Background and purpose
Hypoesthesia is a clinical feature of neuropathic pain. The feature is partly explained by the evidence of epigenetic repression of Nav 1.8 sodium channel in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG). Experimental approach: We investigated the possibility of trichostatin A (TSA), valproic acid (VPA) and suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA) to reverse the unique C-fibre sensitivity observed following partial ligation of sciatic nerve in mice. Key
Purpose
Hypoesthesia is a clinical feature of neuropathic pain. The feature is partly explained by the evidence of epigenetic repression of Nav 1.8 sodium channel in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG). Experimental approach: We investigated the possibility of trichostatin A (TSA), valproic acid (VPA) and suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA) to reverse the unique C-fibre sensitivity observed following partial ligation of sciatic nerve in mice. Key
Results
Nerve injury-induced down-regulation of DRG Nav 1.8 sodium channel and C-fibre-related hypoesthesia were reversed by TSA, VPA and SAHA treatments, which inhibit histone deacetylase (HDAC), and increase histone acetylation at the regulatory sequence of Nav 1.8. Conclusions and implications: Taken together, these studies provide the evidence that hypoesthesia and underlying down-regulation of Nav 1.8, negative symptoms observed in nerve injury-induced neuropathic pain models are regulated by an epigenetic chromatin remodelling through HDAC-related machineries.