胶质细胞参与神经病理痛的机制

神经病理痛是由于躯体感觉系统的损伤或疾病所引起的疼痛。胶质细胞主要包括中枢神经系统的星形胶质细胞和小胶质细胞,以及外周神经系统的施旺细胞和卫星胶质细胞。胶质细胞在神经受损后被激活,发生形态变化并上调特定蛋白表达,通过与神经元的相互作用,在神经病理痛的初始和维持阶段发挥重要作用。本文综述近年来胶质细胞参与神经病理痛的研究成果。     

新生大鼠脊髓星形胶质细胞体外培养方法

星形胶质细胞是中枢神经系统主要的胶质细胞 ,对神经元具有绝缘、营养、保护和支持作用。它们在中枢神经系统损伤和修复中也具有重要的作用 ,一方面星形胶质细胞可合成神经营养因子 ,促进神经再生[1～ 3] ,另一方面合成神经生长抑制因子 ,如硫酸软骨素蛋白多糖等 [4 ] ,抑制神经再生 ,尤其是损伤恢复后期形成星胶瘢痕被认为是神经再生的机械性障碍。脊髓损伤后的修复一直是神经科学领域研究的一个重要课题 ,随着分子生物学和精密方法、仪器的发展 ,离体研究被越来越多地采用。星形胶质细胞是神经再生微环境中的主要成分 ,深入研究星形胶质细…     

小胶质细胞和星形胶质细胞相互作用在中枢神经系统疾病中的作用机制研究进展

小胶质细胞和星形胶质细胞是中枢神经系统主要的两种胶质细胞,两者各自在中枢神经系统中扮演着重要的角色。本文主要从小胶质细胞和星形胶质细胞相互交流这一新的角度,概述两种胶质细胞相互作用方式及在中枢神经系统中的研究现状,并进一步阐明两者相互作用在各种中枢神经系统疾病的功能及机制,旨在为进一步了解这两种胶质细胞在中枢神经系统疾病的作用机理提供理论依据、为治疗相关中枢系统疾病提供新思路。     

治疗脊髓损伤之建立星形胶质细胞模型的研究进展

脊髓损伤(spinal cord injury,SCI)是一种极为复杂的破坏性疾病,一旦脊髓损伤发生,治疗棘手,对患者家庭、国家带来巨大的经济、社会负担。近年来,通过建立大鼠脊髓损伤细胞相关模型,对于脊髓损伤的病因病机治疗等方面有了进一步的认识,而星形胶质细胞模型的建立对脊髓损伤治疗有深远意义。研究发现,星形胶质细胞作为靶细胞通过血-脑脊液屏障直接或间接对脊髓损伤有双向调控作用。本文通过对近年来星形胶质细胞模型培养制备方案等研究进行总结,以期为建立一个客观化、定量化、可模拟化的星形胶质细胞模型提供指导对脊髓损伤的治疗提供新的思路。     

脊髓细胞外调节激酶1/2在大鼠后足切割痛中的表达和作用

目的：探讨大鼠后足切割后脊髓ERK的表达情况。方法：以大鼠右后足切割作为急性疼痛模型;用免疫组织化学法测试脊髓磷酸化ERK（pERK）表达情况。ERK抑制剂U0126（1μg）在切割前20min或切割后20min鞘内注射。用von Frey纤维测试大鼠机械性痛敏。结果：大鼠后足切割后1min,在切割侧L4-L5脊髓浅层背侧角（板层Ⅰ和板层Ⅱ）ERK被迅速地激活,并在5min达到峰值,随后恢复到基础值。切割前鞘内给予U0126能显著减轻机械性痛敏,然而,切割后鞘内给予U0126对机械性痛敏的作用并不明显。结论：脊髓ERK在大鼠后足切割痛中产生机械性痛敏发挥了重要的作用。     

氟氏佐剂诱导大鼠慢性前列腺炎疼痛模型中L5-S2脊髓中枢小胶质细胞的活化

目的:观察大鼠慢性前列腺炎疼痛模型中L5-S2脊段背角小胶质细胞活化的变化.方法:通过前列腺完全弗氏佐剂注射制作大鼠慢性前列腺炎疼痛模型,对照组注射生理盐水,观察时间为0、4、12、24d,用热辐射痛阈测定法和前列腺病理进行疼痛模型鉴定,采用实时荧光定量RT-PCR检测L5-S2脊段后角中小胶质细胞标志物IBA-1的表达.结果:成功建立慢性前列腺炎疼痛大鼠模型,并观察到L5-S2脊髓背角中存在小胶质细胞的活化.结论:慢性前列腺炎疼痛可以引起L5-S2脊髓中枢小胶质细胞活化,小胶质细胞异常活化可引起神经炎性疼痛,有可能与慢性前列腺炎疼痛的持续和泛化有密切关系.     

