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  3. Astroglial morphological changes in periaqueductal grey in different pain and itch mice models

Astroglial morphological changes in periaqueductal grey in different pain and itch mice models

  • Behav Brain Res. 2024 May 28:471:115075. doi: 10.1016/j.bbr.2024.115075.
Chenghao Wang 1,  Xiaotong Yang 2,  Tianchi Gao 2,  Yuyu Zhao 2,  Yayue Yang 2,  Xiaochen Li 2,  Yachen Yang 2,  Ting Yi 2,  Yanqing Wang 2,  Wenli Mi 3
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Integrative Medicine and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Science, Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Acupuncture Mechanism and Acupoint Function, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; College of Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Tai'an 271016, China.
  • 2 Department of Integrative Medicine and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Science, Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Acupuncture Mechanism and Acupoint Function, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
  • 3 Department of Integrative Medicine and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Science, Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Acupuncture Mechanism and Acupoint Function, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China. Electronic address: wenlimi@fudan.edu.cn.
PMID: 38815698 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2024.115075
Abstract

Background: The periaqueductal gray (PAG) plays a well-established pivotal role in the descending pain modulatory circuit. The objective of this study was to investigate morphological changes in the astroglia in models that are commonly used in pain and itch studies.

Methods: Five different mouse models of pain, as well as two models of chronic itch, were established using complete Freund's Adjuvant (CFA), spared nerve injury (SNI), bone Cancer pain (BCP), cisplatin (CIS), and paclitaxel (PTX) for pain, and diphenylcyclopropenone (DCP) and acetone and diethyl ether followed by water (AEW) for chronic itch. von Frey tests and video recordings were employed to assess pain and itching behaviors. The immunofluorescence of S100β, pSTAT3, and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) was examined. Two- and three-dimensional studies were used to evaluate changes in astrocyte morphology.

Results: Significant scratching was caused by DCP and AEW, whereas the administration of CFA, SNI, BCP, CIS, and PTX produced clear mechanical allodynia. The expression of GFAP in the lPAG/vlPAG was upregulated in CFA, SNI, BCP, CIS, PTX, and DCP mice but decreased in AEW mice. According to Sholl analysis, CFA, SNI, PTX, and BCP mice showed substantially higher astrocyte intersections in the vlPAG, whereas CFA, SNI, BCP, CIS, and DCP mice presented longer peak lengths. In three-dimensional analysis, CFA, SNI, PTX, and DCP mice showed increased astrocyte surface areas, while CIS and AEW mice showed both reduced surface areas and/or volumes of astrocytes.

Conclusion: The findings showed that different pain and itching conditions have different astrocyte morphologies, and these variations in morphological changes help to explain the pathophysiology of these conditions.

Keywords

Astrocytes; Itch; Morphology; Pain; Periaqueductal gray.

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