Exogenous brain-derived neurotrophic factor relieves pain symptoms of diabetic rats by reducing excitability of dorsal root ganglion neurons

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is a common complication of diabetes lacking of effective treatments. Enhanced excitability of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neuron plays a crucial role in the progression of diabetic neuropathic hyperalgesia. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is known as a neuromodulator of nociception, but whether and how BDNF modulates the excitability of DRG neurons in the development of DPN remain to be clarified. This study investigated the role of exogenous BDNF and its high-affinity tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB) in rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetic neuropathic pain. The results showed that continued intrathecal administration of BDNF to diabetic rats dramatically alleviated mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia, as well as inhibited hyperexcitability of DRG neurons. These effects were blocked by pretreatment with TrkB Fc (a synthetic fusion protein consisting of the extracellular ligand-binding domain of the TrkB receptor). The expression of BDNF and TrkB was upregulated in the DRG of diabetic rats. Intrathecal administration of BDNF did not affect this upregulation. These data provide novel information that exogenous BDNF relieved pain symptoms of diabetic rats by reducing hyperexcitability of DRG neurons and might be the potential treatment of painful diabetic neuropathy.