The ganglioside GM1 decreases autotomy but not substance P depletion in a peripheral mononeuropathy rat model.

The effect of the ganglioside GM1 on autotomy, a nociceptive behavioral marker for neuropathic pain, and substance P depletion was determined in a rat model of peripheral mononeuropathy, sciatic cryoneurolysis (SCN). SCN is produced by the application of a cryoprobe to the common sciatic nerve using a freeze-thaw-freeze cycle. Due to structural sparing of the nerve, regenerative processes are not precluded. After this peripheral nerve insult, behavioral and neurochemical changes occur that support the use of SCN as a neuropathic pain model. These changes include: autotomy with coincident transient weight loss and paling of eye color suggestive of increased sympathetic activity, spontaneous nociceptive behaviors, touch-evoked allodynia, prolonged mechanical allodynia, ipsilateral decrease of immunoreactive substance P, and increases in spinal cord dynorphin expression. Incidence and severity of autotomy were assessed after the intraperitoneal administration of GM1 (1, 10, and 20 mg/kg) or saline injected daily for 2 days before SCN, the day of surgery, and for 14 days after surgery. In a subset of two rats from each treatment group, transcardiac perfusion was performed and spinal cords were processed for substance P immunoreactivity. GM1 at 10 and 20 mg/kg doses significantly attenuated autotomy as compared with saline-treated rats (P = 0.007 and 0.0001, respectively). However, GM1, at the doses studied, failed to alter the spinal substance P depletion 21 days after SCN. These results indicate that the ganglioside GM1 may have a role in the clinical management of neuropathic pain after peripheral nerve injury.