Progesterone modulates pro-inflammatory cytokine expression profile after spinal cord injury: Implications for neuropathic pain

• Published in: Journal of neuroimmunology 2016-03, Vol.292, p.85-92
• Main Authors: Coronel, María F, Raggio, María C, Adler, Natalia S, De Nicola, Alejandro F, Labombarda, Florencia, González, Susana L
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Allergy and Immunology; Animals; Chronic pain; Cytokines - genetics; Cytokines - metabolism; Disease Models, Animal; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Glial activation; Hyperalgesia - drug therapy; Hyperalgesia - etiology; Life Sciences; Male; Neuralgia - etiology; Neuroactive steroids; Neurology; Neurons and Cognition; NMDA receptor; Pain Threshold - drug effects; Phosphopyruvate Hydratase - genetics; Phosphopyruvate Hydratase - metabolism; Pro-inflammatory cytokines; Progesterone - therapeutic use; Progestins - therapeutic use; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate - genetics; Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate - metabolism; RNA, Messenger - metabolism; Spinal cord; Spinal Cord Injuries - complications; Spinal Cord Injuries - drug therapy; Spinal Cord Injuries - metabolism; Time Factors
• ISSN: 0165-5728; 1872-8421; 1872-8421
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jneuroim.2016.01.011

Abstract Neuropathic pain is a frequent complication of spinal cord injury (SCI), still refractory to conventional treatment. Glial cell activation and cytokine production contribute to the pathology of central neuropathic syndromes. In this study we evaluated the effects of progesterone, a neuroactive steroid, on pain development and the spinal expression of IL-1β, its receptors (IL-1RI and IL-1RII) and antagonist (IL-1ra), IL-6 and TNFα, and NR1 subunit of NMDAR. Our results show that progesterone, by modulating the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and neuronal IL-1RI/NR1 colocalization, emerges as a promising agent to prevent chronic pain after SCI.