1
|
Yeh TY, Chang MF, Kan YY, Chiang H, Hsieh ST. HSP27 Modulates Neuropathic Pain by Inhibiting P2X3 Degradation. Mol Neurobiol 2024; 61:707-724. [PMID: 37656312 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-023-03582-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
The role of heat shock protein 27 (HSP27), a chaperone, in neuropathic pain after nerve injury has not been systematically surveyed despite its neuroprotective and regeneration-promoting effects. In this study, we found that HSP27 expression in sensory neurons of the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) mediated nerve injury-induced neuropathic pain. Neuropathic pain behaviors were alleviated by silencing HSP27 in the DRG of a rat spinal nerve ligation (SNL) model. Local injection of an HSP27-overexpression construct into the DRG of naïve rats elicited neuropathic pain behaviors. HSP27 interacted with a purinergic receptor, P2X3, and their expression patterns corroborated the induction and reversal of neuropathic pain according to two lines of evidence: colocalization immunohistochemically and immunoprecipitation biochemically. In a cell model cotransfected with HSP27 and P2X3, the degradation rate of P2X3 was reduced in the presence of HSP27. Such an alteration was mediated by reducing P2X3 ubiquitination in SNL rats and was reversed after silencing HSP27 in the DRGs of SNL rats. In summary, the interaction of HSP27 with P2X3 provides a new mechanism of injury-induced neuropathic pain that could serve as an alternative therapeutic target.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ti-Yen Yeh
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 10051, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Fong Chang
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 10051, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Yu Kan
- School of Medicine, College of Medicine, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, 80424, Taiwan
| | | | - Sung-Tsang Hsieh
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 10051, Taiwan.
- Graduate Institute of Brain and Mind Sciences, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 10051, Taiwan.
- Center of Precision Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 10051, Taiwan.
- Department of Neurology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, 10002, Taiwan.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Zhai M, Huang J, Yang S, Li N, Zeng J, Zheng Y, Sun W, Wu B. Transcriptomic analysis of differentially alternative splicing patterns in mice with inflammatory and neuropathic pain. Mol Pain 2024; 20:17448069241249455. [PMID: 38597175 PMCID: PMC11084985 DOI: 10.1177/17448069241249455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Although the molecular mechanisms of chronic pain have been extensively studied, a global picture of alternatively spliced genes and events in the peripheral and central nervous systems of chronic pain is poorly understood. The current study analyzed the changing pattern of alternative splicing (AS) in mouse brain, dorsal root ganglion, and spinal cord tissue under inflammatory and neuropathic pain. In total, we identified 6495 differentially alternatively spliced (DAS) genes. The molecular functions of shared DAS genes between these two models are mainly enriched in calcium signaling pathways, synapse organization, axon regeneration, and neurodegeneration disease. Additionally, we identified 509 DAS in differentially expressed genes (DEGs) shared by these two models, accounting for a small proportion of total DEGs. Our findings supported the hypothesis that the AS has an independent regulation pattern different from transcriptional regulation. Taken together, these findings indicate that AS is one of the important molecular mechanisms of chronic pain in mammals. This study presents a global description of AS profile changes in the full path of neuropathic and inflammatory pain models, providing new insights into the underlying mechanisms of chronic pain and guiding genomic clinical diagnosis methods and rational medication.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mingzhu Zhai
- Southern University of Science and Technology Yantian Hospital, Shenzhen, China
- Benqing Laboratory, Shenzhen Guangming District People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jiabin Huang
- Department of Pain Medicine and Shenzhen Municipal Key Laboratory for Pain Medicine, Shenzhen Nanshan People’s Hospital and the 6th Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University Health Science Center, Shenzhen, China
| | - Shaomin Yang
- Department of Pain Medicine and Shenzhen Municipal Key Laboratory for Pain Medicine, Shenzhen Nanshan People’s Hospital and the 6th Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University Health Science Center, Shenzhen, China
| | - Na Li
