Bioinformatic and Behavioral Analysis of Pannexin 1 Involvement in Cutaneous Perception in Mice

To reveal new functions of pannexin 1 in the mouse nervous system, cell types with the most pronounced expression of the gene encoding this protein were identified by bioinformatic analysis. It turned out that sensory neurons PSNP3 and PSNP6 of the dorsal root ganglia have the highest expression levels of Panx1, as well as high expression of purinoreceptor p2rx3, and other genes associated with the perception of pain and skin itch. The scratch reflex induced by compound 48/80 was suppressed in Panx1 knockout mice compared to wild-type mice, confirming the involvement of Panx1 in the purinergic regulation of sensory nerve fibers responsible for itch perception.