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Neuroscience Bulletin
Published in: Neuroscience Bulletin 4/2019

01-08-2019 | Cytokines | Original Article

Thymosin Alpha-1 Inhibits Complete Freund’s Adjuvant-Induced Pain and Production of Microglia-Mediated Pro-inflammatory Cytokines in Spinal Cord

Authors: Yunlong Xu, Yanjun Jiang, Lin Wang, Jiahua Huang, Junmao Wen, Hang Lv, Xiaoli Wu, Chaofan Wan, Chuanxin Yu, Wenjie Zhang, Jiaying Zhao, Yinqi Zhou, Yongjun Chen

Published in: Neuroscience Bulletin | Issue 4/2019

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Abstract

Activation of inflammatory responses regulates the transmission of pain pathways through an integrated network in the peripheral and central nervous systems. The immunopotentiator thymosin alpha-1 (Tα1) has recently been reported to have anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective functions in rodents. However, how Tα1 affects inflammatory pain remains unclear. In the present study, intraperitoneal injection of Tα1 attenuated complete Freund’s adjuvant (CFA)-induced pain hypersensitivity, and decreased the up-regulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6) in inflamed skin and the spinal cord. We found that CFA-induced peripheral inflammation evoked strong microglial activation, but the effect was reversed by Tα1. Notably, Tα1 reversed the CFA-induced up-regulation of vesicular glutamate transporter (VGLUT) and down-regulated the vesicular γ-aminobutyric acid transporter (VGAT) in the spinal cord. Taken together, these results suggest that Tα1 plays a therapeutic role in inflammatory pain and in the modulation of microglia-induced pro-inflammatory cytokine production in addition to mediation of VGLUT and VGAT expression in the spinal cord.
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Metadata
Title
Thymosin Alpha-1 Inhibits Complete Freund’s Adjuvant-Induced Pain and Production of Microglia-Mediated Pro-inflammatory Cytokines in Spinal Cord
Authors
Yunlong Xu
Yanjun Jiang
Lin Wang
Jiahua Huang
Junmao Wen
Hang Lv
Xiaoli Wu
Chaofan Wan
Chuanxin Yu
Wenjie Zhang
Jiaying Zhao
Yinqi Zhou
Yongjun Chen
Publication date
01-08-2019
Publisher
Springer Singapore
Keyword
Cytokines
Published in
Neuroscience Bulletin / Issue 4/2019
Print ISSN: 1673-7067
Electronic ISSN: 1995-8218
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12264-019-00346-z

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