Demonstration of effector function in nociceptors and pain regulation by their selective manipulation

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K15338
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Pain science
• Research Institution: Niigata University of Health and Welfare (2017); University of Toyama (2016)
• Principal Investigator: Taguchi Toru 新潟医療福祉大学, 医療技術学部, 教授 (90464156)
• Research Collaborator: YAMANAKA Akihiro 名古屋大学, 環境医学研究所・神経系分野Ⅱ, 教授 (60323292)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 痛み / 侵害受容 / 受容器 / 効果器 / 光遺伝学 / 薬理遺伝学 / 痛覚過敏 / 恒常性

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we have tried to manipulate activities of nociceptors, which play roles in pain and a variety of physiological phenomena, and muscle cells optogenetically with adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors or electroporation of plasmid. Blue light-induced contractions of muscle cells with expression of channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) were achieved, while the gene introduction caused robust damage of the cells. The gene introduction was also tried to express ChR2 or archaerhodopsin-T (ArchT) in nociceptive afferent fibers with several promotors or serotypes of AAV vectors. However, the expression of the channels or pumps was not sufficient to manipulate activities of nociceptors and pain-related behaviors. Further trials will be needed for the better manipulation of nociceptors and muscle cells.

Free Research Field

疼痛生理学