Background and Objectives: Neuropathy is a state that resultes from nervous system disease or injury and exposes patients to the various functional complications such as decreased physical activity and its complication such as muscular and cardiovascular diseases. The purpose of the present study was determining  the chronic effect of decreased activity by spinal nerve ligation (SNL) on Trk neurotrophin receptors gene expression in sciatic nerve fiber of male rats.  

Materials and Methods: The present study was an experimental research in which ten neuropathic adult male wistar rats in the weight range of 250±20 were randomly divided into two groups including control and SNL. Over six weeks, neuropathic pain behavior tests conducted continually in the two groups. At the end of the sixth week, changes of TrkA, TrkC and TrkB gene expressions in sciatic nerve were measured with Real time PCR technique. The changes in gene expressions  were measured with 2^{- ΔΔCT} and were analyzed using independent t-test in the two groups. In order to compare the results of the behavioral tests in the two groups, two-way repeated measures ANOVA was performed.

Results: The behavioral tests demonstrated that decreased activity in the SNL group induced mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia as well as decreased pain threshold (p<0.05). In addition, compared with the control group, tyrosine kinase receptors gene expression in sciatic nerve fiber was higher in SNL group (p<0.05).  Conclusion: The results revealed that decreased activity in the form of SNL was associated with the increased TrkA, TrkB and TrkC gene expressions. Also, it seemed that these neurotrophin receptors changed by neural injury. Although, the precise mechanisms were not well understood.    

Key words: Rats, Neuropathic pain, Trk receptors, Decreased physical activity

Funding: This research was funded by Vali-e-Asr University of Rafsanjan.

Conflict of interest: None declared.

Ethical approval: The Ethics Committee of Tarbiat Modares University approved the study.

How to cite this article: Kazemi Ar. The Effect of Decreased Activity by Spinal Nerve Ligation on Tyrosine Kinase Neurotrophin Receptors Gene Expression in Sciatic Nerve Fiber of Male Rats with Neuropathic Pain. J RafsanjanUniv Med Sci 2016; 15(2): 51-62. [Farsi]