2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
Elucidation of the molecular basis governing the construction of spinal neural circuits involved in visceral pain transmission
Project/Area Number |
19K07855
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Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
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Allocation Type | Multi-year Fund |
Section | 一般 |
Review Section |
Basic Section 51030:Pathophysiologic neuroscience-related
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Research Institution | Kansai Medical University |
Principal Investigator |
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Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
寿野 良二 関西医科大学, 医学部, 准教授 (60447521)
片野 泰代 関西医科大学, 医学部, 准教授 (60469244)
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Project Period (FY) |
2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
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Keywords | 内臓痛 / 脊髄後角 |
Outline of Final Research Achievements |
To elucidate the spinal circuitry involved in the transmission of visceral pain information, we utilized a mouse model of inflammatory bowel disease (DSS model). Analysis of visceral pain-responsive spinal neurons in the mouse through immunostaining with c-fos revealed that c-fos-positive neurons were predominantly localized in the superficial spinal dorsal horn at the lumbosacral (L6-S1) level. Co-immunostaining of several molecular markers for spinal dorsal horn neurons demonstrated that approximately 30% of visceral pain-responsive neurons expressed Brn3a. Interestingly, the proportion of Brn3a-positive neurons among somatic pain-responsive neurons was significantly lower than that among visceral pain-responsive neurons. These findings suggest the involvement of Brn3a-positive spinal dorsal horn neurons in the transmission of visceral pain.
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Free Research Field |
疼痛学、神経科学
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Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements |
近年の国内外の研究より、機械、温度、痒み等の体性感覚の伝達に関与する脊髄後角の神経サブタイプが徐々に明らかになりつつある。しかしながら、我々に身近である内臓痛を伝達する神経回路については、体性感覚に比べて理解が進んでいない。本研究の成果は、内臓痛を特異的に伝達する脊髄後角神経回路の存在を示唆するものであり、感覚情報伝達全般の包括的な理解につながる点において学術的意義がある。また、内臓痛特異的な神経回路の解明はそれを標的とした内臓痛特異的鎮痛薬の開発にもつながり、社会的意義も極めて大きい。
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