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Mogil JS, Parisien M, Esfahani SJ, Diatchenko L. Sex differences in mechanisms of pain hypersensitivity. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 163:105749. [PMID: 38838876 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2024] [Revised: 05/23/2024] [Accepted: 06/02/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
The introduction of sex-as-a-biological-variable policies at funding agencies around the world has led to an explosion of very recent observations of sex differences in the biology underlying pain. This review considers evidence of sexually dimorphic mechanisms mediating pain hypersensitivity, derived from modern assays of persistent pain in rodent animal models. Three well-studied findings are described in detail: the male-specific role of spinal cord microglia, the female-specific role of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), and the female-specific role of prolactin and its receptor. Other findings of sex-specific molecular involvement in pain are subjected to pathway analyses and reveal at least one novel hypothesis: that females may preferentially use Th1 and males Th2 T cell activity to mediate chronic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey S Mogil
- Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 1B1, Canada.
| | - Marc Parisien
- Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 1B1, Canada
| | - Sahel J Esfahani
- Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 1B1, Canada
| | - Luda Diatchenko
- Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 1B1, Canada
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Chang JH, Chen KW, Tsai SY, Zeng YJ, Li CY, Chen KB, Wen YR. Role of ERK in gender difference of fibromyalgia pain. Mol Pain 2024; 20:17448069241261940. [PMID: 38818809 PMCID: PMC11168046 DOI: 10.1177/17448069241261940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
This study investigated the ERK pathway of the peripheral nervous system and discovered a gender-specific pattern of ERK activation in the dorsal root ganglion of an acid-induced chronic widespread muscular pain model. We employed a twice acid-induced chronic musculoskeletal pain model in rats to evaluate mechanical pain behavior in both male and female groups. We further conducted protein analysis of dissected dorsal root ganglions from both genders. Both male and female rats exhibited a similar pain behavior trend, with females demonstrating a lower pain threshold. Protein analysis of the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) showed a significant increase in phosphorylated ERK after the second acid injection in all groups. However, phosphorylation of ERK was observed in the dorsal root ganglion, with higher levels in the male ipsilateral group compared to the female group. Moreover, there was a no difference between the left and right sides in males, whereas the significant difference was observed in females. In conclusions, the administration of acid injections induced painful behavior in rats, and concurrent with this, a significant upregulation of pERK was observed in the dorsal root ganglia, with a greater magnitude of increase in males than females, and in the contralateral side compared to the ipsilateral side. Our findings shed light on the peripheral mechanisms underlying chronic pain disorders and offer potential avenues for therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ju-Hsin Chang
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medical Science, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Department of Anesthesiology, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Ke-Wei Chen
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medical Science, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Shih-Ying Tsai
- Department of Anesthesiology, School of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Yen-Jing Zeng
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medical Science, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Chi-Yuan Li
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medical Science, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Department of Anesthesiology, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Kuen-Bao Chen
- Department of Anesthesiology, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Yeong-Ray Wen
- Department of Anesthesiology, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
- Department of Anesthesiology, School of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Acupuncture Science, College of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Acupuncture Research Center, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
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Imamura Y, Okada-Ogawa A, Noma N, Shinozaki T, Watanabe K, Kohashi R, Shinoda M, Wada A, Abe O, Iwata K. A perspective from experimental studies of burning mouth syndrome. J Oral Sci 2020; 62:165-169. [PMID: 32161235 DOI: 10.2334/josnusd.19-0459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is one of the most frequently seen idiopathic pain conditions in a dental setting. Peri- and postmenopausal women are most frequently affected, and patients who experience BMS complain of persistent burning pain mainly at the tip and the bilateral border of the tongue. Recent studies have assessed whether BMS is a neuropathic pain condition, based on morphologic changes in biopsied tongue specimens, and whether there are abnormal pain responses in patients with this disease. Somatosensory studies have reported some abnormal findings in sensory and pain detection thresholds with inconsistency; however, the most distinct finding was exaggerated responses to painful stimuli. Imaging and electrophysiologic studies have suggested the possibility of dysregulation of the pain-modulating system in the central nervous system, which may explain the enhanced pain responses despite the lack of typical responses toward quantitative sensory tests. Basic studies have suggested the possible involvement of neuroprotective steroids, although the underlying mechanisms of this condition have not been elucidated. Experimental studies are looking for preferable supportive therapies for BMS patients despite the obscure pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshiki Imamura
- Department of Oral Diagnostic Sciences, Nihon University School of Dentistry.,Division of Clinical Research, Dental Research Institute, Nihon University School of Dentistry
| | - Akiko Okada-Ogawa
- Department of Oral Diagnostic Sciences, Nihon University School of Dentistry.,Division of Clinical Research, Dental Research Institute, Nihon University School of Dentistry
| | - Noboru Noma
- Department of Oral Diagnostic Sciences, Nihon University School of Dentistry.,Division of Clinical Research, Dental Research Institute, Nihon University School of Dentistry
| | - Takahiro Shinozaki
- Department of Oral Diagnostic Sciences, Nihon University School of Dentistry.,Division of Clinical Research, Dental Research Institute, Nihon University School of Dentistry
| | - Kosuke Watanabe
- Department of Oral Diagnostic Sciences, Nihon University School of Dentistry
| | - Ryutaro Kohashi
- Department of Dental Radiology, Nihon University School of Dentistry
| | - Masamichi Shinoda
- Department of Physiology, Nihon University School of Dentistry.,Division of Functional Morphology, Dental Research Institute, Nihon University School of Dentistry
| | - Akihiko Wada
- Department of Radiology, Juntendo University Faculty of Medicine
| | - Osamu Abe
- Department of Radiology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo
| | - Koichi Iwata
- Department of Physiology, Nihon University School of Dentistry.,Division of Functional Morphology, Dental Research Institute, Nihon University School of Dentistry
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