Activation of Adenosine Monophosphate–activated Protein Kinase Suppresses Neuroinflammation and Ameliorates Bone Cancer Pain

Abstract Background Activation of adenosine monophosphate–activated kinase (AMPK) has been associated with the inhibition of inflammatory nociception and the attenuation of morphine antinociceptive tolerance. In this study, the authors investigated the impact of AMPK activation through resveratrol treatment on bone cancer pain. Methods The nociception was assessed by measuring the incidence of foot withdrawal in response to mechanical indentation in rats (n = 8). Cytokine expression was measured using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (n = 8). Cell signalings were assayed by western blot (n = 4) and immunohistochemistry (n = 5). The microglial cell line BV-2, primary astrocytes, and neuron-like SH-SY5Y cells were cultured to investigate the in vitro effects. Results Resveratrol and 5-amino-1-β-d-ribofuranosyl-imidazole-4-carboxamide, the AMPK activators, significantly attenuated bone cancer pain in rats with tumor cell implantation (TCI; threshold of mechanical withdrawal, resveratrol vs. vehicle: 10.1 ± 0.56 vs. 4.1 ± 0.37; 5-amino-1-β-d-ribofuranosyl-imidazole-4-carboxamide vs. vehicle: 8.2 ± 0.17 vs. 4.1 ± 0.37, mean ± SEM); these effects were reversed by the AMPK inhibitor compound C (compound C vs. resveratrol: 6.2 ± 1.35 vs. 10.1 ± 0.56, mean ± SEM). Resveratrol has an AMPK-dependent inhibitory effect on TCI-evoked astrocyte and microglial activation. The antinociceptive effects of resveratrol were partially mediated by the reduced phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases and decreased production of proinflammatory cytokines in an AMPK-dependent manner. Furthermore, resveratrol potently inhibited inflammatory factors–mediated protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin signaling in neurons. Acute pain evoked by proinflammatory cytokines in the spinal cord was significantly attenuated by resveratrol. Conclusions AMPK activation in the spinal glia by resveratrol may have utility in the treatment of TCI-induced neuroinflammation, and our results further implicate AMPK as a novel target for the attenuation of bone cancer pain.