Navigation Links
Scientists use gene transfer technology and common virus to block neuropathic pain

use in the nervous system.

"When we inject our HSV gene carrier under the skin of a laboratory rat, the vector is taken up by sensory nerve terminals in the animal's skin and carried through the axon back to the sensory ganglia cell bodies next to the spinal cord," says Shuanglin Hao, M.D., Ph.D., a U-M research investigator and first author of the study.

"Since the vector lacks essential viral genes for replication, it remains in the nucleus expressing the GAD enzyme, which triggers nerve terminals in the spinal cord to release GABA," Fink adds. "As long as the GAD gene remains active, GABA will continue to flood the spinal cord and block the transmission of pain signals to the brain."

In experiments reported in the Annals of Neurology paper, VA/U-M scientists tied off a nerve root in the sciatic nerve leading to the left hind paw of eight rats in the study. Tying off the nerve root makes the nerve degenerate and release substances that cause pain, according to Fink. A second group of eight rats received sham surgery, with no damage to their sciatic nerve. A third group served as normal controls.

"When we study pain in people, we can ask them if it hurts," says Fink. "But you can't ask questions of a rat. So we study the animals' behavior to discern whether they are experiencing pain using standard models used to assess pain in rodents."

One of the effects of neuropathic pain is called allodynia, which means that even ordinary touch feels painful. In both rats and people, scientists measure allodynia by touching the skin with a series of filaments or exposing the skin to small amounts of moderate heat. People with neuropathy perceive the filament's touch or heat as a painful sensation. Rats with neuropathy will lift their paw if the filament or heat produces pain. Rats without neuropathic pain don't even notice. By monitoring whether rats lift their paw, and how long it takes for them to do so, scientists can measure the degr
'"/>

Source:University of Michigan Health Systems


Page: 1 2 3 4

Related biology news :

