Nerve growth factor, sphingomyelins, and sensitization in sensory neurons

Because nerve growth factor (NGF) is elevated during inflammation, plays a causal role in the initiation of hyperalgesia, and is known to activate the sphingomyelin signalling pathway, we examined whether NGF and its putative second messenger, ceramide, could modulate the excitability of capsaicin-sensitive adult sensory neurons.Using the whole-cell patch-clamp recording technique,exposure of isolated sensory neurons to either 100 ng/mL NGF or 1 mmol/L N-acetyl sphingosine (C2-ceramide) produced a 3-4 fold increase in the number of action po-tentials (APs) evoked by a ramp of depolarizing current in a time-dependent manner. Intracellular perfusion with bac- terial sphingomyelinase (SMase) also increased the num- ber of APs suggesting that the release of native ceramide enhanced neuronal excitability.