Papers of the Week

The αδ-1 subunit of voltage-gated calcium channels binds to gabapentin and pregabalin, mediating the analgesic action of these drugs against neuropathic pain. Extracellular matrix proteins from the thrombospondin (TSP) family have been identified as ligands of αδ-1 in the CNS. This interaction was found to be crucial for excitatory synaptogenesis and neuronal sensitisation which in turn can be inhibited by gabapentin, suggesting a potential role in the pathogenesis of neuropathic pain. Here, we provide information on the biochemical properties of the direct TSP/αδ-1 interaction using an ELISA-style ligand binding assay. Our data reveal that full-length pentameric TSP-4, but neither TSP-5/COMP of the pentamer-forming subgroup B nor TSP-2 of the trimer-forming subgroup A directly interact with a soluble variant of αδ-1 (αδ-1). Interestingly, this interaction is not inhibited by gabapentin on a molecular level and is not detectable on the surface of HEK293-EBNA cells over-expressing αδ-1 protein. These results provide biochemical evidence that supports a specific role of TSP-4 among the TSPs in mediating the binding to neuronal αδ-1 and suggest that gabapentin does not directly target TSP/αδ-1 interaction to alleviate neuropathic pain.