1. Scientists ID molecular switch in liver that triggers harmful effects of saturated and trans fats
2. Scientists Replicate Hepatitis C Virus in Laboratory
3. Scientists detect probable genetic cause of some Parkinsons disease cases
4. Scientists find missing enzyme for tuberculosis iron scavenging pathway
5. Scientists seek answers on what activates deadly anthrax spores
6. Yale Scientists Find MicroRNA Regulates Ras Cancer Gene
7. Scientists collaborate to assess health of global environment
8. Scientists decipher genome of fungus that can cause life-threatening infections
9. Scientists discover the cellular roots of graying hair
10. Scientists rid stem cell culture of key animal cells
11. Scientists develop new color-coded test for protein folding
Post Your Comments:
(Date:10/6/2008)...ight into nitrogen air pollution effects on Sierra...d protecting them provides safeguards for less sen...is month in the international journal Environment... from air pollution causes detrimental chemical an...osystems. Other harmful effects include elevated n...
(Date:10/6/2008)...awarded the 2008 SNM Wagner-Torizuka Fellowship an...ugh 2010 as part of the two-year program., These ...l College, undertaking a fellowship at Johns Hopki...Hospital, studying at the University of Washington... at Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles; and ...
(Date:10/6/2008)...e contained in laboratory yeast has helped an inte... about the process by which protein molecules bind...e gene expression, according to findings reported ... be inert carriers of the genetic instructions fro...l a novel mechanism for creating access to DNA req...
(Date:10/6/2008)...a nutrient, sulfur is often overlooked in favor of...k explains its crucial role in soil condition, pla...onals, understanding how plants use sulfur is esse...ur A Missing Link Between Soils, Crops and Nutrit...nomy, Crop Science Society of America and Soil Sci...
Breaking Biology News(10 mins):Lichens function as indicators of nitrogen pollution in forests 22008 SNM Wagner-Torizuka Fellowships announced 22008 SNM Wagner-Torizuka Fellowships announced 3Early-stage gene transcription creates access to DNA 2Study says COPD testing is not measuring up 24 1Study says COPD testing is not measuring up 24 2Study meta analysis examine factors associated with death from heatstroke 19 1Study meta analysis examine factors associated with death from heatstroke 19 2Study meta analysis examine factors associated with death from heatstroke 19 3Disability payments may spur drug abuse 14 1Disability payments may spur drug abuse 14 2MRI finds breast cancer before it becomes dangerous 9 1MRI finds breast cancer before it becomes dangerous 9 2MRI finds breast cancer before it becomes dangerous 9 3
...f the Weizmann Institute of ScienceImmunology Depa...accine for Type 1 diabetes. The new findings shoul...hich is currently in advanced stages of clinical t...n which the immune system mistakenly attacks the b...cing and ultimately eliminating the production of ...
...chool of Marine and Atmospheric Science researcher...eepwater reef sites in the Straits of Florida betw...osenstiel School scientists will work with Harbor ...lore these areas for the first time. The expediti...Link II submersible, will search for and collect m...
...uage. The Bowling Green State University biologist..., especially the ones whose "talking" aids and abe...ach other," the associate professor says. "It,s ho...hings that need to happen for living organisms get...ived $300,000 in funding from the National Science...
...l buffer zone around the Abrolhos National Marine ...fs in the South Atlantic. , The buffer zone, creat...l Resources (IBAMA), encompasses nearly 95,000 squ...protects the entire Abrolhos region off Brazil,s c...nd marine ecosystems with unique and endangered sp...
Other Biology News:The molecular mechanism of a diabetes vaccine revealed 2Deep-water discovery 2Deep-water discovery 3BGSU biologist trying to crack microscopic code 2BGSU biologist trying to crack microscopic code 3
(Date:10/6/2008)... based in Los Angeles, California is anticipated t...ny,s ability to supply its new, generation of in...ure., LOS ANGELES, Oct. 6 /- Today, ...based in Barcelona, Spain, broke ground on a new,9...IG) production facility,at its manufacturing compl...
(Date:10/6/2008)...ST , Belgium, AHMEDABAD, India and GOTTINGEN, Germ...Research, genae associates,Cardiovascular Center ...to,form a Core Laboratories joint venture, called ...rmance of medical images,analysis for clinical res...titative coronary and peripheral angiography (QCA,...
(Date:10/6/2008)...and, Oct. 6 /- deCODE genet...mber 30, 2008 it received a,notice from the Nasdaq...ing,days the market value of deCODE,s common stock...uired for continued listing on The Nasdaq Global,M...(b)(1)(A). The notice,further stated that deCODE a...
(Date:10/6/2008).../- PAREXEL International,Co... be presenting at the,William Blair Small-Cap Grow...l, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Offic... at 11:20 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, October 7,2008., ...ble under the,"Upcoming Events" section on PAREXEL...
Breaking Biology Technology:Grifols Breaks Ground on New IVIG Facility 2Core Laboratories Joint Venture Agreement Between genae associates, VIBGYOR Scientific Research, Cardiovascular Center Aalst and J.B. Dahm 2deCODE Receives Nasdaq Deficiency Notice Relating to Market Value 2deCODE Receives Nasdaq Deficiency Notice Relating to Market Value 3PAREXEL International to Present at William Blair Small-Cap Growth Stock Conference 2
...anner year for venture capital investments in gene...Tree report, which is based on data from the Nati...s this mean for the life science industry? , ,Also...ticularly, what does it mean for the Midwest life ... to this level and find out (I can hear the dentis...
.... He,s making sensational, not entirely accurate, ...based on current conditions, which is nice work if...ss Review published an article by Carr titled IT D... is now ubiquitous and available to all who want i...mpetitive advantage. , ,Even discounting that sust...
...ust escaped January a notoriously depressing mont..., dark and dank weather thats no surprise. In fac... 24 (just one week ago) was the most depressing da...lready bear an extra psychological burden because ...t have escalated last month for reasons that have ...
...for presentation times at the Midwest Venture Summ...ital Association (IVCA) will be selecting only a ...sent to investors and venture capitalists. , ,Appl...at has been chosen by the IVCA. The panel will con...and developing, as well as its finances, expenses,...
Other Biology Technology:Life-science sector grabbed VC investment in 2004 2Life-science sector grabbed VC investment in 2004 3Whining should not get in the way of innovation 2Whining should not get in the way of innovation 3Post-January, tech entrepreneurs have reasons to be depressed 2Post-January, tech entrepreneurs have reasons to be depressed 3Post-January, tech entrepreneurs have reasons to be depressed 4Follow the money 2Follow the money 3
...g single-stranded RNA ranging from 0.5 kb to 10 kb...er consists of nine bands in even increments (0.5 ...tion. The 1.5 kb band is more intense than the oth...ion of RNA bands on the gel. All RNA molecules in ...
Recombinant Mouse Wnt-3a
Homo sapiens jumping translocation breakpoint
One-step, microplate or cuvet, colorimetric, detection range 0.01 g/dL to 5 g/dL. Procedure: 5 min.
Biology Products: