The neurotrophin brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which acts as a transducer, is responsible for improving cerebral stroke, neuropathic pain, and depression. Exercise can alter extracellular nucleotide levels and purinergic receptors in central nervous system (CNS) structures. This inevitably activates or inhibits the expression of BDNF via purinergic receptors, particularly the P2X receptor (P2XR), to alleviate patho...

Diabetic neuropathic pain (DNP) is frequent among patients with diabetes. We previously showed that P2X3 upregulation in dorsal root ganglia (DRG) plays a role in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced DNP but the underlying mechanism is unclear. Here, a rat model of DNP was established by a single injection of STZ (65 mg/kg). Fasting blood glucose was significantly elevated from the 1 st to 3 rd week. Paw withdrawal thresholds (PWTs) a...

Purinergic signalling adenosine and its A1 receptors have been demonstrated to get involved in the mechanism of acupuncture (needling therapy) analgesia. However, whether purinergic signalling would be responsible for the local analgesic effect of moxibustion therapy, the predominant member in acupuncture family procedures also could trigger analgesic effect on pain diseases, it still remains unclear. In this study, we applied...