Transgenic mice over-expressing substance P exhibit allodynia and hyperalgesia which are reversed by substance P and N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor antagonists

A transgenic mouse has been developed which, during development, over-expresses nerve growth factor under the control of a myelin basic protein promoter. These animals display an ectopic network of substance P-containing sensory fibers in the white matter of the spinal cord. To study the functional significance of this model to nociception, these mice were studied in a test measuring the latency to tail withdrawal from a noxious radiant heat …