Collagen antibody-induced arthritis evokes persistent pain with spinal glial involvement and transient prostaglandin dependency

• ObjectivePain is one of the most debilitating symptoms reported by rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. While the collagen antibody–induced arthritis (CAIA) model is used for studying the effector phase of RA pathologic progression, it has not been evaluated as a model for studies of pain. Thus, this study was undertaken to examine pain-like behavior induced by anticollagen antibodies and to assess the effect of currently prescribed analgesics for RA. In addition, the involvement of spinal glia in antibody-induced pain was explored.MethodsCAIA was induced in mice by intravenous injection of a collagen antibody cocktail, followed by intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide. Disease severity was assessed by visual and histologic examination. Pain-like behavior and the antinociceptive effect of diclofenac, buprenorphine, gabapentin, pentoxifylline, and JNK-interacting protein 1 were examined in mechanical stimulation experiments. Spinal astrocyte and microglia reactivity were investigated by real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry.ResultsFollowing the induction of CAIA, mice developed transient joint inflammation. In contrast, pain-like behavior was observed prior to, and outlasted, the visual signs of arthritis. Whereas gabapentin and buprenorphine attenuated mechanical hypersensitivity during both the inflammatory and postinflammatory phases of arthritis, diclofenac was antinociceptive only during the inflammatory phase. Spinal astrocytes and microglia displayed time-dependent signs of activation, and inhibition of glial activity reversed CAIA-induced mechanical hypersensitivity.ConclusionCAIA represents a multifaceted model for studies exploring the mechanisms of pain induced by inflammation in the articular joint. Our findings of a time-dependent prostaglandin and spinal glial contribution to antibody-induced pain highlight the importance of using appropriate disease models to assess joint-related pain.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Reumatologi och inflammation (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Rheumatology and Autoimmunity (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Amines/therapeutic use

Analgesics/therapeutic use

Animals

Arthralgia/drug therapy/*etiology/metabolism

Arthritis

Experimental/*complications/metabolism/pathology

Buprenorphine/therapeutic use

Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids/therapeutic use

Diclofenac/therapeutic use

Disease Models

Animal

Gabapentin

Male

Mice

Mice

Inbred BALB C

Mice

Inbred CBA

Neuroglia/metabolism/*pathology

Prostaglandins/*metabolism

Spine/metabolism/*pathology

Time Factors

Treatment Outcome

gamma-Aminobutyric Acid/therapeutic use

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)