Previous clinical studies have demonstrated that gabapentin, a drug that binds to the voltage-gated calcium channel α2δ1 subunit proteins, is effective in the management of neuropathic pain, but there is limited evidence that addresses the participation of glial cells in the antiallodynic effects of this drug. The present study investigated the participation of glial cells in the anti-nociceptive effects of gabapentin in rats with trigeminal neuropathic pain produced by mal-positioned dental implants. Under anesthesia, the left mandibular second molar was extracted and replaced by a miniature dental implant to induce injury to the inferior alveolar nerve. Mal-positioned dental implants significantly decreased the air-puff thresholds both ipsilateral and contralateral to the injury site. Gabapentin was administered intracisternally beginning on postoperative day (POD) 1 or on POD 7 for three days. Early or late treatment with 0.3, 3, or 30 μg of gabapentin produced significant anti-allodynic effect in the rats with mal-positioned dental implants. On POD 9, in the mal-positioned dental implants group, OX-42, a microglia marker, and GFAP, an astrocyte marker, were found to be up-regulated in the medullary dorsal horn, compared with the naive group. However, the intracisternal administration of gabapentin (30 μg) failed to reduce the number of activated microglia or astrocytes in the medullary dorsal horn. These findings suggest that gabapentin produces significant antinociceptive effects, which are not mediated by the inhibition of glial cell function in the medullary dorsal horn, in a rat model of trigeminal neuropathic pain.

Voltage dependent calcium channel (VDCC), one of the most important regulator of Ca 2+ concentration in neuron, play an essential role in the central processing of nociceptive information. The present study investigated the antinociceptive effects of L, T or N type VDCC blockers on the formalin-induced orofacial inflammatory pain. Experiments were carried out on adult male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 220-280 g. Anesthetized rats were individually fixed on a stereotaxic frame and a polyethylene (PE) tube was implanted for intracisternal injection. After 72 hours, 5% formalin (50 μL) was applied subcutaneously to the vibrissa pad and nociceptive scratching behavior was recorded for nine successive 5 min intervals. VDCC blockers were administered intracisternally 20 minutes prior to subcutaneous injection of formalin into the orofacial area. The intracisternal administration of 350 or 700 μg of verapamil, a blocker of L type VDCC, significantly decreased the number of scratches and duration in the behavioral responses produced by formalin injection. Intracisternal administration of 75 or 150 μg of mibefradil, a T type VDCC blocker, or 11 or 22 μg of cilnidipine, a N type VDCC blocker, also produced significant suppression of the number of scratches and duration of scratching in the first and second phase. Neither intracisternal administration of all VDCC blockers nor vehicle did not affect in motor dysfunction. The present results suggest that central VDCCs play an important role in orofacial nociceptive transmission and a targeted inhibition of the VDCCs is a potentially important treatment approach for inflammatory pain originating in the orofacial area.

We investigated the role of the central MAPK pathways in extra-territorial (referred) pain resulting from inflammation of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). Experiments were carried out on male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 220-280 g. Under anesthesia, these animals were injected with 50 μL of complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) into the TMJ using a Hamilton syringe. In the control group, saline was injected into the TMJ. To identify the extent of inflammation of the TMJ, Evans blue dye (0.1%, 5 mg/kg) was injected intravenously at 1, 3, 6, 9, 12 and 15 days after CFA injection. The concentration of Evans blue dye in the extracted TMJ tissue was found to be significantly higher in the CFA-treated animals than in the saline-treated group. Air-puff thresholds in the vibrissa pad area were evaluated 3 days before and at 3, 6, 9, 12, 15 and 18 days after CFA injection into the TMJ. Referred mechanical allodynia was established at 3 days, remained until 12 days, and recovered to preoperative levels at 18 days after CFA injection. This referred mechanical allodynia was observed in contralateral side area. To investigate the role of central MAPK pathways, MAPK inhibitors (10 μg) were administrated intracisternally 9 days after CFA injection. SB203580, a p38 MAPK inhibitor, significantly attenuated referred mechanical allodynia, as compared with the vehicle group. PD98059, a MEK inhibitor, also reduced CFA-induced referred mechanical allodynia. These results suggest that TMJ inflammation produces extra-territorial mechanical allodynia, and that this is mediated by central MAPK pathways.

