Early exposure to environmental enrichment protects male rats against neuropathic pain development after nerve injury

Author(s)

Kimura, Louise Faggionato ^{[1, 2]} ; Sant'Anna, Morena Brazil ^[1] ; Zambelli, Vanessa Olzon ^{[1, 3]} ; Giardini, Aline Carolina ^[1] ; Silva Jared, Simone Goncalves ^[4] ; Antoniazzi, Marta Maria ^[4] ; de Moura Mattaraia, Vania Gomes ^[5] ; Pagano, Rosana Lima ^[6] ; Picolo, Gisele ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Butantan Inst, Lab Pain & Signaling, Av Vital Brasil 1500, BR-05503900 Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Inst Biomed Sci 1, Av Prof Lineu Prestes 2415, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[3] Stanford Univ, Dept Anesthesiol Perioperat & Pain Med, Sch Med, Stanford, CA 94305 - USA

^[4] Butantan Inst, Lab Cell Biol, Av Vital Brasil 1500, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[5] Butantan Inst, Anim Facil, Av Vital Brasil 1500, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[6] Sirio Libanes Hosp, Div Neurosci, R Prof Daher Cutait 69, Sao Paulo - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Experimental Neurology; v. 332, OCT 2020.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

Because environmental elements modify chronic pain development and endogenous mechanisms of pain control are still a great therapeutic source, we investigated the effects of an early exposure to environmental enrichment (EE) in a translational model of neuropathic pain. Young male rats born and bred in an enriched environment, which did not count on running wheel, underwent chronic constriction injury (CCI) of sciatic nerve. EE abolished neuropathic pain behavior 14 days after CCI. Opioid receptors' antagonism reversed EE-analgesic effect beta-endorphin and met-enkephalin serum levels were increased only in EE-CCI group. Blockade of glucocorticoid receptors did not alter EE-analgesic effect, although corticosterone circulating levels were increased in EE animals. In the spinal cord, EE controlled CCI-induced serotonin increase. In DRG, EE blunted the expression of ATF-3 after CCI. Surprisingly, EE-CCI group showed a remarkable preservation of sciatic nerve fibers compared to NE-CCI group. This work demonstrated global effects induced by an EE protocol that explain, in part, the protective role of EE upon chronic noxious stimulation, reinforcing the importance of endogenous mechanisms in the prevention of chronic pain development. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 13/07467-1 - CeTICS - Center of Toxins, Immune-Response and Cell Signaling
• Grantee: Hugo Aguirre Armelin
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Research, Innovation and Dissemination Centers - RIDC
• FAPESP's process: 08/57898-0 - National Institute of Science and Technology on Toxins
• Grantee: Osvaldo Augusto Brazil Esteves Sant'Anna
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 13/20795-8 - Influence of environmental enrichment on pain sensitivity in animals and in its control: possible interference in the expression and activation of opioid receptors
• Grantee: Louise Faggionato Kimura Vieira
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate