Involvement of chemokine CXCL11 in the development of morphine tolerance in rats with cancer‐induced bone pain

Morphine is viewed as one of the classical treatments for intractable pain, but its role is limited by side effects, including analgesic tolerance. A few chemokines have been reported to be engaged in the mechanisms of morphine tolerance. However, the exact roles of CXC chemokine 11 (CXCL11) in chronic morphine tolerance remain unknown. In this study, Walker 256 mammary gland carcinoma cells were inoculated into the tibia of rats to provoke cancer-induced bone pain. Then, morphine was intrathecally administered twice daily for seven consecutive days to induce drug tolerance. We found that the level of CXCL11 in lumbar spinal cord was increased during the development of morphine tolerance in cancer-induced bone pain rats. Meanwhile, CXCL11 was co-localized with markers of astrocytes and neurons in the spinal cord. Inhibition of CXCL11 by neutralizing antibodies could remarkably attenuate the degree of morphine tolerance and decrease the activation of astrocytes. Moreover, blocking astrocyte activation by d, l-Fluorocitric acid could distinctly alleviate morphine tolerance and reduce the expression of CXCL11. Finally, morphine stimulation could induce the release of CXCL11 by cultured astrocytes and neurons in vitro. In summary, our results provide evidence that spinal CXCL11 plays a powerful modulatory role in the development of morphine tolerance through cross-talking between astrocytes and neurons. Read the Review series “Pain”.