Emerging evidence has shown that miRNA-mediated gene expression modulation contributes to chronic pain, but its functional regulatory mechanism remains unknown. Here, we found that complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA)-induced chronic inflammation pain significantly reduced miRNA-219 (miR-219) expression in mice spinal neurons. Furthermore, the expression of spinal CaMKIIγ, an experimentally validat...

Central sensitization in inflammatory pain conditions results in behavioral mechanical hypersensitivity. Specifically, C-fiber-driven spinal hyperexcitability enables A fibers to gain access to specific spinal circuitry, via heterosynaptic facilitatory mechanisms, to mediate mechanical hypersensitivity. However, the precise circuitry engaged is not known. Lamina I neurokinin 1 (NK1) receptor ex...

BACKGROUND There is increasing evidence that peripheral glutamate signaling mechanism is involved in the nociceptive transmission during pathological conditions. However, little is known about the glutamate signaling mechanism and related specific type of vesicular glutamate transporter (VGLUT) in the dental pulp following inflammation. To address this issue, we investigated expression and prot...

Pain in masticatory muscles is among the most prominent symptoms of temperomandibular disorders (TMDs) that have diverse and complex etiology. A common complaint of TMD is that unilateral pain of craniofacial muscle can cause a widespread of bilateral pain sensation, although the underlying mechanism remains unknown. To investigate whether unilateral inflammation of masseter muscle can cause a ...

Ganghwaljetongyeum (GHJTY) has been used as a standard treatment for arthritis for approximately 15 years at the Korean Medicine Hospital of Dongshin University. GHJTY is composed of 18 medicinal herbs, of which five primary herbs were selected and named new Ganghwaljetongyeum (N-GHJTY). The purpose of the present study was to observe the effect of N-GHJTY on arthritis and to determine its mech...

The endogenous lipid amides, palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) and oleoylethanolamide (OEA), exert marked antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects in animal models by engaging nuclear peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α. PEA and OEA are produced by macrophages and other host-defense cells and are deactivated by the cysteine amidase, N-acylethanolamine acid amidase (NAAA), which is highl...

Activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), especially p38 MAPK, plays an important role in the development of central sensitization related to persistent inflammatory pain. Electroacupuncture (EA) is well known to relieve persistent inflammatory pain. However, little is known about relationship between EA and p38 MAPK. Inflammatory pain rat model was induced by intraplantar inject...

The precise context in which the innate immune system is activated plays a pivotal role in the subsequent instruction of CD4+ T helper (Th) cell responses. Th1 responses are downregulated when antigen is encountered in the presence of antigen-IgG immune complexes. To assess if Th17 responses to antigen are subject to similar influences in the presence of immune complexes we utilized an inflamma...

There is a growing interest in using vaccination with CNS antigens to induce autoreactive T cell responses that home to damaged areas in the CNS and ameliorate neurodegenerative disease. Neuroprotective vaccine studies have focused on administering oligodendrocyte antigens or Copaxone® in complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA). Theoretical considerations, however, suggest that vaccination with a neur...

In India, Vatari Guggulu has been traditionally used in the Ayurvedic system of medicine to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The current study was undertaken to evaluate anti-arthritic activity of alcoholic extract of Vatari Guggulu in rats. Arthritis was induced by administration of formaldehyde (2%v/v) or Complete Freund's Adjuvant (CFA) into the sub-plantar surface of left hind paw of the an...