Roles of Thermosensitive Transient Receptor Channels TRPV1 and TRPM8 in Paclitaxel-Induced Peripheral Neuropathic Pain

• Published in: International journal of molecular sciences Vol. 25; no. 11; p. 5813
• Main Authors: Li, Wen-Wen, Zhao, Yan, Liu, Huai-Cun, Liu, Jiao, Chan, Sun-On, Zhong, Yi-Fei, Zhang, Tang-Yu, Liu, Yu, Zhang, Wei, Xia, Yu-Qi, Chi, Xiao-Chun, Xu, Jian, Wang, Yun, Wang, Jun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 01.06.2024; MDPI
• Subjects: Animals; Cancer; Capsaicin - analogs & derivatives; Capsaicin - pharmacology; Cell division; Chemotherapy; Cold; dorsal root ganglion (DRG); Drug withdrawal; Ganglia, Spinal - drug effects; Ganglia, Spinal - metabolism; Hyperalgesia; Hyperalgesia - chemically induced; Hyperalgesia - drug therapy; Hyperalgesia - metabolism; Male; menthol analgesia; Neuralgia - chemically induced; Neuralgia - drug therapy; Neuralgia - metabolism; Neurons; Neurons - drug effects; Neurons - metabolism; Paclitaxel; Paclitaxel - adverse effects; Paclitaxel - pharmacology; paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathic pain (PIPNP); Pain; Peripheral neuropathy; Proteins; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; transient receptor potential channel vanilloid1 (TRPV1); transient receptor potential melastatin8 (TRPM8); TRPM Cation Channels - metabolism; TRPV Cation Channels - metabolism; Vincristine; China; menthol analgesia; transient receptor potential melastatin8 (TRPM8); transient receptor potential channel vanilloid1 (TRPV1); dorsal root ganglion (DRG); paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathic pain (PIPNP)
• ISSN: 1422-0067; 1661-6596; 1422-0067
• DOI: 10.3390/ijms25115813

Paclitaxel, a microtubule-stabilizing chemotherapy drug, can cause severe paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathic pain (PIPNP). The roles of transient receptor potential (TRP) ion channel vanilloid 1 (TRPV1, a nociceptor and heat sensor) and melastatin 8 (TRPM8, a cold sensor) in PIPNP remain controversial. In this study, Western blotting, immunofluorescence staining, and calcium imaging revealed that the expression and functional activity of TRPV1 were upregulated in rat dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons in PIPNP. Behavioral assessments using the von Frey and brush tests demonstrated that mechanical hyperalgesia in PIPNP was significantly inhibited by intraperitoneal or intrathecal administration of the TRPV1 antagonist capsazepine, indicating that TRPV1 played a key role in PIPNP. Conversely, the expression of TRPM8 protein decreased and its channel activity was reduced in DRG neurons. Furthermore, activation of TRPM8 via topical application of menthol or intrathecal injection of WS-12 attenuated the mechanical pain. Mechanistically, the TRPV1 activity triggered by capsaicin (a TRPV1 agonist) was reduced after menthol application in cultured DRG neurons, especially in the paclitaxel-treated group. These findings showed that upregulation of TRPV1 and inhibition of TRPM8 are involved in the generation of PIPNP, and they suggested that inhibition of TRPV1 function in DRG neurons via activation of TRPM8 might underlie the analgesic effects of menthol.