonist having a greater effect on edema. PI3K-β antagonism was ineffective in all paradigms. These data indicate that pain and clinical inflammation are pharmacologically separable and may help to explain clinical conditions in which inflammation naturally wanes or goes into remission, but pain continues unabated.
KW  - c-Fos
KW  - macrophage
KW  - neutrophil
KW  - plasma extravasation
KW  - pain
KW  - edema
Y1  - 2016
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-150248
VL  - 157
IS  - 1
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Klitsch, Alexander
A1  - Evdokimov, Dimitar
A1  - Frank, Johanna
A1  - Thomas, Dominique
A1  - Saffer, Nadine
A1  - Meyer zu Altenschildesche, Caren
A1  - Sisignano, Marco
A1  - Kampik, Daniel
A1  - Malik, Rayaz A.
A1  - Sommer, Claudia
A1  - Üçeyler, Nurcan
T1  - Reduced association between dendritic cells and corneal sub‐basal nerve fibers in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome
JF  - Journal of the Peripheral Nervous System
N2  - In our study, we aimed at investigating corneal langerhans cells (LC) in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) and small fiber neuropathy (SFN) as potential contributors to corneal small fiber pathology. We enrolled women with FMS (n = 134) and SFN (n = 41) who underwent neurological examination, neurophysiology, prostaglandin analysis in tear fluid, and corneal confocal microscopy (CCM). Data were compared with those of 60 age‐matched female controls. After screening for dry eye disease, corneal LC were counted and sub‐classified as dendritic (dLC) and non‐dendritic (ndLC) cells with or without nerve fiber association. We further analyzed corneal nerve fiber density (CNFD), length (CNFL), and branch density (CNBD). Neurological examination indicated deficits of small fiber function in patients with SFN. Nerve conduction studies were normal in all participants. Dry eye disease was more prevalent in FMS (17%) and SFN (28%) patients than in controls (5%). Tear fluid prostaglandin levels did not differ between FMS patients and controls. While corneal LC density in FMS and SFN patients was not different from controls, there were fewer dLC in association with nerve fibers in FMS and SFN patients than in controls (P < .01 each). Compared to controls, CNFL was lower in FMS and SFN patients (P < .05 each), CNFD was lower only in FMS patients (P < .05), and CNBD was lower only in SFN patients (P < .001). There was no difference in any CCM parameter between patients with and without dry eyes. Our data indicate changes in corneal innervation and LC distribution in FMS and SFN, potentially based on altered LC signaling.
KW  - corneal confocal microscopy
KW  - fibromyalgia syndrome
KW  - Langerhans cells
KW  - pain
KW  - small fiber neuropathy
Y1  - 2020
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-214150
VL  - 25
IS  - 1
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Evdokimov, Dimitar
A1  - Dinkel, Philine
A1  - Frank, Johanna
A1  - Sommer, Claudia
A1  - Üçeyler, Nurcan
T1  - Characterization of dermal skin innervation in fibromyalgia syndrome
JF  - PLoS One
N2  - Introduction
We characterized dermal innervation in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) as potential contribution to small fiber pathology.

Methods
Skin biopsies of the calf were collected (86 FMS patients, 35 healthy controls). Skin was immunoreacted with antibodies against protein gene product 9.5, calcitonine gene-related peptide, substance P, CD31, and neurofilament 200 for small fiber subtypes. We assessed two skin sections per patient; on each skin section, two dermal areas (150 x 700 mu m each) were investigated for dermal nerve fiber length (DNFL).

Results
In FMS patients we found reduced DNFL of fibers with vessel contact compared to healthy controls (p<0.05). There were no differences for the other nerve fiber subtypes.

