Differential screening-selected gene aberrative in neuroblastoma protein modulates inflammatory pain in the spinal dorsal horn.

摘要

Differential screening-selected gene aberrative in neuroblastoma (DAN) belongs to a novel gene family that includes the Xenopus head-inducing factor, Cerberus and the dorsalizing factor, Gremlin. It has been suggested that members of this family control diverse processes in growth, development and the cell cycle.Here, we demonstrate that the DAN protein is produced in the small neurons of the dorsal root ganglion and is transported to the nerve terminals in the spinal dorsal horn in adult rats. Furthermore, intrathecal injection of an antibody to the DAN protein suppressed inflammatory pain caused by the introduction of complete Freund's adjuvant or carrageenan into the rat hindpaw. The amount of mRNA for DAN in dorsal root ganglion neurons and of its expressed protein in the spinal dorsal horn were both increased in inflammatory models.Together, these data suggest that the DAN protein may be a novel neuromodulator in primary nociceptive nerve fibers.