Gene Expression Changes in the Brainstem and Prefrontal Cortex in a Mouse Model of Orofacial Pain

Abstract

The brainstem and prefrontal cortex are known to play important roles in pain, and could be involved in different phases of pain processing. The brainstem is known to receive nociceptive information and involved in the descending pain inhibitory system, while the prefrontal cortex is important in the cognitive control of pain. The present study was carried out using microarray-based approaches to examine gene expression and miRNA changes in the brainstem and prefrontal cortex in a mouse facial carrageenan injection model of orofacial pain. At the brainstem level, increased expression of genes related to ¿leukocyte adhesion¿ were observed in the mice brainstems three days after facial carrageenan injection. At the prefrontal cortex level, increased expression of miRNAs related to inflammatory diseases and immune responses, and increased levels of immune response-related genes were observed in the prefrontal cortex three days after facial carrageenan injection.