小胶质细胞在神经病理性疼痛中的作用

神经病理性疼痛对患者的生理和心理健康都有着极大的影响。近几年来的研究表明,外周神经炎症或损伤激活的小胶质细胞通过表达及释放一系列介质分子,在神经病理性疼痛的产生和传递通路中发挥重要的调制作用。激活的小胶质细胞与神经元之间信息交互传递从而影响痛敏行为的这一崭新模式极大地推进了人们对于疼痛的理解。同时也为以小胶质细胞作为靶点,开辟镇痛药物治疗的新方法提供了理论依据。     

小胶质细胞在阿尔茨海默病中的作用

近年来,小胶质细胞在阿尔茨海默病发生和发展中的作用成为一个新的研究热点.由于它在该病中的作用具有"两面性"的性质,因此如何平衡两方面之间的关系成为摆在研究者面前的一个重要课题.而突破这一课题的关键在于对β淀粉样蛋白与小胶质细胞相互作用机理的研究.本文主要讨论了各种β淀粉样蛋白与小胶质细胞的相互作用和它们的机理.综述了到目前为止为平衡这两方面作用所作的工作,主要是抗炎性药物和细胞因子作用机理的研究.     

小胶质细胞极化在中枢神经系统髓鞘再生中的作用研究进展

了解中枢神经系统髓鞘损伤再生的调控机制对多种中枢神经系统脱髓鞘疾病的治疗有重要意义。近年来研究发现,中枢神经系统中小胶质细胞的不同极化形式在调控髓鞘损伤再生中起到重要作用。在一系列细胞内外信号分子的介导下,M1型小胶质细胞会分泌一些促炎因子而加重髓鞘的损伤,而M2型小胶质细胞一方面可分泌抗炎分子和吞噬损伤坏死细胞而抑制炎症反应,为髓鞘再生创造条件;另一方面还能分泌多种神经营养因子,促进髓鞘修复。此外,最近研究发现M2型小胶质细胞在一定程度上还能促进少突胶质前体细胞的成熟分化,进而促进了中枢神经系统髓鞘的再生。这些研究结果提示,促进小胶质细胞的M2型极化可能成为治疗脱髓鞘疾病的新途径。     

淋巴细胞抑制剂能够抑制脊髓小胶质细胞活化并缓解CCI大鼠的热痛敏

近年有观点认为,进入慢性疼痛患者外周神经系统中的淋巴细胞过度活化,是疼痛经久不愈的原因之一。但是根据疼痛发生的原理,伤害性刺激是在脊髓进行整合的。那么,淋巴细胞是否可以影响到脊髓的功能状态呢？我们认为,淋巴细胞可以作用于脊髓小胶质细胞,从而影响疼痛知觉的产生。为了验证这个观点,我们首先制作大鼠坐骨神经慢性压榨性损伤（CCI）模型。     

The role of spinal cord vanilloid (TRPV1) receptors in pain modulation

Transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) receptor is a nonselective cation channel activated by capsaicin, a pungent substance from chili peppers. It is considered to act as an integrator of various physical and chemical nociceptive stimuli, as it can be gated by noxious heat (>43 oC), low pH (protons) and also by recently described endogenous lipids. The structure and function of TRPV1 receptors was vigorously studied, especially since its cloning in 1997. However, most of the research was pointed towards the role of TRPV1 receptors in the peripheral tissues. Mounting evidence now suggests that TRPV1 receptors on the central branches of dorsal root ganglion neurons in the spinal cord may play an important role in modulation of pain and nociceptive transmission. The aim of this short review was to summarize the knowledge about TRPV1 receptors in the spinal cord dorsal horn, preferentially from morphological and electrophysiological studies on spinal cord slices and from in vivo experiments.     

The role of autophagy in spinal cord injury

Previous studies have indicated that autophagy has an important function, not only in many neurodegenerative diseases, but also in traumatic and ischemic brain injury. However, no study has previously shown the contribution of autophagy to neural tissue damage after spinal cord injury. We recently investigated that the alterations in Beclin 1 expression and the involvement of autophagy and autophagic cell death after spinal cord injury using a spinal cord hemisection model in mice. The results showed that the expression of Beclin 1 dramatically increased in the damaged neural tissue and induced autophagic cell death after a spinal cord injury. These observations suggested that the increased expression of Beclin1 activates autophagy, while mediating a novel cell death mechanism at the lesion site in response to spinal cord injury. Here we discuss several unsolved issues and review the evidence in related articles regarding the role of autophagy and its contribution to the mechanism of cell death in spinal cord injury.     

A subset of oligodendrocytes generated from radial glia in the dorsal spinal cord

Many oligodendrocytes in the spinal cord are derived from a region of the ventral ventricular zone (VZ) that also gives rise to motoneurons. Cell fate specification in this region depends on sonic hedgehog (Shh) from the notochord and floor plate. There have been suggestions of an additional source(s) of oligodendrocytes in the dorsal spinal cord. We revisited this idea by Cre-lox fate-mapping in transgenic mice. We found that a subpopulation of oligodendrocytes is generated from the Dbx1-expressing domain of the VZ, spanning the dorsoventral midline. Dbx-derived oligodendrocytes comprise less than 5% of the total; they are formed late during embryogenesis by transformation of radial glia and settle mainly in the lateral white matter. Development of Dbx-derived oligodendrocytes in vitro can occur independently of Shh but requires FGF signalling. Dbx-expressing precursors also generate astrocytes and interneurons, but do not contribute to the ependymal layer of the postnatal spinal cord.     

