Conotoxin contulakin-G engages a neurotensin receptor 2/R-type calcium channel (Cav2.3) pathway to mediate spinal antinociception

Intrathecal application of contulakin-G (CGX), a conotoxin peptide and a neurotensin analogue, has been demonstrated to be safe and potentially analgesic in humans. However, the mechanism of action for CGX analgesia is unknown. We hypothesized that spinal application of CGX produces antinociception through activation of the presynaptic neurotensin receptor (NTSR)2. In this study, we assessed the mechanisms of CGX antinociception in rodent models of inflammatory and neuropathic pain. Intrathecal administration of CGX, dose dependently, inhibited thermal and mechanical hypersensitivities in rodents of both sexes. Pharmacological and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/Cas9 editing of NTSR2 reversed CGX-induced antinociception without affecting morphine analgesia. Electrophysiological and gene editing approaches demonstrated that CGX inhibition was dependent on the R-type voltagegated calcium channel (Cav2.3) in sensory neurons. Anatomical studies demonstrated coexpre..., , # Conotoxin contulakin-G engages a neurotensin receptor 2/R-type calcium channel (Cav2.3) pathway to mediate spinal antinociception

Dataset DOI: [10.5061/dryad.fxpnvx161](10.5061/dryad.fxpnvx161)

## Description of the data and file structure

There are 6 figures in this paper and the data in the excel sheet is organized by figure. 

figure 1:

in the excel sheet under figure 1 is the raw numerical outputs for the von frey animal behavior. and area under the curve. the data is listed under the corresponding panel

**Panel B and C**: 

**Row Labels:** 

`Animals: ` numerically represented, but placed by male and female groups each with experimental treatment variables ( Saline, CGX 0.02nmol, CGX 0.1nmol, CGX 0.5nmol)

`BL` = Baseline measurement (before surgery).

`PostSx` = 24 hours post-surgery, immediately before treatment injection. `0.5`, `1`, `2`, `4`, `5` = Hours after treatment injection.

And for the units:

**Units:**

All values in Panel B (von Frey test) are reported as [e.g...,