Astrocytes in the spinal dorsal horn (SDH) exhibit diverse reactive phenotypes under neuropathic conditions, yet the mechanisms driving this diversity and its implications in chronic pain remain unclear. Here, we report that spared nerve injury (SNI) induces marked upregulation of both complement component 3 (C3⁺, A1-like) and S100 calcium-binding protein A10 (S100A10⁺, A2-like) astrocyte subpopulations in the SDH, with elevated microglial cytokines including interleukin-1α, tumor necrosis factor-α, and complement component 1q. Transcriptomic, immunohistochemical, and Western blot analyses reveal co-activation of multiple reactive astrocyte states over a unidirectional shift toward an A1-like phenotype. Fibroblast growth factor 8 (FGF8), a neuroprotective factor via FGFR3, mitigated microglia-induced C3⁺ astrocyte reactivity in vitro and suppressed spinal C3 expression and mechanical allodynia following intrathecal administration in SNI mice. These findings reveal a microglia-astrocyte signaling axis that promotes A1 reactivity and position FGF8 as a promising therapeutic candidate for neuropathic pain by modulating astrocyte heterogeneity.
Animals ; Astrocytes/drug effects* ; Neuralgia/pathology* ; Receptor, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Type 3/metabolism* ; Signal Transduction/physiology* ; Male ; Mice ; Microglia/drug effects* ; Fibroblast Growth Factor 8/pharmacology* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Hyperalgesia/drug therapy* ; Spinal Cord/drug effects* ; Complement C3/metabolism* ; Spinal Cord Dorsal Horn/metabolism*

Objective To study the effects of home nursing on patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia. Methods One hundred and eighty patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia meeting our experimental conditions were selected. They were divided into experimental group and comparative group. The experimental group had 82 cases and the average age was 68.5 ?1.2 yrs, the comparative group had 98 cases and the average age was 66.8?0.8. The first prevalence survey was carried out including history of past illnesses, international prostate symptom score, quality of life assessment, customs of life, habits of diet, circumstances of medicine and statuses of psychology. The patients of experimental group received home nursing including psychology nursing, directions of medication, reformations of customs in life and diet, strength in body exercise and kinesitherapy. The patients of comparative group did not receive any nursing measures. After two, four, six months, three prevalence surveys were carried out. At the end of each time, the data were collected and statistical treatments were processed. Results The IPSS rates of improvement in experimental group were 14.6% , 31.7% , and 52.4% . The QOL rates of improvement in experimental group were 12.2% , 34.2% , 57.3% . The IPSS rates of improvement in comparative group were 4.0%, 10.0%, 18.4%. The QOL rates of improvement in comparative group were 3.1%, 13.3%, 16.3%. There was statistical differences between two groups in international prostate symptom score and quality of life assessment (P