- Southern University of Science and Technology Yantian Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jun Zeng
- Center for Medical Experiments (CME), Shenzhen Guangming District People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yi Zheng
- Center for Medical Experiments (CME), Shenzhen Guangming District People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Wuping Sun
- Department of Pain Medicine and Shenzhen Municipal Key Laboratory for Pain Medicine, Shenzhen Nanshan People’s Hospital and the 6th Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University Health Science Center, Shenzhen, China
| | - Benqing Wu
- Benqing Laboratory, Shenzhen Guangming District People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Sher EK, Džidić-Krivić A, Karahmet A, Beća-Zećo M, Farhat EK, Softić A, Sher F. Novel therapeutical approaches based on neurobiological and genetic strategies for diabetic polyneuropathy - A review. Diabetes Metab Syndr 2023; 17:102901. [PMID: 37951098 DOI: 10.1016/j.dsx.2023.102901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neuropathy is among the most often reported consequences of diabetes and the biggest cause of morbidity and mortality in people suffering from this life-long disease. Although different therapeutic methods are available for diabetic neuropathy, it is still the leading cause of limb amputations, and it significantly decreases patients' quality of life. AIM This study investigates potential novel therapeutic options that could ameliorate symptoms of DN. METHODOLOGY Research and review papers from the last 10 years were taken into consideration. RESULTS There are various traditional drugs and non-pharmacological methods used to treat this health condition. However, the research in the area of pathogenic-oriented drugs in the treatment of DN showed no recent breakthroughs, mostly due to the limited evidence about their effectiveness and safety obtained through clinical trials. Consequently, there is an urgent demand for the development of novel therapeutic options for diabetic neuropathy. CONCLUSION Some of the latest novel diagnostic methods for diagnosing diabetic neuropathy are discussed as well as the new therapeutic approaches, such as the fusion of neuronal cells with stem cells, targeting gene delivery and novel drugs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emina Karahmet Sher
- Department of Biosciences, School of Science and Technology, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, NG11 8NS, United Kingdom.
| | - Amina Džidić-Krivić
- International Society of Engineering Science and Technology, Nottingham, United Kingdom; Department of Neurology, Clinical Hospital Zenica, Zenica, 72000, Bosnia and Herzegovina
| | - Alma Karahmet
- International Society of Engineering Science and Technology, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Merima Beća-Zećo
- International Society of Engineering Science and Technology, Nottingham, United Kingdom; Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Victoria International University, Mostar, 88000, Bosnia and Herzegovina
| | - Esma Karahmet Farhat
- International Society of Engineering Science and Technology, Nottingham, United Kingdom; Faculty of Food Technology, Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, 31000, Croatia
| | - Adaleta Softić
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Tuzla, Tuzla, 75000, Bosnia and Herzegovina
| | - Farooq Sher
- Department of Engineering, School of Science and Technology, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, NG11 8NS, United Kingdom.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Wang W, Wang Q, Huang J, Li H, Li F, Li X, Liu R, Xu M, Chen J, Mao Y, Ma L. Store-operated calcium entry mediates hyperalgesic responses during neuropathy. FEBS Open Bio 2023; 13:2020-2034. [PMID: 37606998 PMCID: PMC10626277 DOI: 10.1002/2211-5463.13699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Revised: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuropathic pain (NP), resulting from nerve injury, alters neural plasticity in spinal cord and brain via the release of inflammatory mediators. The remodeling of store-operated calcium entry (SOCE) involves the refilling of calcium in the endoplasmic reticulum via STIM1 and Orai1 proteins and is crucial for maintaining neural plasticity and neurotransmitter release. The mechanism underlying SOCE-mediated NP remains largely unknown. In this study, we found SOCE-mediated calcium refilling was significantly higher during neuropathic pain, and the major component Orai1 was specifically co-localized with neuronal markers. Intrathecal injection of SOCE antagonist SKF96365 remarkably alleviated nerve injury- and formalin-induced pain and suppressed c-Fos expression in response to innocuous mechanical stimulation. RNA sequencing revealed that SKF96365 altered the expression of spinal transcription factors, including Fos, Junb, and Socs3, during neuropathic pain. In order to identify the genes critical for SKF96365-induced effects, we performed weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) to identify the genes most correlated with paw withdrawal latency phenotypes. Of the 16 modules, MEsalmon module was the most highly correlated with SKF96365 induced effects. