Robert LaMotte, PhD
Research & Publications
Biography
News
Research Summary
Dr. LaMotte's laboratory investigates the peripheral neural mechanisms of itch and pain. The neural basis of itch is poorly understood despite its clinical importance. Dr. LaMotte and his lab are currently addressing the problem by means of NIH funded research to characterize peripheral neural mechanisms encoding acute and persistent itch. Their approach is to correlate psychophysical measurements of itch and pain in humans (measured in the LaMotte lab) with electrophysiological recordings from pruriceptive and nociceptive peripheral nerve fibers in the monkey (obtained in the laboratory of Matthias Ringkamp, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine) using the same types of pruritic and nociceptive stimuli. The correlations are used to identify candidate neural mechanisms that code the sensations of acute itch and pathologically persistent itch. For example, Dr. LaMotte and his lab are using novel pruritogens (pruritic chemicals) that selectively activate one or more types of cutaneous nociceptors to elicit itch. They are also identifying experimental conditions that can enhance the itch or the pain produced by these and other pruritogens, and are seeking to define conditions where pain and itch coexist as can sometimes occur in clinical neuropathic or inflammatory diseases.
In preclinical models of inflammatory itch, Dr. LaMotte's lab is comparing the enhanced and persistent itch and pain accompanying either of two types of contact dermatitis - irritant dermatitis that activates the innate immune system and allergic contact dermatitis that additionally activates the adaptive immune system. They will determine the effects of reducing or eliminating activity in one set of nociceptive nerve fibers on the remaining sensibilities mediated by other types. This approach will aid the development of anti-pruritic and analgesic therapies that selectively modify itch and pain.
Coauthors
Research Interests
Anesthesiology; Nervous System; Neurochemistry; Neurons; Neurophysiology; Pain; Nociceptive Pain
Selected Publications
- Anti-nociceptive effects of bupivacaine-encapsulated PLGA nanoparticles applied to the compressed dorsal root ganglion in mice.Wang T, Hurwitz O, Shimada SG, Tian D, Dai F, Zhou J, Ma C, LaMotte RH. Anti-nociceptive effects of bupivacaine-encapsulated PLGA nanoparticles applied to the compressed dorsal root ganglion in mice. Neuroscience Letters 2018, 668:154-158.
- Molecular basis of tactile specialization in the duck bill.Schneider ER, Anderson EO, Mastrotto M, Matson JD, Schulz VP, Gallagher PG, LaMotte RH, Gracheva EO, Bagriantsev SN. Molecular basis of tactile specialization in the duck bill. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 2017, 114:13036-13041.
- Cl- channel is required for CXCL10-induced neuronal activation and itch response in a murine model of allergic contact dermatitis.Qu L, Fu K, Shimada SG, LaMotte RH. Cl- channel is required for CXCL10-induced neuronal activation and itch response in a murine model of allergic contact dermatitis. Journal Of Neurophysiology 2017, 118:619-624.
- Psychophysical measurements of itch and nociceptive sensations in an experimental model of allergic contact dermatitis.Pall PS, Hurwitz OE, King BA, LaMotte RH. Psychophysical measurements of itch and nociceptive sensations in an experimental model of allergic contact dermatitis. The Journal Of Pain : Official Journal Of The American Pain Society 2015, 16:741-9.
- CXCR3 chemokine receptor signaling mediates itch in experimental allergic contact dermatitis.Qu L, Fu K, Yang J, Shimada SG, LaMotte RH. CXCR3 chemokine receptor signaling mediates itch in experimental allergic contact dermatitis. Pain 2015, 156:1737-1746.
- Enhanced excitability of MRGPRA3- and MRGPRD-positive nociceptors in a model of inflammatory itch and pain.Qu L, Fan N, Ma C, Wang T, Han L, Fu K, Wang Y, Shimada SG, Dong X, LaMotte RH. Enhanced excitability of MRGPRA3- and MRGPRD-positive nociceptors in a model of inflammatory itch and pain. Brain : A Journal Of Neurology 2014, 137:1039-50.
- A subpopulation of nociceptors specifically linked to itch.Han L, Ma C, Liu Q, Weng HJ, Cui Y, Tang Z, Kim Y, Nie H, Qu L, Patel KN, Li Z, McNeil B, He S, Guan Y, Xiao B, Lamotte RH, Dong X. A subpopulation of nociceptors specifically linked to itch. Nature Neuroscience 2013, 16:174-82.
- In vivo responses of cutaneous C-mechanosensitive neurons in mouse to punctate chemical stimuli that elicit itch and nociceptive sensations in humans.Ma C, Nie H, Gu Q, Sikand P, Lamotte RH. In vivo responses of cutaneous C-mechanosensitive neurons in mouse to punctate chemical stimuli that elicit itch and nociceptive sensations in humans. Journal Of Neurophysiology 2012, 107:357-63.
- Behavioral differentiation between itch and pain in mouse.Shimada SG, LaMotte RH. Behavioral differentiation between itch and pain in mouse. Pain 2008, 139:681-687.
- Allergic Contact Dermatitis: A Model of Inflammatory Itch and Pain in Human and Mouse.LaMotte RH. Allergic Contact Dermatitis: A Model of Inflammatory Itch and Pain in Human and Mouse. Advances In Experimental Medicine And Biology 2016, 904:23-32.
- Chronic Compression of the Dorsal Root Ganglion Enhances Mechanically Evoked Pain Behavior and the Activity of Cutaneous Nociceptors in Mice.Wang T, Hurwitz O, Shimada SG, Qu L, Fu K, Zhang P, Ma C, LaMotte RH. Chronic Compression of the Dorsal Root Ganglion Enhances Mechanically Evoked Pain Behavior and the Activity of Cutaneous Nociceptors in Mice. PloS One 2015, 10:e0137512.