Spinal TRPC3 promotes neuropathic pain and coordinates phospholipase C-induced mechanical hypersensitivity

Neuropathic pain is a debilitating chronic condition mainly caused by peripheral nerve injury. However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying this condition remain unclear. Transient receptor potential canonical 3 (TRPC3), a TRP channel that is activated by downstream of the Gq-phospholipase C (PLC) axis, is expressed in the somatosensory system. Therefore, the present study investigated its pathophysiological role in neuropathic pain following peripheral nerve injury. Here, partial sciatic nerve ligation (pSNL) elicited mechanical and thermal hypersensitivity in wild-type mice, which was suppressed in TRPC3-KO mice. In situ hybridization revealed that TRPC3 is predominantly expressed in neurons in the spinal dorsal horn. Furthermore, spinal dorsal horn neuron-specific downregulation using miRNA attenuated pSNL-induced mechanical hypersensitivity. Spinal TRPC3 activation elicited acute mechanical hypersensitivity. Moreover, its genetic ablation reduced the mechanical hypersensitivity caused by spinal NK₁R or PLC activation. These findings demonstrate that TRPC3 in spinal dorsal horn neurons facilitates the development of neuropathic pain. Therefore, TRPC3 may be a promising therapeutic target for neuropathic pain caused by peripheral nerve injury.