Decreased GDNF mRNA expression in dorsal spinal cord of unilateral arthritic rat

It is now well established that nerve growth factor (NGF) plays a key role in inflammation-induced hyperalgesia. It was also reported that brain deriv ed neurotrophic factor (BDNF), another member of neurotrophins, contributed to the pain pathway as a neurotransmitter in the CNS. The present work dem onstrated a down-regulation of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) mRNA expression in dorsal spinal cord in complete Freund's adjuvant- induced unilateral arthritic rats serving as a chronic pain model. The fast occurring and long lasting down-regulations suggest that GDNF might contri bute to pain pathway in a way different from neurotrophins and might play a role in the maintenance of chronic pain status. NeuroReport 11:737-741 (C) 2000 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.