Min K Park

Kyungpook National University, Sangju, North Gyeongsang, South Korea

Are you Min K Park?

Claim your profile

Publications (3)10.02 Total impact

  • Article: A novel trigeminal neuropathic pain model: compression of the trigeminal nerve root produces prolonged nociception in rats.
    [show abstract] [hide abstract]
    ABSTRACT: We demonstrate the establishment of a novel animal model for trigeminal neuropathic pain following compression of the trigeminal nerve root, which produces prolonged nociceptive behavior and demyelination of the trigeminal nerve root. Under anesthesia, male Sprague-Dawley rats (200-230 g) were mounted onto a stereotaxic frame and injections of a 4% agar solution (10 μl) were given to achieve compression of the trigeminal nerve root. A sham operation was performed using identical procedures but without agar injections. Nociceptive behavior was examined 3 days before and then at 3, 7, 10, 14, 17, 21, 24, 30, 40, 55, and 70 days after the surgery. Compression of the trigeminal nerve root caused mechanical allodynia, hyperalgesia, and cold hypersensitivity. Mechanical allodynia was established within 3 days and recovered to preoperative levels on postoperative day (POD) 40. Mechanical hyperalgesia and cold hypersensitivity persisted until 55 days following compression. The compression produced focal demyelination in the trigeminal nerve root. In the medullary dorsal horn, phospho-p38 (p-p38) mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) was found to be exclusively expressed in the microglia on POD 14. Furthermore, intraperitoneal administration of carbamazepine (50mg/kg) significantly blocked mechanical allodynia and reduced p38 MAPK activation induced by the compression of the trigeminal nerve root. Our findings suggest that prolonged nociceptive behavior following compression of the trigeminal nerve root may mimic trigeminal neuralgia in this animal model and that the activation of p38 MAPK in the microglia contributes to pain hypersensitivity in rats that have undergone compression of the trigeminal nerve root.
    Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry 03/2012; 38(2):149-58. · 3.25 Impact Factor
  • Source
    Article: Behavioral evidence for the differential regulation of p-p38 MAPK and p-NF-κB in rats with trigeminal neuropathic pain.
    [show abstract] [hide abstract]
    ABSTRACT: We investigated the differential regulation of p-p38 MAPK or p-NF-κB in male Sprague-Dawley rats with inferior alveolar nerve injury resulting from mal-positioned dental implants. For this purpose, we characterized the temporal expression of p-p38 MAPK or p-NF-κB in the medullary dorsal horn and examined changes in nociceptive behavior after a blockade of p-p38 MAPK or p-NF-κB pathways in rats with trigeminal neuropathic pain. Under anesthesia, the left lower second molar was extracted and replaced with a mini dental implant to intentionally injure the inferior alveolar nerve. Western and immunofluorescence analysis revealed that p-p38 MAPK is upregulated in microglia following nerve injury and that this expression peaked on postoperative day (POD) 3 through 7. However, the activation of p-NF-κB in astrocyte peaked on POD 7 through 21. The intracisternal administration of SB203580 (1 or 10 μg), a p38 MAPK inhibitor, on POD 3 but not on POD 21 markedly inhibits mechanical allodynia and the p-p38 MAPK expression. However, the intracisternal administration of SN50 (0.2 or 2 ng), an NF-κB inhibitor, on POD 21 but not on POD 3 attenuates mechanical allodynia and p-NF-κB expression. Dexamethasone (25 mg/kg) decreases not only the activation of p38 MAPK but also that of NF-κB on POD 7. These results suggest that early expression of p-p38 MAPK in the microglia and late induction of p-NF-κB in astrocyte play an important role in trigeminal neuropathic pain and that a blockade of p-p38 MAPK at an early stage and p-NF-κB at a late stage might be a potential therapeutic strategy for treatment of trigeminal neuropathic pain.
    Molecular Pain 08/2011; 7:57. · 3.53 Impact Factor
  • Article: Peripheral administration of NR2 antagonists attenuates orofacial formalin-induced nociceptive behavior in rats.
    [show abstract] [hide abstract]
    ABSTRACT: The present study investigated the role of the peripheral NR2 subunits of N-methyl-d-aspartatic acid (NMDA) receptors in inflammatory orofacial pain. Experiments were carried out using adult male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 220 to 280 g. Formalin (5%, 50 μl) was applied subcutaneously to the vibrissa pad. For each animal, the number of noxious behavioral responses, including rubbing or scratching of the facial region proximal to the injection site, was recorded for 9 sequential 5 min intervals. NR2 subunit antagonists were injected subcutaneously at 20 min prior to formalin injection. The subcutaneous injection of 100 or 200 μg of memantine significantly suppressed the number of scratches in the second phase of the behavioral responses to formalin. The subcutaneous injection of 0.25, 2.5, or 25 μg of 5,7-dichlorokynurenic acid also produced significant antinociceptive effects in the second phase. The subcutaneous injection of AP-5 at high dose produced significant antinociceptive effects in the second phase. The subcutaneous injection of PPPA and Ro 25-6981 both significantly suppressed the number of scratches in the second phase. The antinociceptive doses of memantine (200 μg), 5,7-dichlorokynurenic acid (25 μg), AP-5 (20 μg), PPPA (2.5 μg), or Ro 25-6981 (50 μg) injected into the contralateral hind paw did not affect the number of scratches in both the first and second phases. Moreover, the peripheral administration of NR2 subunit antagonists, including other NMDA receptor blockers, did not produce any motor dysfunction. These results indicate that a targeted blockade of peripheral NR2 receptors is a potentially important new method of treating inflammatory pain in the orofacial area.
    Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry 02/2011; 35(4):982-6. · 3.25 Impact Factor