cAMP-dependent protein kinase activated Fyn in spinal dorsal horn to regulate NMDA receptor function during inflammatory pain

J Neurochem. 2011 Jan;116(1):93-104. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2010.07088.x. Epub 2010 Dec 2.

Abstract

Selective inhibition of GluN2B-containing NMDA receptor (GluN2BR) in spinal dorsal horn effectively alleviates inflammatory pain, suggesting the up-regulation of GluN2BR function involved in central sensitization. Previous studies have demonstrated that the increase in GluN2BR synaptic expression serves as a key step to enhance GluN2BR function after intradermal injection of Complete Freund's Adjuvant (CFA). Here, we showed that cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) played an important role in redistributing GluN2BR at synapses, because inhibition of PKA activity impaired GluN2BR accumulation at post-synaptic density (PSD)-enriched fraction in CFA-injected mice, and direct stimulation of PKA in naïve mice mimicked the effect of CFA by recruiting GluN2BR at PSD fraction to evoke pain sensitization. Analysis of PKA-initiated signalings unraveled that PKA was able to activate Src-family protein tyrosine kinases member Fyn, possibly by disrupting Fyn association with its inhibitory partner striatal-enriched protein tyrosine phosphatase 61. The active Fyn then promoted GluN2B phosphorylation at Tyr1472, a molecular event known to prevent GluN2BR endocytosis. As a result, pharmacological or genetic manipulation of Fyn activity greatly depressed GluN2BR accumulation at PSD-enriched fraction and ameliorated mechanical allodynia induced by PKA. Our data thus elucidated a critical role of PKA/Fyn/GluN2B signaling in triggering GluN2BR hyperfunction and pain hypersensitivity.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / physiology*
  • Enzyme Activation / physiology
  • Inflammation / metabolism
  • Inflammation / pathology
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Pain / enzymology
  • Pain / metabolism*
  • Posterior Horn Cells / metabolism*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fyn / physiology*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / physiology*
  • Spinal Cord / enzymology
  • Spinal Cord / metabolism

Substances

  • Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fyn
  • Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases