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Updated: Jun 9, 2026
Chronic Post-Ischemia Pain Model for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Type-I in Rats
Published on: January 21, 2020
[Change of p-CREB after surgical incisional pain in rat spinal cord]
Yulong Cui1, Junmei Xu, Ruping Dai
1Department of Anesthesiology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, China.
Objective:
To explore the role of phosphorylation of cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) in the incision-induced pain hypersensitivity.
Methods:
A longitudinal incision was made in one plantar hind paw of isoflurane-anesthetized rats. Spinal cords were removed at various postoperative time after behavior test. Phosphorylation of CREB was determined by immunohistochemistry and double-labeling immunofluorescence. Morphine and gabapentin were intraperitoneally injected before the behavior test and were used to determine the interaction between phosphorylation of CREB and morphine and gabapentin.
Results:
After the hind-paw incision, phosphorylation of CREB was enhanced in the ipsilateral lumbar spinal cord (P<0.05). The enhancement of p-CREB was mainly in the neurons in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord. All these were shown by double-labeling technique and p-CREB was mainly in the neurons. Intraperitoneal injection of morphine prevented the increased phosphorylation of CREB in the spinal cord and inhibited the mechanical allodynia induced by the incision (P>0.05). Gabapentin didn't inhibit the phosphorylation of CREB (P<0.05) but partly inhibited the mechanical allodynia.
Conclusion:
Incision induces the phosphorylation of CREB in the spinal cord, and the increase of p-CREB is mainly in the neurons. Phosphorylation of CREB in the spinal cord contributes to the pain hypersensitivity induced by surgical incision.
