TY - JOUR T1 - Therapeutic Efficacy in Experimental Polyarthritis of Viral-Driven Enkephalin Overproduction in Sensory Neurons JF - The Journal of Neuroscience JO - J. Neurosci. SP - 7881 LP - 7888 DO - 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.21-20-07881.2001 VL - 21 IS - 20 AU - Joao Braz AU - Caroline Beaufour AU - Anne Coutaux AU - Alberto L. Epstein AU - François Cesselin AU - Michel Hamon AU - Michel Pohl Y1 - 2001/10/15 UR - http://www.jneurosci.org/content/21/20/7881.abstract N2 - Rheumatoid arthritis is characterized by erosive inflammation of the joints, new bone proliferation, and ankylosis, leading to severely reduced locomotion and intense chronic pain. In a model of this disease, adjuvant-induced polyarthritis in the rat, neurons involved in pain transmission and control undergo plastic changes, especially at the spinal level. These changes affect notably neurons that contain opioids, such as enkephalins deriving from preproenkephalin A (PA) precursor protein. Using recombinant herpes simplex virus containing rat PA cDNA, we enhanced enkephalin synthesis in sensory neurons of polyarthritic rats. This treatment markedly improved locomotion and reduced hyperalgesia. Furthermore, the progression of bone destruction slowed down, which is the most difficult target to reach in the treatment of patients suffering from arthritis. These data demonstrate the therapeutic efficacy of enkephalin overproduction in a model of systemic inflammatory and painful chronic disorder. ER -