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Denaro S, Pasquinucci L, Turnaturi R, Alberghina C, Longhitano L, Giallongo S, Costanzo G, Spoto S, Grasso M, Zappalà A, Li Volti G, Tibullo D, Vicario N, Parenti R, Parenti C. Sigma-1 Receptor Inhibition Reduces Mechanical Allodynia and Modulate Neuroinflammation in Chronic Neuropathic Pain. Mol Neurobiol 2024; 61:2672-2685. [PMID: 37922065 PMCID: PMC11043107 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-023-03717-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/05/2023]
Abstract
Neuropathic pain is one of the most debilitating forms of chronic pain, resulting from an injury or disease of the somatosensory nervous system, which induces abnormal painful sensations including allodynia and hyperalgesia. Available treatments are limited by severe side-effects and reduced efficacy in the chronic phase of the disease. Sigma-1 receptor (σ1R) has been identified as a chaperone protein, which modulate opioid receptors activities and the functioning of several ion channels, exerting a role in pain transmission. As such, it represents a druggable target to treat neuropathic pain. This study aims at investigating the therapeutic potential of the novel compound (+)-2R/S-LP2, a σ1R antagonist, in reducing painful behaviour and modulating the neuroinflammatory environment. We showed that repeated administration of the compound significantly inhibited mechanical allodynia in neuropathic rats, increasing the withdrawal threshold as compared to CCI-vehicle rats. Moreover, we found that (+)-2R/S-LP2-mediated effects resolve the neuroinflammatory microenvironment by reducing central gliosis and pro-inflammatory cytokines expression levels. This effect was coupled with a significant reduction of connexin 43 (Cx43) expression levels and gap junctions/hemichannels mediated microglia-to-astrocyte communication. These results suggest that inhibition of σ1R significantly attenuates neuropathic pain chronicization, thus representing a viable effective strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Denaro
- Section of Physiology, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123, Catania, Italy
| | - Lorella Pasquinucci
- Section of Medicinal Chemistry, Department of Drug and Health Sciences, University of Catania, 95123, Catania, Italy
| | - Rita Turnaturi
- Section of Medicinal Chemistry, Department of Drug and Health Sciences, University of Catania, 95123, Catania, Italy
| | - Cristiana Alberghina
- Section of Physiology, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123, Catania, Italy
| | - Lucia Longhitano
- Section of Biochemistry, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123, Catania, Italy
| | - Sebastiano Giallongo
- Section of Biochemistry, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123, Catania, Italy
| | - Giuliana Costanzo
- Section of Medicinal Chemistry, Department of Drug and Health Sciences, University of Catania, 95123, Catania, Italy
| | - Salvatore Spoto
- Section of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Drug and Health Sciences, University of Catania, 95123, Catania, Italy
| | - Margherita Grasso
- Unit of Neuropharmacology and Translational Neurosciences, Oasi Research Institute-IRCCS, 94018, Troina, Italy
| | - Agata Zappalà
- Section of Physiology, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123, Catania, Italy
| | - Giovanni Li Volti
- Section of Biochemistry, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123, Catania, Italy
| | - Daniele Tibullo
- Section of Biochemistry, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123, Catania, Italy
| | - Nunzio Vicario
- Section of Physiology, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123, Catania, Italy.
| | - Rosalba Parenti
- Section of Physiology, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123, Catania, Italy.
| | - Carmela Parenti
- Section of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Drug and Health Sciences, University of Catania, 95123, Catania, Italy
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