Elsevier

The Journal of Pain

Volume 8, Issue 6, June 2007, Pages 483-488
The Journal of Pain

Original report
Characteristics of Sensory Dorsal Root Ganglia Neurons Innervating the Lumbar Vertebral Body in Rats

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpain.2007.01.004Get rights and content
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Abstract

Characteristics of sensory dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons innervating the L5 vertebral body were investigated in rats by using a retrograde neurotransport method, lectin affinity- and immuno-histochemistry to further elucidate the causes of diffuse pain suffered by some elderly patients in their back, lateral trunk, and iliac crest, after lumbar osteoporotic vertebral fracture. We used calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) as a marker of small peptide-containing neurons and the glycoprotein binding the isolectin from Griffonia simplicifolia (IB4) as a marker of small non–peptide-containing neurons. Neurons innervating the L5 vertebral bodies, retrogradely labeled with fluoro-gold (FG), were distributed throughout DRGs from T13 to L6. The proportion of CGRP-immunoreactive (IR) FG-labeled neurons was 32%. The proportion of IB4-binding FG-labeled neurons was significantly smaller, at 4%. Other neurons that were non–CGRP-IR and non–IB4-binding were mostly large neurons, and they may transmit proprioception from vertebral bodies. Most neurons transmitting pain are CGRP-IR peptide–containing neurons. They may have a more significant role in pain sensation in the vertebral bodies as peptidergic DRG neurons.

Perspective

This article shows that vertebral bodies are innervated by CGRP-IR neurons. CGRP-IR neurons may play a role in pain sensation through peptidergic DRG neurons. These findings contribute to an understanding of pain associated with the vertebral body such as tumor, infection, or osteoporotic fracture.

Key words

Sensory innervation
lumbar vertebral body
calcitonin gene-related peptide
isolectin B4
dorsal root ganglion
low back pain

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Supported by Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.