Paradox of descending pain inhibitory system mediated by glutamate transporters

Research Project

Project/Area Number	17K16732
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
Allocation Type	Multi-year Fund
Research Field	Anesthesiology
Research Institution	Okayama University
Principal Investigator	Ono Daisuke 岡山大学, 大学病院, 医員 (90795030)
Project Period (FY)	2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
Project Status	Completed (Fiscal Year 2019)
Budget Amount *help	¥3,510,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥810,000) Fiscal Year 2019: ¥1,170,000 (Direct Cost: ¥900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥270,000) Fiscal Year 2018: ¥1,170,000 (Direct Cost: ¥900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥270,000) Fiscal Year 2017: ¥1,170,000 (Direct Cost: ¥900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥270,000)
Keywords	グルタミン酸トランスポーター / 下行性疼痛抑制 / 慢性疼痛 / 下降性疼痛抑制系 / 慢性痛
Outline of Final Research Achievements	Impaired descending pain inhibitory system is involved in development of chronic pain. Descending pain inhibitory system is mediated by noradrenaline. Our previous study reported transient noradrenaline upregulation and GLT-1 mRNA suppression in neuropathic pain model rats. We also reported that GLT-1 mRNA was suppressed by noradrenaline in vitro. We studied the relationship between noradrenaline and GLT-1 in a rat pain model. Our results showed that GLT-1 and alpha-adrenergic receptor in the spinal cord were involved in the development of mirror image pain in rats.
Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements	ミラーイメージペインは診療においてしばしばみられるが、原因が不明であることから現在の治療の有効性は低い。本研究により得られた知見はミラーイメージペインの機序の解明に寄与するだけでなく痛みに苦しむ患者に対する新たな治療法の開発につながる。