The present study investigated the role of ERK in the onset of mechanical and cold allodynia in a rat model of compression of the trigeminal ganglion by examining changes in the air-puff thresholds and number of scratches following the intracisternal injection of PD98059, a MEK inhibitor. Male Sprague Dawley rats weighing between 250 and 260 g were used. Under anesthesia, the rats were mounted onto a stereotaxic frame and received 4% agar (10μℓ) solution to compress the trigeminal ganglion. In the control group, the animals were given a sham operation without the application of agar. Changes in behavior were examined at 3 days before and at 3, 7, 10, 14, 17, 21, 24, 30, and 40 days after surgery. Compression of the trigeminal ganglion significantly decreased the air-puff thresholds. Mechanical allodynia was established within 3 days and persisted over postoperative day 24. To evaluate cold allodynia, nociceptive scratching behavior was monitored after acetone application on the vibrissa pad of the rats. Compression of the trigeminal ganglion was found to produce significant cold allodynia, which persisted for more than 40 days after surgery. On postoperative day 14, the intracisternal administration of 1 μg or 10 μg of PD98059 in the rat model significantly decreased the air-puff thresholds on both the ipsilateral and contralateral side. The intracisternal administration of 10 μg of PD98059 also significantly alleviated the cold allodynia, compared with the vehicle-treated group. These results suggest that central ERK plays an important role in the development of mechanical and cold allodynia in rats with compression of the trigeminal ganglion and that a targeted blockade of this pathway is a potential future treatment strategy for trigeminal neuralgia-like nociception.

We recently described a novel animal model of trigeminal neuropathic pain following compression of the trigeminal ganglion (Ahn et al., 2009). In our present study, we adapted this model using male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing between 250-260 g and then analyzed the behavioral responses of these animals following modified chronic compression of the trigeminal ganglion. Under anesthesia, the rats were mounted onto a stereotaxic frame and a 4% agar solution (10μL) was injected in each case on the dorsal surface of the trigeminal ganglion to achieve compression without causing injury. In the control group, the rats received a sham operation without agar injection. Air-puff, acetone, and heat tests were performed at 3 days before and at 3, 7, 10, 14, 17, 21, 24, 30, 40, 55, and 70 days after surgery. Compression of the trigeminal ganglion produced nociceptive behavior in the trigeminal territory. Mechanical allodynia was established within 3 days and recovered to preoperative levels at approximately 60 days following compression. Mechanical hyperalgesia was also observed at 7 days after compression and persisted until the postoperative day 40. Cold hypersensitivity was established within 3 days after compression and lasted beyond postoperative day 55. In contrast, compression of the trigeminal ganglion did not produce any significant thermal hypersensitivity when compared with the sham operated group. These findings suggest that compression of the trigeminal ganglion without any injury produces prolonged nociceptive behavior and that our rat model is a useful system for further analysis of trigeminal neuralgia.

The present study investigated inflammatory hypersensitivity following compression of the trigeminal ganglion in rats. Experiments were carried out on male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 250-260 g. Under anesthesia, rats were mounted on a stereotaxic frame and injected with 8μL of 4% agar solution through a stainless steel injector to compress the trigeminal ganglion. In the control group, rats underwent a sham operation without agar injection. Injection sites were examined with a light micrograph after compression of the trigeminal ganglion. Air-puff thresholds (mechanical allodynia) were evaluated 3 days before surgery and 3, 7, 10, 14, 17, 21, 24, 30, and 40 days after surgery. Air-puff thresholds significantly decreased after compression of the trigeminal ganglion. Mechanical allodynia was established within 3 days and remained strong over 24 days, returning to preoperative levels approximately 40 days following compression. After subcutaneous injection of 5% formalin (50μL) in the compression of the trigeminal ganglion-treated rats, nociceptive scratching behavior was recorded for 9 successive 5-min internals. Injection of formalin into the vibrissa pad significantly increased the number of scratches and duration of noxious behavioral responses in sham-treated rats. Noxious behavioral responses induced by subcutaneous formalin administration were significantly potentiated in rats with trigeminal ganglion compression. These findings suggest that compression of the trigeminal ganglion enhanced formalin-induced infla-mmatory pain in the orofacial area.

It has been well known that excitatory amino acids, primarily glutamate, are involved in the transmission of nociception in pathological and physiological conditions in the spinal and brainstem level. Recently, peripheral glutamate also play a critical role in the peripheral nociceptive transmissions. The present study investigated the role of N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA) or non-NMDA ionotropic glutamate receptors in formalin-induced TMJ pain. Experiments were carried out on male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 220-280 g. Intra-articular injection was performed under halothane anesthesia. Under anesthesia, AP-7 (10, 100μM, 1mM/20 μL), a NMDA receptor antagonist, or CNQX disodium salt (0.5, 5, 50, 500 μM/20 μL), a non-NMDA receptor antagonist, were administered intra-articularly 10 min prior to the application of 5% formalin. For each animal, the number of behavioral responses, such as rubbing and/or scratching the TMJ region, was recorded for nine successive 5-min intervals. Intra-articular pretreatment with 1 mM of AP-7 or 50 μM CNQX significantly decreased the formalin-induced scratching behavioral responses during the second phase. Intra-articular pretreatment with 500μM of CNQX significantly decreased the formalin-induced scratching behavior during both the first and the second phase. These results indicate that the intra-articular administration of NMDA or non-NMDA receptor antagonists inhibit formalin-induced TMJ nociception, and peripheral ionotropic glutamate receptors may play an important role in the TMJ nociception.