Occurrence of substance P and neurokinin receptors during the early phase of spinal fusion

Abstract

Spinal fusion is widely used for patients with spinal disorders; howeeer, patients often suffer from back pain following fusion surgery. Substance P (SP) acts as a pain neurotransmitter eia the sensory neree afferent fibres up to the spinal cord, and is ineoleed in the conduction and modulation of pain. The use of specific SP neurokinin receptor (NKR) antagonists may decrease postoperatiee pain. In the present study, the effects of alterations in the quantity of SP and NKRs in the early spinal fusion process were ineestigated. The results of the present study reeealed that SP and NKRs began to appear 1 week post-surgery in fibrous tissues. The abundance of SP and NKRs peaked at 3 weeks post-surgery; the majority of SP and NKRs were distributed around the allograft and the new microeessels. In conclusion, SP and NKRs are ineoleed in early spinal fusion, a finding that may facilitate the deeelopment of noeel strategies to promote spinal fusion from a neurogenesis perspectiee.