Li Xuelian, Yang Ying, Huang Dong, Ma Jiahui, Huang Yuzhao
Department of Pain, The Third Xiangya Hospital and Institute of Pain Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China.
Hunan Key Laboratory of Nanophotonics and Devices, Hunan Key Laboratory of Super-Microstructure and Ultrafast Process, School of Physics, Central South University, Changsha, China.
Neurosci Insights. 2025 May 27;20:26331055251339081. doi: 10.1177/26331055251339081. eCollection 2025.
Pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) has demonstrated therapeutic potential for neuropathic pain, yet its efficacy in alleviating pain induced by chronic dorsal root ganglion (DRG) compression remains unclear. This study evaluated the analgesic effects of DRG-targeted PRF in a chronic compression of DRG (CCD) rat model. Adult male Sprague Dawley rats were divided into four groups: sham, CCD, CCD+PRF, and CCD+freePRF. CCD was induced by inserting stainless-steel rods into the intervertebral foramen to compress L4/L5 DRGs. Pain behaviors, including spontaneous pain, mechanical/cold allodynia, and heat hypersensitivity, were assessed pre- and post-PRF treatment. On day 14 post-CCD, DRG ultrastructural changes and myelin basic protein (MBP) expression were analyzed via transmission electron microscopy and immunofluorescence. Compared to sham rats, CCD animals exhibited significant pain behaviors ( < .0001). PRF treatment in CCD+PRF rats significantly attenuated these behaviors ( < .01). Ultrastructural analysis revealed intact myelin sheaths in sham DRGs, whereas CCD DRGs showed myelin damage and reduced MBP expression ( < .01). Notably, PRF repaired myelin structural integrity and restored MBP levels. These findings demonstrate that DRG PRF alleviates neuropathic pain by reversing ultrastructural damage caused by chronic compression, providing mechanistic insights into PRF's analgesic effects and supporting its therapeutic value for neuropathic pain management.
脉冲射频（PRF）已显示出对神经性疼痛的治疗潜力，但其在缓解慢性背根神经节（DRG）压迫所致疼痛方面的疗效仍不明确。本研究评估了在慢性DRG压迫（CCD）大鼠模型中，靶向DRG的PRF的镇痛效果。成年雄性Sprague Dawley大鼠被分为四组：假手术组、CCD组、CCD + PRF组和CCD + 假PRF组。通过将不锈钢棒插入椎间孔以压迫L4/L5 DRG来诱导CCD。在PRF治疗前后评估疼痛行为，包括自发痛、机械性/冷觉异常性疼痛和热超敏反应。在CCD后第14天，通过透射电子显微镜和免疫荧光分析DRG超微结构变化和髓鞘碱性蛋白（MBP）表达。与假手术组大鼠相比，CCD组动物表现出显著的疼痛行为（<0.0001）。CCD + PRF组大鼠接受PRF治疗后，这些行为显著减轻（<0.01）。超微结构分析显示，假手术组DRG的髓鞘完整，而CCD组DRG显示髓鞘损伤且MBP表达降低（<0.01）。值得注意的是，PRF修复了髓鞘结构完整性并恢复了MBP水平。这些发现表明，DRG PRF通过逆转慢性压迫引起的超微结构损伤来减轻神经性疼痛，为PRF的镇痛作用提供了机制性见解，并支持其在神经性疼痛管理中的治疗价值。
