Progesterone modulates pro-inflammatory cytokine expression profile after spinal cord injury: implications for neuropathic pain

CORONEL F; RAGGIO C,; ADLER, N; DE NICOLA A; LABOMBARDA, F; GONZALEZ, S

JOURNAL OF NEUROIMMUNOLOGY

ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2016 p. 58 - 92

0165-5728

Neuropathic pain is a frequent complication of spinal cord injury (SCI), still refractory to conventional treatment. Glial cell activation and cytokine production contribute to the pathology of central neuropathic syndromes. In this study we evaluated the effects of progesterone, a neuroactive steroid, on pain development and the spinal expression of IL-1β, its receptors (IL-1RI and IL-1RII) and antagonist (IL-1ra), IL-6 and TNFα, and NR1 subunitof NMDAR. Our results show that progesterone, by modulating the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and neuronal IL-1RI/NR1 colocalization, emerges as a promising agent to prevent chronic pain after SCI.