Proteomics of Neuropathic Pain: Proteins and Signaling Pathways Affected in a Rat Model

The myriad proteins may be involved
in the mechanisms underlying
the development and maintenance of neuropathic pain, an extremely
disabling condition that originates from pathology of the nervous
system. To address the mechanisms, we here analyzed proteins and cellular
networks in the dorsal spinal cord mediating pain processing in a
well-established rat model of neuropathic pain induced by spinal nerve
ligation (SNL). Labeling-based proteomic methods together with high-resolution
mass spectrometry for proteome analysis were applied. 38 proteins
including synapsin 1 and microtubule-associated protein 2 were identified
as differently expressed in the SNL group. Pathway analysis suggests
that maladaptive changes in the levels of these proteins may contribute
to abnormal synaptic transmission and neuronal intracellular signaling
underlying the onset and development of neuropathic pain.