Research articleInterleukin-8 levels in rat models of nerve damage and neuropathic pain

- IL-8 plays an important role in the neuropathic pain following nerve injury.
- Partial nerve injury models show elevated levels of IL-8 in the acute phase of neuropathic pain.
- Chronic constriction nerve injury shows elevation of IL-8 in the chronic phase of neuropathic pain.
- The role of IL-8 might be injury type specific.

Interleukin-8 (IL-8) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine that has been shown to play a role in inflammatory and autoimmune disorders. The objective of the present study was to assess the levels of IL-8 in rat serum, dorsal root ganglion (DRG) and the sciatic nerve following four different forms of sciatic nerve injury. The models used to induce the injury included partial sciatic ligation (PSL), chronic constriction injury (CCI), perineural inflammation (neuritis) and complete sciatic transection (CST). Mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia were detected by measuring withdrawal responses from a mechanical stimulus and withdrawal latency from thermal stimulation. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) was used to assess the IL-8 levels in the affected and contralateral sciatic nerves. Rats exposed to PSL and neuritis developed significant nociceptive response (mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia) in the affected side at three days post-surgery whereas the CCI group at eight days post-surgery. No mechanical or thermal hyperalgesia was observed in rats exposed to CST at either three or eight days postsurgery. Additionally, IL-8 levels were significantly increased in the injured sciatic nerve at 3 and 8 days following PSL and neuritis as well as at 8 days following CCI when compared to naïve animals. A significant up regulation of IL-8 levels was observed in the ipsilateral DRG at 3 and 8 days following CST compared to naïve animals. The serum IL-8 levels remained unchanged in all models of nerve damage. The results of this study suggest that IL-8′s role in the neuropathic pain etiology may be specific to nerve injury type.