Defense Date

2-16-2009

Graduation Date

2009

Availability

Immediate Access

Submission Type

thesis

Degree Name

MS

Department

Biological Sciences

Committee Chair

John Pollock

Committee Member

Sarah Woodley

Committee Member

Jana Patton-Vogt

Committee Member

David Somers

Keywords

TRPV1, DRG, mRNA, CCI, pain, nociception

Abstract

Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 1 plays an important role in the pain pathway. TRPV1 is expressed in primary afferent nociceptors and acts as a transducer for noxious stimuli; including capsaicin, toxins and noxious heat. TRPV1 protein expression increases in inflammatory and neuropathic pain models, but transcriptional regulation of TRPV1 remains unclear. In the present study, TRPV1 mRNA levels were measured in Dorsal Root Ganglia pertaining to the third, fourth and fifth vertebral levels of the lumbar spine following chronic constriction injury of the sciatic nerve in rats. TRPV1 mRNA levels are shown to increase in lumbar dorsal root ganglia in response to chronic CCI-induced neuropathic pain. Moreover, the magnitude of change in TRPV1 mRNA level varies with dorsal root ganglia level. These novel findings show that injury-induced TRPV1 mRNA levels are regulated in response to chronic pain, and strengthen interest in this channel as a specific target for pain therapy.

Format

PDF

Language

English

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