Use of the tetracycline-regulated transactivator system to study the role played by galanin in sensory neuron survival

甘丙肽是一种小蛋白，广泛表达在身体的痛觉神经(DRG)中。在神经系统受伤或割伤后，这些神经中的甘丙素水平至少会增加100倍。为了了解更多关于甘丙素蛋白的信息，我们利用基因工程技术培育了痛觉神经甘丙素缺失的小鼠。在许多不同的动物模型中，这会导致神经性疼痛的完全逆转。我们现在已经证明甘丙素对于一些痛感神经元的生存是必需的，在缺乏甘丙肽的情况下，它们在出生后不久就会死亡。这项应用是我们之前由MRC资助的研究的直接延续，我们将使用基因工程中的最新技术来分离和进一步研究甘丙素及其受体亚型在发育过程中和成人的痛感神经中所扮演的角色，特别是神经病理性疼痛行为。

Galanin is a small protein that is widely expressed in the pain-sensing nerves (DRG) of the body. The levels of galanin in these nerves increase by a least 100 fold after an injury or cut to the nervous system. To find out more about the galanin protein we have used the techniques of genetic engineering to generate mice in which galanin has been deleted in the pain sensing nerves. This causes a complete reversal of neuropathic pain in a number of different animal models. We have now shown that galanin is necessary for the survival of some pain sensing neurons and in its absence they die shortly after birth.This application is a direct continuation of our previous MRC-funded studies and we will use the latest techniques in genetic engineering to separate and further study the roles played by galanin and its receptor subtypes in the pain sensing nerves during development and in the adult, with specific reference to neuropathic pain behaviour.