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Papers of the Week


Papers: 5 Dec 2020 - 11 Dec 2020


Animal Studies, Pharmacology/Drug Development


2020 Dec 07


Channels (Austin)

Trigeminal neuropathic pain is alleviated by inhibition of Ca3.3 T-type calcium channels in mice.

Authors

Montera M, Goins A, Cmarko L, Weiss N, Westlund High KN, Alles SRA
Channels (Austin). 2020 Dec 07.
PMID: 33283622.

Abstract

In this brief report, we demonstrate that the Ca3.3 T-type voltage-gated calcium channel subtype is involved in our FRICT-ION model of chronic trigeminal neuropathic pain. We first showed that the gene encoding Ca3.3 is significantly upregulated in whole trigeminal ganglia of FRICT-ION mice compared to controls at week 10 post-injury. We confirmed protein upregulation of Ca3.3 compared to controls using Western blot analysis of whole trigeminal ganglia tissues. Finally, we demonstrated that intraperitoneal injection of a selective TAT-based Ca3.3 blocking peptide in FRICT-ION mice significantly reduces Ca3.3 protein expression at the peak anti-allodynic effect (4 hrs post-injection) of the attenuated neuropathic pain behavior. We also suggest that blockade of Ca3.3 may be more effective in attenuating trigeminal neuropathic pain in female than male FRICT-ION mice. Therefore, blocking or attenuating Ca3.3 function may be an effective strategy for treatment of trigeminal neuropathic pain.