Effects of genetic overexpression of APPL1 on the expression of p-mTOR and hypersensitivity in STZ-induced diabetic rats. (a) The MWT values in control rats, PDN rats, PDN rats infected with APPL1 overexpression, and PDN rats treated with rapamycin (RAP). (b) The TWL values in control rats, PDN rats, PDN rats infected with APPL1 overexpression, and PDN rats treated with rapamycin. (c) The protein expression of APPL1 in spinal dorsal horn in control rats, PDN rats, and PDN rats with APPL1 overexpression. (d) The expression of p-mTOR in spinal dorsal horn in control rats, PDN rats, PDN rats with APPL1 overexpression, and PDN rats treated with rapamycin. (e) The expression of p-S6K in spinal dorsal horn in control rats, PDN rats, and PDN rats treated with rapamycin. The abbreviations for the groups of normal control, painful diabetic neuropathy (PDN) + vacant lentiviral vector, PDN + APPL1 genetic overexpression and PDN + rapamycin are shown as CON, PDN, OXP and RAP. (n = 6 for behavioral tests, n = 4 for Western blotting assay; *P < 0.05 vs. CON group, #P < 0.05 vs. PDN group in Figure 6(a) and (b); *P < 0.05 vs. PDN group in Figure 6(c) to (e)). Data are expressed as the means ± SEM.