子宫内膜异位症（内异症）是一种严重影响妇女健康的常见病，发病率逐年上升。疼痛是内异症治疗的关键及难题，目前治疗内异症疼痛的药物或手术方法均不令人满意，因此探索更优的内异症疼痛治疗方法迫在眉睫。最新研究发现，神经病理性疼痛，包括外周敏化和中枢敏化，在内异症患者长期持续性的慢性疼痛发生中发挥重要作用，但机制不清。MAPK/CREB信号转导通路可能是内异症疼痛敏化调控的重要机制。本项目拟应用内异症SD大鼠模型，采用行为学、免疫组织化学和免疫印迹方法测定内异症不同干预前后DRG神经元和脊髓背角神经元MAPK/CREB信号通路变化，及其与异位病灶神经分布、模型疼痛行为改变的关系；应用离体DRG神经元细胞培养模型，研究雌激素及内异症相关活性因子干预前后MAPK/CREB信号通路变化及调控机制，以筛检MAPK/CREB信号转导通路介导内异症疼痛的关键分子，为内异症疼痛治疗提供更有效的治疗新靶点。

Pain is the key symptom in endometriosis, but the efficacy of the current treatments including medical and surgical therapy is still not satisfactory. Recent studies have found that endometriosis patients experience neuropathic pain, through peripheral sensitization in the primary nociceptive neurons, and, central sensitization in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord. The precise mechanisms of sustained, chronic pain in endometriosis are unclear though MAPK/CREB signaling pathway is believed to play an important role in mechanisms of pain regulation. ..In this project, we will use the SD rat model of endometriosis to measure changes associated with pain in vivo, together with cell culture of dorsal root ganglion cells in vitro. .(1).to create and evaluate gross behavioural changes associated with painful stimuli,.(2).to study immunohistochemical changes in dorsal root ganglia and endometriosis lesions using a panel of antibodies (anti-MAPK, anti-CREB, anti-NGF, etc),.(3).to use Western blotting to identify changes in protein levels in dorsal root ganglia and endometriosis lesions associated with chronic pain...At the same time, a culture of dorsal root ganglion cells will be performed to measure the effects of different interventions to identify key molecular proteins in neural signal transduction of endometriosis-associated pain...These studies will provide insights into the mechanisms of pain in this animal model of endometriosis.