Role of TRPA1 expressed in bone tissue and the antinociceptive effect of the TRPA1 antagonist repeated administration in a breast cancer pain model

Aims Breast cancer-induced chronic pain is usually treated with opioids, but these compounds cause various adverse effects. Transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) is involved in cancer pain; also, endogenous TRPA1 agonists are associated with cancer pain development. The aim of this study was to observe the antinociceptive effect of a repeated-dose TRPA1 antagonist administration and the production of endogenous TRPA1 agonists and TRPA1 expression in bone tissue in a model of breast cancer pain in mice. Second, we used a sequence reading archive (SRA) strategy to observe the presence of this channel in the mouse bone and in mouse bone cell lines. Main methods We used BALB/c mice for experiments. The animals were subjected to the tumor cell inoculation (4 T1 strain). HC-030031 (a TRPA1 antagonist) treatment was done from day 11 to day 20 after tumor inoculation. TRPA1 expression and biochemical tests of oxidative stress were performed in the bone of mice (femur). SRA strategy was used to detect the TRPA1 presence. Key findings Repeated treatment with the TRPA1 antagonist produced an antinociceptive effect. There was an increase in hydrogen peroxide levels, NADPH oxidase and superoxide dismutase activities, but the expression of TRPA1 in the bone tissue was not altered. SRA did not show TRPA1 residual transcription in the osteoblast and osteoclast cell lines, as well as for mice cranial tissue and in mouse osteoclast precursors. Significance The TRPA1 receptor is a potential target for the development of new painkillers for the treatment of bone cancer pain.