Involvement of alpha(2)-adrenoceptors in mediating sympathetic excitation of injured dorsal root ganglion neurons in rats with spinal nerve ligation

The present study examined the effects of sympathetic stimulation on the activity of primary afferent neurons that had peripheral axons being injured previously by a spinal nerve ligation. About 22% of afferents with injured fibers that showed spontaneous discharge were excited by sympathetic stimulation or systemic injection of adrenaline. Most sympathetically-excited afferent neurons had axons that conducted in the A-fiber range. This sympathetically-evoked afferent excitation was not affected by cutting the spinal nerve at a place close to the dorsal root ganglion (DRG). Yohimbine, alpha(2)-antagonist, suppressed sympathetically-evoked afferent excitation which was not affected by alpha(i)-antagonist prazosin. Clonidine, alpha(2)-agonist, exerted an excitatory effect, whereas oil-agonist phenylephrine had no effect on the activity of afferents with injured fibers. No afferent fibers in control preparations responded to sympathetic stimulation. The results suggest that after a spinal nerve ligation, injured DRG neurons with fast-conducting fibers become sensitive to sympathetic activity via activation of alpha(2)-adrenoceptors. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.