Süperior servikal gangliyonektomi uygulanan sıçanlarda trigeminal nükleus c-fos aktivitesinin ve mast hücre sayısı ve içeriklerinin değerlendirilmesi

Migraine headache is one of the most common pain syndromes, with high societal costs, still requiring more efficient treatments. Dura mater is densely innervated and invested by plenty of mast cells. Neurogenic inflammation in dura mater due to trigeminal nociceptive activation has been implicated for pathophysiology of migraine. Migraine is also associated with sympathetic insuffiency. In this study it is intended to investigate the effects of short-term sympathectomy on number of mast cells in dura mater and c-fos expression in trigeminal nucleus. In the experiments 20 male sıçans were used. Group 1 Sympathectomized: Under anaesthesia, left superior servical sympathetic ganglion removed via incision by center line at neck area. Rats recovered in individual cages with tap water and food available ad libitum for five days. Group 2 Sham: Ganglion and nerves were exposed but not dissected. Group 3 Control: No treatment was done. Group 4 Positive control: Two different models were used for inducing c-fos expression. One is 50 µl % 5 formalin applied to nasal mucosa, and second is otolog 0.3 ml of autologous non-heparinized blood was injected into the cisterna magna over about 1 min via a tuberculin syringe (1 ml).Under deep anaesthesia, rats were perfused intracardiacally with phosphate buffer saline (PBS), followed by 4% paraformaldehyde. Dura maters stained with toluidine blue, and brainstems were labelled by indirect immunohistochemistry for c-fos. Statistical analysis was performed using Kruskal-Wallis test followed by Dunn?s multiple comparison test. Sympathectomy significantly increased number of mast cells in ipsilateral and contralateral dura maters (p<0.001) and the c-fos expression in ipsilateral side trigeminal nucleus. Change in number of mast cell by short term sympathectomy is a proof of mast cell-nerve interaction and neurogenic inflammation. Together with results of mast cells and the c-fos activity in trigeminal nucleus suggests that superior cervical ganglionectomy can be experimental model of migraine.Key words: Migraine, Dura mater, sympathectomy, mast cell, c-fos