GABAergic influence on temporomandibular joint-responsive spinomedullary neurons depends on estrogen status

• High E2 enhances TMJ-evoked activity of superficial laminae neurons at Vc/C1–2.
• GABAA receptor antagonism enhances TMJ-evoked neural activity only under low E2.
• GABAA receptor activation reduces TMJ-evoked neural activity independent of E2.
• GABAA receptor protein levels at the Vc/C1–2 are not affected by E2 conditions.
• E2 causes a functional reduction in GABAergic influence on TMJ-responsive neurons.

Sensory input from the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) to neurons in superficial laminae at the spinomedullary (Vc/C1–2) region is strongly influenced by estrogen status. This study determined if GABAergic mechanisms play a role in estrogen modulation of TMJ nociceptive processing in ovariectomized female rats treated with high- (HE) or low-dose (LE) estradiol (E2) for 2 days. Superficial laminae neurons were activated by ATP (1 mM) injections into the joint space. The selective GABAA receptor antagonist, bicuculline methiodide (BMI, 5 or 50 μM, 30 μl), applied at the site of recording greatly enhanced the magnitude and duration of ATP-evoked responses in LE rats, but not in units from HE rats. The convergent cutaneous receptive field (RF) area of TMJ neurons was enlarged after BMI in LE but not HE rats, while resting discharge rates were increased after BMI independent of estrogen status. By contrast, the selective GABAA receptor agonist, muscimol (50 μM, 30 μl), significantly reduced the magnitude and duration of ATP-evoked activity, resting discharge rate, and cutaneous RF area of TMJ neurons in LE and HE rats, whereas lower doses (5 μM) affected only units from LE rats. Protein levels of GABAA receptor β3 isoform at the Vc/C1–2 region were similar for HE and LE rats. These results suggest that GABAergic mechanisms contribute significantly to background discharge rates and TMJ-evoked input to superficial laminae neurons at the Vc/C1–2 region. Estrogen status may gate the magnitude of GABAergic influence on TMJ neurons at the earliest stages of nociceptive processing at the spinomedullary region.