Acute Phase Protein Lipocalin-2 Is Associated with Formalin-induced Nociception and Pathological Pain.
- Author:
Mithilesh Kumar JHA
1
;
Sangmin JEON
;
Myungwon JIN
;
Won Ha LEE
;
Kyoungho SUK
Author Information
- Publication Type:Brief Communication
- Keywords: Lipocalin-2; Acute nociception; Pathological pain; Neuroinflammation; Microglia; Spinal cord
- MeSH: Acute-Phase Proteins*; Animals; Central Nervous System; Hypersensitivity; Ligands; Mice; Mice, Knockout; Microglia; Nociception*; Pain Measurement; Peripheral Nerve Injuries; Spinal Cord
- From:Immune Network 2013;13(6):289-294
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
- Abstract: Lipocalin-2 (LCN2) is an acute-phase protein induced by injury, infection, or other inflammatory stimuli. LCN2 binds small hydrophobic ligands and interacts with cell surface receptor to regulate diverse cellular processes. The role of LCN2 as a chemokine inducer in the central nervous system (CNS) has been previously reported. Based on the previous participation of LCN2 in neuroinflammation, we investigated the role of LCN2 in formalin-induced nociception and pathological pain. Formalin-induced nociceptive behaviors (licking/biting) and spinal microglial activation were significantly reduced in the second or late phase of the formalin test in Lcn2 knockout mice. Likewise, antibody-mediated neutralization of spinal LCN2 attenuated the mechanical hypersensitivity induced by peripheral nerve injury in mice. Taken together, our results suggest that LCN2 can be therapeutically targeted, presumably for both prevention and reversal of acute inflammatory pain as well as pathological pain.
