Remote astrocytic and microglial activation modulates neuronal hyperexcitability and below-level neuropathic pain after spinal injury in rat

In this study, we evaluated whether astrocytic and microglial activation mediates below-level neuropathic pain following spinal cord injury. Male Sprague–Dawley (225–250 g) rats were given low thoracic (T13) spinal transverse hemisection and behavioral, electrophysiological and immunohistochemical methods were used to examine the development and maintenance of below-level neuropathic pain. On postoperation day 28, both hind limbs showed significantly decreased paw withdrawal thresholds and thermal latencies as well as hyperexcitability of lumbar (L4-5) spinal wide dynamic range (WDR) neurons on both sides of spinal dorsal horn compared to sham controls (* P<0.05). Intrathecal treatment with propentofylline (PPF, 10 mM) for 7 consecutive days immediately after spinal injury attenuated the development of mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia in both hind limbs in a dose-related reduction compared to vehicle treatments (* P<0.05). Intrathecal treatment with single injections of PPF at 28 days after spinal injury, attenuated the existing mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia in both hind limbs in a dose related reduction (* P<0.05). In electrophysiological studies, topical treatment of 10 mM PPF onto the spinal surface attenuated the neuronal hyperexcitability in response to mechanical stimuli. In immunohistochemical studies, astrocytes and microglia in rats with spinal hemisection showed significantly increased GFAP and OX-42 expression in both superficial and deep dorsal horns in the lumbar spinal dorsal horn compared to sham controls (* P<0.05) that was prevented in a dose-related manner by PPF. In conclusion, our present data support astrocytic and microglial activation that contributes to below-level central neuropathic pain following spinal cord injury.