Inhibition of P2X7 Purinergic Receptor Ameliorates Fibromyalgia Syndrome by Suppressing NLRP3 Pathway

• Main Authors: Ramona D’Amico, Roberta Fusco, Rosalba Siracusa, Daniela Impellizzeri, Alessio Filippo Peritore, Enrico Gugliandolo, Livia Interdonato, Andrea Maria Sforza, Rosalia Crupi, Salvatore Cuzzocrea, Tiziana Genovese, Marika Cordaro, Rosanna Di Paola
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-06-01
• Series: International Journal of Molecular Sciences
• Subjects: fibromyalgia; P2X7 receptor; NLRP3 inflammasome; neuroinflammation
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/22/12/6471
• ISSN: 1661-6596; 1422-0067

Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition characterized by persistent widespread pain that significantly reduces quality of life in patients. The purinergic P2X7 receptor (P2X7R) seems to be involved in different pain states and neuroinflammation. The purpose of this study is to investigate the positive effects of P2X7R inhibition by the antagonist Brilliant Blue G (BBG) in a rat model of reserpine-induced fibromyalgia. Sprague–Dawley male rats were injected with 1 mg/kg of reserpine for three consecutive days. Later, animals were administered BBG (50 mg/kg) intraperitoneally for seven days. Reserpine injections induced a significant increase in pain pro-inflammatory mediators as well as a significant increase in neuroinflammation. Chronic pain, in turn, led to depressive-like symptoms and reduced neurogenesis. Blockage of P2X7R by BBG administrations is able to attenuate the behavioral deficits, pain mediators and microglial activation induced by reserpine injection. Additionally, BBG prevents NLRP3 inflammasome activation and consequently the release of active interleukin (IL)-1 and IL-18, involved in the activation of nociceptors. In conclusion, these results suggest that inhibition of P2X7R should be further investigated to develop a potential approach for the management of fibromyalgia.