The differentiation of glial cells and glia limitans in organ cultures of chick spinal cord

Summary Differentiation of glial cells and the glia limitans in organ cultures of chick spinal cord explanted at early neural tube stages, alone or with adjacent tissues, was studied by electron microscopy. Oligodendrocytes and astrocytes comparable to those seen in the chicken in vivo were observed, mainly in areas of good neuronal differentiation. A glia limitans with basal lamina, comparable to that in vivo, was found when spinal cord was bordered by normally adjacent tissues. When it was surrounded by vitelline membrane only, a characteristic limiting layer of glial processes, but no basal lamina, was seen. Contact with a filter membrane (Millipore) elicited excessive differentiation of glial filaments and modified cell fine structure; no glia limitans was formed. Supported by Grant 5 RO 1 NB 0637 from the United States Public Health Service.     

Nerve growth factor in glia and inflammatory cells of the injured rat spinal cord

Nerve growth factor (NGF) is crucial for the development of sympathetic and small-diameter sensory neurons and for maintenance of their mature phenotype. Its role in generating neuronal pathophysiology is less well understood. After spinal cord injury, central processes of primary afferent fibers sprout into the dorsal horn, contributing to the development of autonomic dysfunctions and pain. NGF may promote these states as it stimulates sprouting of small-diameter afferent fibers and its concentration in the spinal cord increases after cord injury. The cells responsible for this increase must be identified to develop a strategy to prevent the afferent sprouting. Using immunocytochemistry, we identified cells containing NGF in spinal cord sections from intact rats and from rats 1 and 2 weeks after high thoracic cord transection. In intact rats, this neurotrophin was present in a few ramified microglia and in putative Schwann cells in the dorsal root. Within and close to the lesion of cord-injured rats, NGF was in many activated, ramified microglia, in a subset of astrocytes, and in small, round cells that were neither glia nor macrophages. NGF-immunoreactive putative Schwann cells were prevalent throughout the thoracolumbar cord in the dorsal roots and the dorsal root entry zones. Oligodendrocytes were never immunoreactive for this protein. Therapeutic strategies targeting spinal cord cells that produce NGF may prevent primary afferent sprouting and resulting clinical disorders after cord injury.     

The role of mTOR signaling pathway in spinal cord injury

The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway plays an important role in multiple cellular functions, such as cell metabolism, proliferation and survival. Many previous studies have shown that mTOR regulates both neuroprotective and neuroregenerative functions in trauma and various diseases in the central nervous system (CNS). Recently, we reported that inhibition of mTOR using rapamycin reduces neural tissue damage and locomotor impairment after spinal cord injury (SCI) in mice. Our results demonstrated that the administration of rapamycin at four hours after injury significantly increases the activity of autophagy and reduces neuronal loss and cell death in the injured spinal cord. Furthermore, rapamycin-treated mice show significantly better locomotor function in the hindlimbs following SCI than vehicle-treated mice. These findings indicate that the inhibition of mTOR signaling using rapamycin during the acute phase of SCI produces neuroprotective effects and reduces secondary damage at lesion sites. However, the role of mTOR signaling in injured spinal cords has not yet been fully elucidated. Various functions are regulated by mTOR signaling in the CNS, and multiple pathophysiological processes occur following SCI. Here, we discuss several unresolved issues and review the evidence from related articles regarding the role and mechanisms of the mTOR signaling pathway in neuroprotection and neuroregeneration after SCI.     

The role of mTOR signaling pathway in spinal cord injury

The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway plays an important role in multiple cellular functions, such as cell metabolism, proliferation and survival. Many previous studies have shown that mTOR regulates both neuroprotective and neuroregenerative functions in trauma and various diseases in the central nervous system (CNS). Recently, we reported that inhibition of mTOR using rapamycin reduces neural tissue damage and locomotor impairment after spinal cord injury (SCI) in mice. Our results demonstrated that the administration of rapamycin at four hours after injury significantly increases the activity of autophagy and reduces neuronal loss and cell death in the injured spinal cord. Furthermore, rapamycin-treated mice show significantly better locomotor function in the hindlimbs following SCI than vehicle-treated mice. These findings indicate that the inhibition of mTOR signaling using rapamycin during the acute phase of SCI produces neuroprotective effects and reduces secondary damage at lesion sites. However, the role of mTOR signaling in injured spinal cords has not yet been fully elucidated. Various functions are regulated by mTOR signaling in the CNS, and multiple pathophysiological processes occur following SCI. Here, we discuss several unresolved issues and review the evidence from related articles regarding the role and mechanisms of the mTOR signaling pathway in neuroprotection and neuroregeneration after SCI.     

脊髓中的环氧化酶及其与疼痛的关系

脊髓中的环氧化酶(COX)有COX-1和COX-2两种同工酶,其在脊髓中的细胞和亚细胞定位、与痛和痛过敏的关系等均有不同。选择性抑制COX-2的非甾体抗炎药副作用较小,对抗炎、止痛治疗有重要意义。