The calcium channel ␣ 2 ␦-1 subunit is a structural subunit important for functional calcium channel assembly. In vitro studies have shown that this subunit is the binding site for gabapentin, an anticonvulsant that exerts antihyperalgesic effects by unknown mechanisms. Increased expression of this subunit in the spinal cord and dorsal root ganglia (DRG) has been suggested to play a role in enhanced nociceptive responses of spinal nerve-injured rats to innocuous mechanical stimulation (allodynia). To investigate whether a common mechanism underlies allodynic states derived from different etiologies, and if so, whether similar ␣ 2 ␦-1 subunit up-regulation correlates with these allodynic states, we compared DRG and spinal cord ␣ 2 ␦-1 subunit levels and gabapentin sensitivity in allodynic rats with mechanical nerve injuries (sciatic nerve chronic constriction injury, spinal nerve transection, or ligation), a metabolic disorder (diabetes), or chemical neuropathy (vincristine neurotoxicity). Our data indicated that even though allodynia occurred in all types of nerve injury investigated, DRG and/or spinal cord ␣ 2 ␦-1 subunit up-regulation and gabapentin sensitivity only coexisted in the mechanical and diabetic neuropathies. Thus, induction of the ␣ 2 ␦-1 subunit in the DRG and spinal cord is likely regulated by factors that are specific for individual neuropathies and may contribute to gabapentin-sensitive allodynia. However, the calcium channel ␣ 2 ␦-1 subunit is not the sole molecular change that uniformly characterizes the neuropathic pain states.Peripheral nerve injury can lead to a neuropathic pain state, termed tactile allodynia, in which innocuous tactile stimulation elicits pain behavior. Spinal administration of gabapentin, a novel anticonvulsant that binds to the ␣ 2

Genetic factors and nerve injury-induced changes of gene expression in sensory neurons are potential contributors to tactile allodynia, a neuropathic pain state manifested as hypersensitivity to innocuous mechanical stimulation. To uncover genes relevant to neuropathic allodynia, we analyzed gene expression profiles in dorsal root ganglia (DRG) of spinal nerve-ligated Harlan and Holtzman Sprague Dawley rats, strains with different susceptibilities to neuropathic allodynia. Using Affymetrix gene chips, we identified genes showing differential basal-level expression in these strains without injury-induced regulation. Of more than 8000 genes analyzed, less than 180 genes in each strain were regulated after injury, and 19-22% of that was regulated in a strain-specific manner.Importantly, we identified functionally related genes that were co-regulated post injury in one or both strains. In situ hybridization and real-time PCR analyses of a subset of identified genes confirmed the patterns of the microarray data, and the former also demonstrated that injury-induced changes occurred, not only in neurons, but also in non-neuronal cells. Together, our studies provide a global view of injury plasticity in DRG of these rat stains and support a plasticity-based mechanism mediating variations in allodynia susceptibility, thus providing a source for further characterization of neuropathic pain-relevant genes and potential pathways.

Fluorescence titrations of the alpha(3)(betaG(156)C/Y(345)W)(3)gamma, alpha(3)(betaE(199)V/Y(345)W)(3)gamma, and alpha(3)(betaY(345)W)(3)gamma subcomplexes of TF(1) with nucleotides show that the betaG(156)C substitution substantially lowers the affinity of catalytic sites for ATP and ADP with or without Mg(2+), whereas the betaE(199)V substitution increases the affinity of catalytic sites for nucleotides. Whereas the alpha(3)(betaG(156)C)(3)gamma and alpha(3)(betaE(199)V)(3)gamma subcomplexes hydrolyze 2 mM ATP at 2% and 0.7%, respectively, of the rate exhibited by the wild-type enzyme, the alpha(3)(betaG(156)C/E(199)V)(3)gamma hydrolyzes 2 mM ATP at 9% the rate exhibited by the wild-type enzyme. The alpha(3)(betaG(156)C)(3)gamma, alpha(3)(betaG(156)C/E(199)V)(3)gamma, and alpha(3)(betaG(156)C/E(199)V/Y(345)W)(3)gamma subcomplexes resist entrapment of inhibitory MgADP in a catalytic site during turnover. Product [(3)H]ADP remains tightly bound to a single catalytic site when the wild-type, betaE(199)V, betaY(345)W, and betaE(199)V/Y(345)W subcomplexes hydrolyze substoichiometric [(3)H]ATP, whereas it is not retained by the betaG(156)C and betaG(156)C/Y(345)W subcomplexes. Less firmly bound, product [(3)H]ADP is retained when the betaG(156)C/E(199)V and betaG(156)C/E(199)V/Y(345)W mutants hydrolyze substoichiometric [(3)H]ATP. The Lineweaver-Burk plot obtained with the betaG(156)C mutant is curved downward in a manner indicating that its catalytic sites act independently during ATP hydrolysis. In contrast, the betaG(156)C/E(199)V and betaG(156)C/E(199)V/Y(345)W mutants hydrolyze ATP with linear Lineweaver-Burk plots, indicating cooperative trisite catalysis. It appears that the betaG(156)C substitution destabilizes the closed conformation of a catalytic site hydrolyzing MgATP in a manner that allows release of products in the absence of catalytic site cooperativity. Insertion of the betaE(199)V substitution into the betaG(156)C mutant restores cooperativity by restricting opening of the catalytic site hydrolyzing MgATP for product release until an open catalytic site binds MgATP.