Elucidation of itch mechanism by in vivo imaging of spinal dorsal horn with two-photon microscopy

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26670291
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Pain science
• Research Institution: Kansai Medical University
• Principal Investigator: ITO SEIJI 関西医科大学, 医学部, 教授 (80201325)
• Research Collaborator: NGUYEN Huu Tu ; PHAM Minh Vuong
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 動物モデル / 掻痒 / 痛覚 / グルタミン酸受容体 / ガストリン遊離ペプチド / c-fos

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Itch or pruritus has been identified as an unpleasant cutaneous sensation that provokes the desire to scratch and is a tormenting symptom in patients with atopic dermatitis and hemodialysis. Itch disappears by scratching the skin and strong scratching provokes pain. Thus, itch and pain are intimately related and may share similar pathways, but their mechanism remains largely unknown.
In the present study, we applied pruritic agents to the cheek of mice and provoked scratching behaviors. The present study demonstrates that itch transmission pathway considerably shares pain transmission pathway but that agents that induce pain and itch are different.

Free Research Field

生化学を基礎として、ホルモン受容体の情報伝達機構と痛覚や掻痒の感覚受容の行動神経科学を専門とする