Nanoparticle fullerol alleviates radiculopathy via NLRP3 inflammasome and neuropeptides

Abstract The present study aimed to evaluate the analgesic effect of the antioxidant nanoparticle fullerol in a mouse radiculopathy and a dorsal root ganglion (DRG) culture models. Intervertebral disc degeneration causes significant hyperalgesia and nerve inflammation. Pain sensitization and inflammatory reaction were counteracted by fullerol when disc material was bathed in 10 or 100μM of fullerol prior to implantation. Immunohistochemistry showed similar massive IBA1 positive macrophage infiltration surrounding implanted disc material among groups, but IL-1β and IL-6 expression was decreased in fullerol treated group. In the DRG explant culture, after treatment with TNF-α, the expression of IL-1β, NLRP3, and caspase 1 was significantly increased but this was reversed by the addition of fullerol. In addition, fullerol also decreased the expression of substance P and CGRP in the cultured DRGs. Nanoparticle fullerol effectively counteracts pain sensitization and the inflammatory cascade caused by disc degeneration.