The antimicrobial peptide piscidin (PCD)-1 has been reported to have antibacterial and immunomodulatory functions. Here, we investigated the anti-neuropathic properties of PCD-1, in order to determine its potential as a compound to alleviate pain. Treatment with PCD-1 suppressed the inflammatory proteins COX-2 and iNOS in murine macrophage (RAW264.7) and microglial (BV2) cell lines stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). For studies of the effect of PCD-1 in vivo, mononeuropathy in rats was induced by chronic constriction injury (CCI), and the resulting anti-nociceptive behaviors were compared between CCI controls and CCI rats given intrathecal injections of PCD-1. Much like gabapentin, PCD-1 exerts anti-nociceptive effects against thermal hyperalgesia, with a median effective dose (ED50) of 9.5 μg in CCI rats. In CCI rats, PCD-1 exerted effects against mechanical and cold allodynia, thermal hyperalgesia, and weight-bearing deficits. Furthermore, CCI-mediated activation of microglia and astrocytes in the dorsal horn of the lumbar spinal cord were decreased by PCD-1. In addition, PCD-1 suppressed up-regulation of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and phosphorylated mammalian target of rapamycin (phospho-mTOR) in CCI rats. Finally, CCI-induced down-regulation of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) in rats was attenuated by injection of PCD-1. Taken together, the present findings demonstrate that the marine antimicrobial peptide PCD-1 has anti-nociceptive effects, and thus may have potential for development as an alternative pain-alleviating agent.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biomaterials.2015.02.069 | DOI Listing |
Mol Med
January 2025
Division of Spine Surgery, Department of Orthopedics, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, 1838 North Guangzhou Ave, Guangzhou, 510515, People's Republic of China.
Background: Neuropathic pain (NP) is a debilitating condition caused by lesion or dysfunction in the somatosensory nervous system. Accumulation of advanced oxidation protein products (AOPPs) is implicated in mechanical hyperalgesia. However, the effects of AOPPs on NP remain unclear.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLife Sci
January 2025
Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics, Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China; Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Molecular Therapeutics and New Drug Development, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China. Electronic address:
Aims: To explore the specific molecular and cellular mechanisms of (-) - Mefloquine (one of Mefloquine's enantiomers) in modulating the interaction between Connexin 36 (Cx36) and endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) both in rats with CCI-induced neuropathic pain and in tunicamycin-induced ERS cells.
Materials And Methods: The authors conducted chronic constriction injury (CCI) in rats to induce neuropathic pain and established the ERS model in SH-SY5Y cells to mimic the stress state after neuropathic pain. The study employed behavioral tests and various molecular biology techniques, including Western blot analysis, cell transfection, and co-immunoprecipitation (co-IP).
Sci Rep
January 2025
Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, No. 76 Yanta West Road, Yanta District, Xi'an, 710061, China.
Neuropathic pain (NP) is a complex and prevalent chronic pain condition that affects millions of individuals worldwide. Previous studies have shown that prior exercise protects against NP caused by nerve injury. However, the underlying mechanisms of this protective effect remain to be uncovered.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMol Neurobiol
January 2025
The Second School of Clinical Medical College, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221004, Jiangsu, China.
Changes in DNA methylation and subsequent alterations in gene expression have opened a new direction in research related to the pathogenesis of peripheral neuropathic pain (PNP). This study aimed to reveal epigenetic perturbations underlying DNA methylation in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) of rats with peripheral nerve injury in response to prior exercise and identify potential target genes involved. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three groups, namely, chronic constriction injury (CCI) of the sciatic nerve, CCI with prior 6-week swimming training (CCI_Ex), and sham operated (Sham).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFChin J Integr Med
January 2025
Institute of Integrative Medicine, Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China.
Objective: To explore the neuroprotective effects of Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction (XFZYD) based on in vivo and metabolomics experiments.
Methods: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) was induced via a controlled cortical impact (CCI) method. Thirty rats were randomly divided into 3 groups (10 for each): sham, CCI and XFZYD groups (9 g/kg).
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