Chen Meng-Ling, Cheng Chun, Lv Qing-Shan, Guo Zhi-Qin, Gao Ying, Gao Shang-Feng, Li Xin, Niu Shu-Qiong, Shi Shu-Xian, Shen Ai-Guo
The Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, P.R. China.
J Mol Histol. 2008 Apr;39(2):125-33. doi: 10.1007/s10735-007-9144-z. Epub 2007 Sep 26.
Nitric oxide and nitric oxide synthases are key players in synaptic plasticity events in spinal cord (SC), which underlies the chronic pain states. To date, little is known about the molecular mechanisms regulating the activity of nitric oxide synthases in nociceptive systems. The present study was aimed at the determination of the gene expression of nNOS-interacting DHHC domain-containing protein with dendritic mRNA (NIDD), a recently identified protein regulating nNOS enzyme activity, in rat SC and dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and studying its regulation in states of nociceptive hypersensitivity in a rat model of neuropathic or inflammatory pain. It was found that NIDD mRNA was predominantly expressed in nociceptive primary neurons and in neurons of the spinal dorsal horn (DH) and the number of NIDD-positive neurons in the corresponding DRG or SC increased significantly following induction of chronic hyperalgesia. Meanwhile, remarkable changes of nNOS were detected under such pain conditions. Our data suggest a potential role for NIDD in the maintenance of thermal pain hypersensitivity possibly via regulating the nNOS activity.
一氧化氮和一氧化氮合酶是脊髓（SC）突触可塑性事件中的关键参与者，而突触可塑性是慢性疼痛状态的基础。迄今为止，关于伤害性感受系统中调节一氧化氮合酶活性的分子机制知之甚少。本研究旨在测定与树突状mRNA相互作用的含DHHC结构域的nNOS蛋白（NIDD）的基因表达，NIDD是最近发现的一种调节nNOS酶活性的蛋白，本研究还旨在测定其在大鼠脊髓和背根神经节（DRG）中的表达，并研究其在神经性或炎性疼痛大鼠模型的伤害性超敏状态下的调节情况。研究发现，NIDD mRNA主要在伤害性初级神经元以及脊髓背角（DH）的神经元中表达，在诱导慢性痛觉过敏后，相应DRG或脊髓中NIDD阳性神经元的数量显著增加。同时，在这种疼痛条件下检测到nNOS有显著变化。我们的数据表明，NIDD可能通过调节nNOS活性在维持热痛超敏中发挥潜在作用。