Discussion
We found less dermal nerve fibers in contact with blood vessels in FMS patients than in controls. The pathophysiological relevance of this finding is unclear, but we suggest the possibility of a relationship with impaired thermal tolerance commonly reported by FMS patients.
KW  - nerve-fibers
KW  - cutaneous innervation
KW  - substance-P
KW  - pain
KW  - classification
KW  - reinnervation
KW  - expression
KW  - diagnosis
KW  - epidermis
KW  - criteria
Y1  - 2020
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-229299
VL  - 15
IS  - 1
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Ben-Kraiem, Adel
A1  - Sauer, Reine-Solange
A1  - Norwig, Carla
A1  - Popp, Maria
A1  - Bettenhausen, Anna-Lena
A1  - Atalla, Mariam Sobhy
A1  - Brack, Alexander
A1  - Blum, Robert
A1  - Doppler, Kathrin
A1  - Rittner, Heike Lydia
T1  - Selective blood-nerve barrier leakiness with claudin-1 and vessel-associated macrophage loss in diabetic polyneuropathy
JF  - Journal of Molecular Medicine
N2  - Diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN) is the most common complication in diabetes and can be painful in up to 26% of all diabetic patients. Peripheral nerves are shielded by the blood-nerve barrier (BNB) consisting of the perineurium and endoneurial vessels. So far, there are conflicting results regarding the role and function of the BNB in the pathophysiology of DPN. In this study, we analyzed the spatiotemporal tight junction protein profile, barrier permeability, and vessel-associated macrophages in Wistar rats with streptozotocin-induced DPN. In these rats, mechanical hypersensitivity developed after 2 weeks and loss of motor function after 8 weeks, while the BNB and the blood-DRG barrier were leakier for small, but not for large molecules after 8 weeks only. The blood-spinal cord barrier remained sealed throughout the observation period. No gross changes in tight junction protein or cytokine expression were observed in all barriers to blood. However, expression of Cldn1 mRNA in perineurium was specifically downregulated in conjunction with weaker vessel-associated macrophage shielding of the BNB. Our results underline the role of specific tight junction proteins and BNB breakdown in DPN maintenance and differentiate DPN from traumatic nerve injury. Targeting claudins and sealing the BNB could stabilize pain and prevent further nerve damage.
KW  - macrophages
KW  - neuropathy
KW  - barrier
KW  - pain
Y1  - 2021
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-265237
VL  - 99
IS  - 9
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Üçeyler, Nurcan
A1  - Schließer, Mira
A1  - Evdokimov, Dimitar
A1  - Radziwon, Jakub
A1  - Feulner, Betty
A1  - Unterecker, Stefan
A1  - Rimmele, Florian
A1  - Walter, Uwe
T1  - Reduced midbrain raphe echogenicity in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome
JF  - PloS One
N2  - Objectives
The pathogenesis of fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is unclear. Transcranial ultrasonography revealed anechoic alteration of midbrain raphe in depression and anxiety disorders, suggesting affection of the central serotonergic system. Here, we assessed midbrain raphe echogenicity in FMS.

Methods
Sixty-six patients underwent transcranial sonography, of whom 53 were patients with FMS (27 women, 26 men), 13 patients with major depression and physical pain (all women), and 14 healthy controls (11 women, 3 men). Raphe echogenicity was graded visually as normal or hypoechogenic, and quantified by digitized image analysis, each by investigators blinded to the clinical diagnosis.

Results
Quantitative midbrain raphe echogenicity was lower in patients with FMS compared to healthy controls (p<0.05), but not different from that of patients with depression and accompanying physical pain. Pain and FMS symptom burden did not correlate with midbrain raphe echogenicity as well as the presence and severity of depressive symptoms.

Conclusion
We found reduced echogenicity of the midbrain raphe area in patients with FMS and in patients with depression and physical pain, independent of the presence or severity of pain, FMS, and depressive symptoms. Further exploration of this sonographic finding is necessary before this objective technique may enter diagnostic algorithms in FMS and depression.
KW  - midbrain
KW  - fibromyalgia
KW  - depression
KW  - pain
KW  - ultrasound imaging
KW  - neuropathic pain
KW  - diagnostic medicine
KW  - migraine
Y1  - 2022
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-300639
VL  - 17
IS  - 11
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - García-Fernández, Patricia
A1  - Reinhold, Colette
A1  - Üçeyler, Nurcan
A1  - Sommer, Claudia
T1  - Local inflammatory mediators involved in neuropathic pain
JF  - International Journal of Molecular Sciences
N2  - Polyneuropathy (PNP) is a term to describe diseases of the peripheral nervous system, 50% of which present with neuropathic pain. In some types of PNP, pain is restricted to the skin distally in the leg, suggesting a local regulatory process leading to pain. In this study, we proposed a pro-inflammatory pathway mediated by NF-κB that might be involved in the development of pain in patients with painful PNP. To test this hypothesis, we have collected nerve and skin samples from patients with different etiologies and levels of pain. We performed RT-qPCR to analyze the gene expression of the proposed inflammatory pathway components in sural nerve and in distal and proximal skin samples. In sural nerve, we showed a correlation of TLR4 and TNFα to neuropathic pain, and an upregulation of TNFα in patients with severe pain. Patients with an inflammatory PNP also presented a lower expression of TRPV1 and SIRT1. In distal skin, we found a reduced expression of TLR4 and miR-146-5p, in comparison to proximal skin. Our findings thus support our hypothesis of local inflammatory processes involved in pain in PNP, and further show disturbed anti-inflammatory pathways involving TRPV1 and SIRT1 in inflammatory PNP.
KW  - polyneuropathy
KW  - pain
KW  - inflammation
KW  - NF-κB
KW  - TNFα
Y1  - 2023
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-313613
SN  - 1422-0067
VL  - 24
IS  - 9
ER  -