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis showed that the enriched genes of MEsalmon module were significantly related to Toll-like receptor signaling, steroid biosynthesis, and chemokine signaling, which may mediate the analgesic effect caused by SKF9636 treatment. Additionally, the SOCE antagonist YM-58483 produced similar analgesic effects in nerve injury- and formalin-induced pain. Our results suggest that manipulation of spinal SOCE signaling might be a promising target for pain relief by regulating neurotransmitter production and spinal transcription factor expression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wei Wang
- Shanghai Mental Health CenterShanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineShanghaiChina
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic DisordersChina
| | - Qiru Wang
- Department of PharmacyFudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Minhang BranchShanghaiChina
| | - Jinlu Huang
- Department of PharmacyShanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's HospitalChina
| | - Hong Li
- Shanghai Mental Health CenterShanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineShanghaiChina
| | - Fangjie Li
- Shanghai Mental Health CenterShanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineShanghaiChina
| | - Xue Li
- Department of Laboratory MedicineChanghai HospitalShanghaiChina
| | - Ruimei Liu
- Shanghai Mental Health CenterShanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineShanghaiChina
| | - Ming Xu
- Department of Digital and Cosmetic Dentistry, School & Hospital of StomatologyTongji UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Jinghong Chen
- Shanghai Mental Health CenterShanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineShanghaiChina
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic DisordersChina
| | - Yemeng Mao
- Shanghai Mental Health CenterShanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineShanghaiChina
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic DisordersChina
| | - Le Ma
- Shanghai Mental Health CenterShanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineShanghaiChina
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic DisordersChina
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Warner WS, Stubben C, Yeoh S, Light AR, Mahan MA. Next-generation RNA sequencing elucidates transcriptomic signatures of pathophysiologic nerve regeneration. Sci Rep 2023; 13:8856. [PMID: 37258605 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-35606-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The cellular and molecular underpinnings of Wallerian degeneration have been robustly explored in laboratory models of successful nerve regeneration. In contrast, there is limited interrogation of failed regeneration, which is the challenge facing clinical practice. Specifically, we lack insight on the pathophysiologic mechanisms that lead to the formation of neuromas-in-continuity (NIC). To address this knowledge gap, we have developed and validated a novel basic science model of rapid-stretch nerve injury, which provides a biofidelic injury with NIC development and incomplete neurologic recovery. In this study, we applied next-generation RNA sequencing to elucidate the temporal transcriptional landscape of pathophysiologic nerve regeneration. To corroborate genetic analysis, nerves were subject to immunofluorescent staining for transcripts representative of the prominent biological pathways identified. Pathophysiologic nerve regeneration produces substantially altered genetic profiles both temporally and in the mature neuroma microenvironment, in contrast to the coordinated genetic signatures of Wallerian degeneration and successful regeneration. To our knowledge, this study presents as the first transcriptional study of NIC pathophysiology and has identified cellular death, fibrosis, neurodegeneration, metabolism, and unresolved inflammatory signatures that diverge from pathways elaborated by traditional models of successful nerve regeneration.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wesley S Warner
- Department of Neurosurgery, Clinical Neurosciences Center, The University of Utah, 175 North Medical Dr. East, Salt Lake City, UT, 84132, USA
| | - Christopher Stubben
- Bioinformatics Shared Resource, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, USA
| | - Stewart Yeoh
