Neuropathic pain is a debilitating condition that is often resistant to common analgesics, such as opioids, but is sensitive to some antidepressants, an effect that seems to be mediated by spinal cord 5-HT3 receptors. Because the analgesic potential of monoamine oxidase-A (MAO-A) inhibitors is understudied, we evaluated the potential antinociceptive effect of the reversible MAO-A inhibitors moclobemide and 2-(3,4-dimethoxy-phenyl)-4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazole (2-DMPI) in a mouse neuropathic pain model induced by chronic constriction injury (CCI) of the sciatic nerve. Neuropathic mice showed a decreased mechanical paw withdrawal threshold (PWT) 7 days after lesion compared with the baseline PWT, characterizing the development of hyperalgesia. Moclobemide (100-300 μmol/kg, s.c.) and 2-DMPI (30-300 μmol/kg, s.c.) treatments were able to reverse the CCI-induced hyperalgesia, with 50% inhibitory dose (ID50) values of 39 (18-84) and 11 (4-33) μmol/kg, and maximum inhibition (Imax) values of 88±14 and 98±15%, respectively, at the 300 μmol/kg dose. In addition, we observed a significant increase in the MAO-A activity in the lumbar spinal cord of CCI-submitted mice compared with sham-operated animals. Furthermore, the antihyperalgesic effects of both 2-DMPI and moclobemide were largely reversed by intrathecal injection of the 5-HT3 receptor antagonist ondansetron (10 μg/site). These results suggest a possible involvement of MAO-A in the mechanisms of neuropathic pain and a potential utility of the reversible inhibitors of MAO-A in the development of new therapeutic approaches to treat it.
Sympathetic fibres maintain some forms of neuropathic pain, but the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Therefore, this study investigated the possible involvement of transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) and the role of the sympathetic nervous system (involved in sympathetically maintained neuropathic pain) in a model of neuropathic pain induced by sciatic nerve chronic constriction injury (CCI) in mice. Systemic injection of the selective TRPA1 antagonist HC-030031 reversed the mechanical and cold allodynia that was induced by sciatic nerve chronic constriction injury (CCI). Nerve injury also sensitised mice to nociception, which was induced by the intraplantar injection of a low dose of the TRPA1 agonist allyl isothiocyanate without changing TRPA1 immunoreactivity in the injected paw. Furthermore, chemical sympathectomy produced by guanethidine largely prevented CCI-induced mechanical and cold allodynia. CCI also induced a norepinephrine-triggered nociception that was inhibited by an α-adrenoceptor antagonist, norepinephrine transporter block and monoamine oxidase inhibition. Finally, the peripheral injection of HC-030031 also largely reduced CCI-induced norepinephrine nociception and mechanical or cold allodynia. Taken together, the present findings reveal a critical role of TRPA1 in mechanical and cold hypersensitivity and norepinephrine hypersensitivity following nerve injury. Finally, our results suggest that TRPA1 antagonism may be useful to treat patients who present sympathetically maintained neuropathic pain.
Monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors were the first antidepressant drugs to be prescribed and are still used today with great success, especially in patients resistant to other antidepressants. In this study, we evaluated the MAO inhibitory properties and the potential antidepressant action of 2-(3,4-dimethoxy-phenyl)-4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazole (2-DMPI) in mice. We found that 2-DMPI inhibited both MAO isoforms (K(i) values were 1.53 (1.3-1.8) μM and 46.67 (31.8-68.4) μM for MAO-A and MAO-B, respectively) with 30-fold higher selectivity toward MAO-A. In relation to the nature of MAO-A inhibition, 2-DMPI showed to be a mixed and reversible inhibitor. The treatment with 2-DMPI (100-1000 μmol/kg, s.c.) caused a significant decrease in immobility time in the tail suspension test (TST) without affecting locomotor activity, motor coordination or anxiety-related activities. Conversely, moclobemide (1000 μmol/kg, s.c.) caused a significant increase in immobility time in the TST, which appeared to be mediated by a nonspecific effect on motor coordination function. 2-DMPI (300 μmol/kg, s.c.) decreased serotonin turnover in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus and striatum, whereas dopamine turnover was diminished only in the striatum, and norepinephrine turnover was not changed. The antidepressant-like effect of 2-DMPI was inhibited by the pretreatment of mice with methysergide (2 mg/kg, s.c., a non-selective serotonin receptor antagonist), WAY100635 (0.1 mg/kg, s.c., a selective 5-HT(1A) receptor antagonist) or haloperidol (0.05 mg/kg, i.p., a non-selective dopamine receptor antagonist). These results suggest that 2-DMPI is a prototype reversible and preferential MAO-A inhibitor with potential antidepressant activity, due to its modulatory effect on serotonergic and dopaminergic systems.
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