NF-kappa B decoy suppresses cytokine expression and thermal hyperalgesia in a rat neuropathic pain model

Pro-inflammatory cytokines have been shown to be involved in the genesis, p ersistence. and severity of neuropathic pain following nerve injury. The tr anscription factor, nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB), plays a pivotal rol e in regulating proinflammatory cytokine gene expression. To elucidate the role of NF-kappaB in the pathogenesis of neuropathic pain, using a gene-bas ed approach of NF-kappaB decoy, we tested whether the activated NF-kappaB a ffected pain behavior via the expression of inflammatory mediators. Single endoneurial injections of NF-kappaB decoy. at the site of nerve lesion, sig nificantly alleviated thermal hyperalgesia for up to 2 weeks and suppressed the expression of mRNA of the inflammatory cytokines, iNOS, and adhesion m olecules at the site of nerve injury. This finding suggests that a perineur al inflammatory cascade, that involves NF-kappaB, is involved in the pathog enesis of neuropathic pain. NeuroReport 12:2079-2084 (C) 2001 Lippincott Wi lliams & Wilkins.