Sex-related differences in response to masseteric injections of glutamate and nerve growth factor in healthy human participants
Abstract The neurophysiological mechanisms underlying NGF-induced masseter muscle sensitization and sex-related differences in its effect are not well understood in humans. Therefore, this longitudinal cohort study aimed to investigate the effect of NGF injection on the density and expression of sub...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2021-07-01
|
| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-93171-2 |
| _version_ | 1818401393470341120 |
|---|---|
| author | Abdelrahman M. Alhilou Akiko Shimada Camilla I. Svensson Peter Svensson Malin Ernberg Brian E. Cairns Nikolaos Christidis |
| author_facet | Abdelrahman M. Alhilou Akiko Shimada Camilla I. Svensson Peter Svensson Malin Ernberg Brian E. Cairns Nikolaos Christidis |
| author_sort | Abdelrahman M. Alhilou |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The neurophysiological mechanisms underlying NGF-induced masseter muscle sensitization and sex-related differences in its effect are not well understood in humans. Therefore, this longitudinal cohort study aimed to investigate the effect of NGF injection on the density and expression of substance P, NMDA-receptors and NGF by the nerve fibers in the human masseter muscle, to correlate expression with pain characteristics, and to determine any possible sex-related differences in these effects of NGF. The magnitude of NGF-induced mechanical sensitization and pain during oral function was significantly greater in women than in men (P < 0.050). Significant positive correlations were found between nerve fiber expression of NMDA-receptors and peak pain intensity (rs = 0.620, P = 0.048), and expression of NMDA-receptors by putative nociceptors and change in temporal summation pain after glutamate injection (rs = 0.561, P = 0.003). In women, there was a significant inverse relationship between the degree of NGF-induced mechanical sensitization and the change in nerve fiber expression of NMDA-receptors alone (rs = − 0.659, P = 0.013), and in combination with NGF (rs = − 0.764, P = 0.001). In conclusion, women displayed a greater magnitude of NGF-induced mechanical sensitization that also was associated with nerve fibers expression of NMDA-receptors, when compared to men. The present findings suggest that, in women, increased peripheral NMDA-receptor expression could be associated with masseter muscle pain sensitivity. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T07:51:45Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3ad27e6f08df4f04bb27d76dd357d1ca |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T07:51:45Z |
| publishDate | 2021-07-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-3ad27e6f08df4f04bb27d76dd357d1ca2022-12-21T23:10:41ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222021-07-0111111210.1038/s41598-021-93171-2Sex-related differences in response to masseteric injections of glutamate and nerve growth factor in healthy human participantsAbdelrahman M. Alhilou0Akiko Shimada1Camilla I. Svensson2Peter Svensson3Malin Ernberg4Brian E. Cairns5Nikolaos Christidis6Department of Restorative Dentistry, College of Dentistry, Umm Al-Qura UniversityDepartment of Geriatric Dentistry, Osaka Dental UniversityDepartment of Physiology and Pharmacology, Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska InstitutetSection of Orofacial Pain and Jaw Function, Department of Dentistry and Oral Health, Aarhus University, and Scandinavian Center for Orofacial Neurosciences (SCON)Division of Oral Diagnostics and Rehabilitation, Department of Dental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, and Scandinavian Center for Orofacial Neurosciences (SCON)Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British ColumbiaDivision of Oral Diagnostics and Rehabilitation, Department of Dental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, and Scandinavian Center for Orofacial Neurosciences (SCON)Abstract The neurophysiological mechanisms underlying NGF-induced masseter muscle sensitization and sex-related differences in its effect are not well understood in humans. Therefore, this longitudinal cohort study aimed to investigate the effect of NGF injection on the density and expression of substance P, NMDA-receptors and NGF by the nerve fibers in the human masseter muscle, to correlate expression with pain characteristics, and to determine any possible sex-related differences in these effects of NGF. The magnitude of NGF-induced mechanical sensitization and pain during oral function was significantly greater in women than in men (P < 0.050). Significant positive correlations were found between nerve fiber expression of NMDA-receptors and peak pain intensity (rs = 0.620, P = 0.048), and expression of NMDA-receptors by putative nociceptors and change in temporal summation pain after glutamate injection (rs = 0.561, P = 0.003). In women, there was a significant inverse relationship between the degree of NGF-induced mechanical sensitization and the change in nerve fiber expression of NMDA-receptors alone (rs = − 0.659, P = 0.013), and in combination with NGF (rs = − 0.764, P = 0.001). In conclusion, women displayed a greater magnitude of NGF-induced mechanical sensitization that also was associated with nerve fibers expression of NMDA-receptors, when compared to men. The present findings suggest that, in women, increased peripheral NMDA-receptor expression could be associated with masseter muscle pain sensitivity.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-93171-2 |
| spellingShingle | Abdelrahman M. Alhilou Akiko Shimada Camilla I. Svensson Peter Svensson Malin Ernberg Brian E. Cairns Nikolaos Christidis Sex-related differences in response to masseteric injections of glutamate and nerve growth factor in healthy human participants Scientific Reports |
| title | Sex-related differences in response to masseteric injections of glutamate and nerve growth factor in healthy human participants |
| title_full | Sex-related differences in response to masseteric injections of glutamate and nerve growth factor in healthy human participants |
| title_fullStr | Sex-related differences in response to masseteric injections of glutamate and nerve growth factor in healthy human participants |
| title_full_unstemmed | Sex-related differences in response to masseteric injections of glutamate and nerve growth factor in healthy human participants |
| title_short | Sex-related differences in response to masseteric injections of glutamate and nerve growth factor in healthy human participants |
| title_sort | sex related differences in response to masseteric injections of glutamate and nerve growth factor in healthy human participants |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-93171-2 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT abdelrahmanmalhilou sexrelateddifferencesinresponsetomassetericinjectionsofglutamateandnervegrowthfactorinhealthyhumanparticipants AT akikoshimada sexrelateddifferencesinresponsetomassetericinjectionsofglutamateandnervegrowthfactorinhealthyhumanparticipants AT camillaisvensson sexrelateddifferencesinresponsetomassetericinjectionsofglutamateandnervegrowthfactorinhealthyhumanparticipants AT petersvensson sexrelateddifferencesinresponsetomassetericinjectionsofglutamateandnervegrowthfactorinhealthyhumanparticipants AT malinernberg sexrelateddifferencesinresponsetomassetericinjectionsofglutamateandnervegrowthfactorinhealthyhumanparticipants AT brianecairns sexrelateddifferencesinresponsetomassetericinjectionsofglutamateandnervegrowthfactorinhealthyhumanparticipants AT nikolaoschristidis sexrelateddifferencesinresponsetomassetericinjectionsofglutamateandnervegrowthfactorinhealthyhumanparticipants |