Sensitization of Cutaneous Nociceptors after Nerve Transection and Regeneration: Possible Role of Target-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Signaling

Damage to peripheral nerves is known to contribute to chronic pain states, including mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia and allodynia. It is unknown whether the establishment of these states is attributable to peripheral changes, central modifications, or both. In this study, we used several different approaches to assess the changes in myelinated (A) and unmyelinated (C) cutaneous nociceptors after transection and regeneration of the saphenous nerve. An ex vivo recording preparation was used to examine response characteristics and neurochemical phenotype of different types of functionally defined neurons. We found that myelinated nociceptors had significantly lower mechanical and thermal thresholds after regeneration, whereas C-polymodal nociceptors (CPMs) had lower heat thresholds. There was a significant increase in the percentage of mechanically insensitive C-fibers that responded to heat (CHs) after regeneration. Immunocytochemical analysis of identified afferents revealed that most CPMs were isolectin B4 (IB4) positive and transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) negative, whereas CHs were always TRPV1 positive and IB4 negative in naive animals (Lawson et al., 2008). However, after regeneration, some identified CPMs and CHs stained positively for both markers, which was apparently attributable to an increase in the total number of IB4-positive neurons. Real-time PCR analysis of L2/L3 DRGs and hairy hindpaw skin at various times after saphenous nerve axotomy suggested multiple changes in neurotrophic factor signaling that correlated with either denervation or reinnervation of the cutaneous target. These changes may underlie the functional alterations observed after nerve regeneration and may explain how nerve damage leads to chronic pain conditions.