Interferon regulatory factor 8 expressed in microglia contributes to tactile allodynia induced by repeated cold stress in rodents.

Abstract

We investigated the role of interferon regulatory factor 8 (IRF8) in a model of chronic pain in which repeated cold stress (RCS) exposure produces tactile allodynia. RCS exposure produced a decrease in paw withdrawal threshold (PWT) to mechanical stimulation. Spinal microglia of RCS-exposed mice were morphologically activated. Expression of IRF8 was significantly increased in the spinal cord of RCS-exposed mice and was localized in microglia. IRF8-knockout mice failed to show the RCS-induced decrease in PWT. Thus, RCS exposure activates spinal microglia and upregulation of IRF8 in these cells is involved in the development of tactile allodynia after RCS exposure.

• Authors: Takanori Akagi, Yuta Matsumura, Masaya Yasui, Emiko Minami, Hidemasa Inoue, Takahiro Masuda, Hidetoshi Tozaki-Saitoh, Tomohiko Tamura, Kazue Mizumura, Makoto Tsuda, Hiroshi Kiyama, Kazuhide Inoue
• Journal: Journal of pharmacological sciences (J Pharmacol Sci) Vol. 126 Issue 2 Pg. 172-6 ( 2014) ISSN: 1347-8648 [Electronic] Japan
• PMID: 25273233 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Interferon Regulatory Factors
• interferon regulatory factor-8

Topics

• Animals
• Chronic Disease
• Cold-Shock Response (physiology)
• Differential Threshold
• Disease Models, Animal
• Extremities (physiopathology)
• Gene Expression (physiology)
• Hyperalgesia (etiology)
• Interferon Regulatory Factors (genetics, metabolism, physiology)
• Male
• Mice, Inbred C57BL
• Microglia (metabolism)
• Spinal Cord (cytology, metabolism)
• Up-Regulation