Cytokine Expression Profiles and Electrophysiological Recordings of Dorsal Root Ganglion Cells in an In Vitro Model of Chronic Pain

Chronic neuropathic pain (CNP) affects ∼116m adults in the US alone. Frequently it results from nerve dysfunction and involves a wide range of responses, including the upregulation of inflammatory markers. In this study we used an in vitro model of CNP to analyse the effects of a TNFα treatment on cultured dorsal root ganglion (DRG) and glial cells. Using ELISA, aspirated cell culture media was examined from control DRG, TNFα treated DRG and from DRG treated with medium from TNF-a stimulated glial cultures. IL1α, IL4, IL6, and IFN-γ expression was decreased post-TNFα treatment compared to control(n=4,p<0.05). DRG challenged with media from TNFα stimulated glial cultures had elevated IL1α, IL6, IFN-γ and CCL5 compared to both control and TNFα treated DRG(n=4,p<0.05). This highlights the importance of glial cells and shows DRG properties change in their presence. Whole-cell patch clamp electrophysiology was also used to investigate functional DRG changes post-TNFα treatment. Voltage step protocols were carr...