Systemic administration of Resolvin D1 reduces cancer-induced bone pain in mice: Lack of sex dependency in pain development and analgesia

Bone cancer produces severe pain that is treated with opioids, but serious side effects limit opioid utilization. There is therefore a need to develop effective and safe non-opioid alternatives. The lipid mediator, Resolvin D1 (RvD1), could be a prospective candidate for cancer pain treatment. To assess RvD1 and other potential candidates, appropriate animal models that recapitulate clinical features must be used. Although several preclinical models of cancer pain have been developed, the influence of sex on the development of cancer pain and the effectiveness of RvD1 have not been studied.

In this preclinical mouse model of bone cancer pain, the development of pain and the analgesic effectiveness of RvD1 are not influenced by sex.

Using a mouse model of fibrosarcoma growth in and around the calcaneus bone, we demonstrated that the mechanical hyperalgesia in the tumor-bearing hind paw develops independently of sex, except that it developed a little sooner in female mice. A single intravenous injection of RvD1 (0.001-10 μg/kg) decreased hyperalgesia in both sexes with similar potency (ED50 = 0.0015 μg/kg) and efficacy. Repeated daily administration of 10 μg/kg RvD1 prolonged the analgesic effect and completely abolished hyperalgesia. This was also independent of sex.