Spinal nerve ligation decreases γ-aminobutyric acidB receptors on specific populations of immunohistochemically identified neurons in L5 dorsal root ganglion of the rat

This study examined the distribution of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)B receptors on immunohistochemically identified neurons, and levels of GABAB(1) and GABAB(2) mRNA, in the L4 and L5 dorsal root ganglia (DRG) of the rat in the absence of injury and 2 weeks after L5 spinal nerve ligation. In uninjured DRG, GABAB(1) immunoreactivity colocalized exclusively with the neuronal marker (NeuN) and did not colocalize with the satellite cell marker S-100. The GABAB(1) subunit colocalized to >97% of DRG neurons immunoreactive (IR) for neurofilament 200 (N52) or calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), or labeled by isolectin B4 (IB4). Immunoreactivity for GABAB(2) was not detectable. L5 spinal nerve ligation did not alter the number of GABAB(1)-IR neurons or its colocalization pattern in the L4 DRG. However, ligation reduced the number of GABAB(1)-IR neurons in the L5 DRG by approximate to 38% compared with sham-operated and naive rats. Specifically, ligation decreased the number of CGRP-IR neurons in the L5 DRG by 75%, but did not decrease the percent colocalization of GABAB(1) in those that remained. In the few IB4-positive neurons that remained in the L5 DRG, colocalization of GABAB(1)-IR decreased to 75%. Ligation also decreased levels of GABAB(1) and GABAB(2) mRNA in the L5, but not the L4 DRG compared with sham-operated or naive rats. These findings indicate that the GABAB receptor is positioned to presynaptically modulate afferent transmission by myelinated, unmyelinated, and peptidergic afferents in the dorsal horn. Loss of GABAB receptors on primary afferent neurons may contribute to the development of mechanical allodynia after L5 spinal nerve ligation. J. Comp. Neurol. 520:16631677, 2012. (C) 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.