Nociceptive inhibition prevents inflammatory pain induced changes in the blood-brain barrier

Christopher R. Campos, Scott M. Ocheltree, Sharon Hom, Richard D. Egleton, Thomas P. Davis

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

32 Scopus citations

Abstract

Previous studies by our group have shown that peripheral inflammatory insult, using the λ-carrageenan inflammatory pain (CIP) model, induced alterations in the molecular and functional properties of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). The question remained whether these changes were mediated via an inflammatory and/or neuronal mechanism. In this study, we investigated the involvement of neuronal input from pain activity on alterations in BBB integrity by peripheral inhibition of nociceptive input. A perineural injection of 0.75% bupivacaine into the right hind leg prior to CIP was used for peripheral nerve block. Upon nerve block, there was a significant decrease in thermal allodynia induced by CIP, but no effect on edema formation 1 h post-CIP. BBB permeability was increased 1 h post-CIP treatment as determined by in situ brain perfusion of [14C] sucrose; bupivacaine nerve block of CIP caused an attenuation of [14C] sucrose permeability, back to saline control levels. Paralleling the changes in [14C] sucrose permeability, we also report increased expression of three tight junction (TJ) proteins, zonula occluden-1 (ZO-1), occludin and claudin-5 with CIP. Upon bupivacaine nerve block, changes in expression were prevented. These data show that the λ-carrageenan-induced changes in [14C] sucrose permeability and protein expression of ZO-1, occludin and claudin-5 are prevented with inhibition of nociceptive input. Therefore, we suggest that nociceptive signaling is in part responsible for the alteration in BBB integrity under CIP.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)6-13
Number of pages8
JournalBrain Research
Volume1221
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 24 2008

Keywords

  • Allodynia
  • Blood-brain barrier
  • Pain
  • Permeability
  • Tight junction
  • λ-carrageenan

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Neuroscience(all)
  • Molecular Biology
  • Clinical Neurology
  • Developmental Biology

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