Extracellular signal-regulated kinase activation in spinal astrocytes and microglia contributes to cancer-induced bone pain in rats

Cancer pain, especially cancer-induced bone pain, affects the quality of life of cancer patients, and current treatments for this pain are limited. The present study demonstrates that spinal extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) activation in glial cells plays a crucial role in cancer-induced bone pain. From day 4 to day 21 after the intra-tibia inoculation with Walker 256 mammary gland carcinoma cells, significant mechanical allodynia was observed as indicated by the decrease of mechanical withdrawal thresholds in the von Frey hair test. Intra-tibia inoculation with carcinoma cells induced a vast and persistent (>21 D) activation of ERK in the bilateral L2–L3 and L4–L5 spinal dorsal horn. The increased pERK1/2-immunoreactivity was observed in both Iba-1-expressing microglia and GFAP-expressing astrocytes but not in NeuN-expressing neurons. A single intrathecal injection of the selective MEK (ERK kinase) inhibitors PD98059 (10 μg) on day 12 and U0126 (1.25 and 3 μg) on day 14, attenuated the bilateral mechanical allodynia in the von Frey hair test. Altogether, our results suggest that ERK activation in spinal microglia and astrocytes is correlated with the onset of allodynia and is important for allodynia maintenance in the cancer pain model. This study indicated that inhibition of the ERK pathway may provide a new therapy for cancer-induced bone pain.

► Intra-tibia Walker 256 carcinoma cells induced bilateral mechanical allodynia in rat hind paw.
► Intra-tibia carcinoma cells induced vast and persistent activation of spinal ERK.
► Intra-tibia carcinoma cells induced ERK activation in spinal microglia and astrocyte.
► Intrathecal MEK inhibitors attenuated bilateral mechanical allodynia in bone cancer pain rats.