1. Astaxanthin alleviates inflammatory pain by regulating the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase and nuclear factor-erythroid factor 2-related factor/heme oxygenase-1 pathways in mice
- Author
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Qi Xi, Lin Zhao, Tao Song, Dao-Song Dong, Cheng-Fu Wan, Xueshu Tao, Yan Liu, and Chenglong Wang
- Subjects
Male ,Antioxidant ,NF-E2-Related Factor 2 ,medicine.medical_treatment ,p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases ,Anti-Inflammatory Agents ,Inflammation ,Pharmacology ,Xanthophylls ,p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,Mice ,Downregulation and upregulation ,Astaxanthin ,Medicine ,Animals ,Heme ,Pain Measurement ,business.industry ,Kinase ,Membrane Proteins ,General Medicine ,Heme oxygenase ,Mice, Inbred C57BL ,Disease Models, Animal ,chemistry ,medicine.symptom ,business ,Heme Oxygenase-1 ,Food Science ,Phytotherapy - Abstract
Inflammatory pain is a complex condition that has a major negative impact on post-injury quality of life. Recently, astaxanthin treatment in mice has been shown to relieve the development and maintenance of inflammatory pain through its effective antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. However, the specific mechanisms underlying these effects remain unclear. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the mechanism by which astaxanthin alleviated inflammation using complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA)-induced inflammatory pain mice model. Mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia were observed on day 1 and up to day 14 post-surgery. The expression of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) in the left paw and L4-6 DRG were upregulated in the CFA model, and the expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/heme Oxygenase-1 (HO-1) pathways were increased. Astaxanthin relieved mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia caused by CFA-induced inflammatory pain and inhibited the inflammatory response (e.g., infiltration of inflammatory cells and production of inflammatory factors) in the paw and DRG. Additionally, astaxanthin inhibited p38 MAPK and enhanced Nrf2/HO-1 content in the left paw and DRG; it also reversed the pain caused by p38 MAPK and Nrf2 inhibitors. These findings suggest that AST exerts anti-inflammatory effects and regulates p38 MAPK and Nrf2/HO-1 to alleviate inflammatory pain.
- Published
- 2021