Exploration and identification of novel therapeutic targets for dynamic tactile allodynia

We showed that increased excitability of spinal dorsal horn neurons, but not primary afferents, to brush stimulation is involved in the development of dynamic tactile allodynia in a murine model of herpes zoster-associated pain. To identify the candidate genes that have roles in the development of dynamic tactile allodynia, gene expression profiles of the spinal cord were analyzed by GeneChip oligonucleotide expression arrays. Among the genes upregulated in mice with dynamic tactile allodynia, P2X4 receptor, P2X7 receptor, S1P3 receptor and T-lymphocyte markers were identified. We also showed that increased expression of P2X4 receptor, P2X7 receptor, S1P3 receptor and T-lymphocyte infiltration in the spinal dorsal horn contribute to the development of dynamic tactile allodynia. These results suggest that targeting P2X4 receptor, P2X7 receptor, S1P3 receptor and T-lymphocytes is the new therapeutic strategy for treating herpes zoster-associated dynamic tactile allodynia.