Background: Some studies have shown a somatic nociceptive response due to the activation of transient receptor potential A1 channels (TRPA1), which is modulated by the TRPA1 antagonist HC-030031. However, a few studies report the role of TRPA1 in visceral pain. Therefore, we investigated the participation of TRPA1 in visceral nociception and the involvement of nitric oxide, the opioid system and resident cells in the modulation of these channels.
Methods: Mice were treated with vehicle or HC-030031 (18.75-300 mg/kg) before ifosfamide (400 mg/kg), 0.75% mustard oil (50 μL/colon), acetic acid 0.6% (10 mL/kg), zymosan (1 mg/cavity) or misoprostol (1 μg/cavity) injection. Visceral nociception was assessed through the electronic von Frey test or the writhing response. Ifosfamide-administered mice were euthanized for bladder analysis. The involvement of nitric oxide and the opioid system were investigated in mice injected with ifosfamide and mustard oil, respectively. The participation of resident peritoneal cells in acetic acid-, zymosan- or misoprostol-induced nociception was also evaluated.
Results: HC-030031 failed to protect animals against ifosfamide-induced bladder injury (p > 0.05). However, a marked antinociceptive effect against ifosfamide, mustard oil, acetic acid, zymosan and misoprostol was observed (p < 0.05). Neither L-arginine (600 mg/kg) nor naloxone (2 mg/kg) could reverse the antinociceptive effect of HC-030031. The reduction of the peritoneal cell population inhibited the acetic acid and zymosan-related writhes without interfering with the misoprostol effect.
Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the blockade of TRPA1 attenuates visceral nociception by a mechanism independent of the modulation of resident cells, nitric oxide and opioid pathways.
© 2012 European Federation of International Association for the Study of Pain Chapters.