- Department of Neurosurgery, Clinical Neurosciences Center, The University of Utah, 175 North Medical Dr. East, Salt Lake City, UT, 84132, USA
| | - Alan R Light
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Mark A Mahan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Clinical Neurosciences Center, The University of Utah, 175 North Medical Dr. East, Salt Lake City, UT, 84132, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Cuevas-Diaz Duran R, Li Y, Garza Carbajal A, You Y, Dessauer CW, Wu J, Walters ET. Major Differences in Transcriptional Alterations in Dorsal Root Ganglia Between Spinal Cord Injury and Peripheral Neuropathic Pain Models. J Neurotrauma 2023; 40:883-900. [PMID: 36178348 PMCID: PMC10150729 DOI: 10.1089/neu.2022.0238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic, often intractable, pain is caused by neuropathic conditions such as traumatic peripheral nerve injury (PNI) and spinal cord injury (SCI). These conditions are associated with alterations in gene and protein expression correlated with functional changes in somatosensory neurons having cell bodies in dorsal root ganglia (DRGs). Most studies of DRG transcriptional alterations have utilized PNI models where axotomy-induced changes important for neural regeneration may overshadow changes that drive neuropathic pain. Both PNI and SCI produce DRG neuron hyperexcitability linked to pain, but contusive SCI produces little peripheral axotomy or peripheral nerve inflammation. Thus, comparison of transcriptional signatures of DRGs across PNI and SCI models may highlight pain-associated transcriptional alterations in sensory ganglia that do not depend on peripheral axotomy or associated effects such as peripheral Wallerian degeneration. Data from our rat thoracic SCI experiments were combined with meta-analysis of published whole-DRG RNA-seq datasets from prominent rat PNI models. Striking differences were found between transcriptional responses to PNI and SCI, especially in regeneration-associated genes (RAGs) and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs). Many transcriptomic changes after SCI also were found after corresponding sham surgery, indicating they were caused by injury to surrounding tissue, including bone and muscle, rather than to the spinal cord itself. Another unexpected finding was of few transcriptomic similarities between rat neuropathic pain models and the only reported transcriptional analysis of human DRGs linked to neuropathic pain. These findings show that DRGs exhibit complex transcriptional responses to central and peripheral neural injury and associated tissue damage. Although only a few genes in DRG cells exhibited similar changes in expression across all the painful conditions examined here, these genes may represent a core set whose transcription in various DRG cell types is sensitive to significant bodily injury, and which may play a fundamental role in promoting neuropathic pain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Raquel Cuevas-Diaz Duran
- Tecnologico de Monterrey, Escuela de Medicina y Ciencias de la Salud, Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico
| | - Yong Li
- Department of Integrative Biology and Pharmacology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Anibal Garza Carbajal
- Department of Integrative Biology and Pharmacology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Yanan You
- Department of Neurosurgery, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
- Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, UT Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Carmen W. Dessauer
- Department of Integrative Biology and Pharmacology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Jiaqian Wu
- Department of Neurosurgery, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
- Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, UT Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Edgar T. Walters
- Department of Integrative Biology and Pharmacology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Liu Z, Liu Y, Dai J, Lao J. The temporal and spatial signature of microglial transcriptome in neuropathic pain. Neuroreport 2023; 34:338-347. [PMID: 36966811 PMCID: PMC10065820 DOI: 10.1097/wnr.0000000000001899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
Microglial activation following peripheral nerve injury is crucial for neuropathic pain (NP) development; however, studies on time-specific and spatial characteristics of microglial transcriptome are scarce. Firstly, we comparatively analysed microglial transcriptome of different brain regions and multiple timepoints after nerve injury by analysing the gene expression profile of GSE180627 and GSE117320. Then, we performed a mechanical pain hypersensitivity test on 12 rat neuropathic pain models using von Frey fibres at various timepoints after nerve injury. To further explore the key gene clusters closely related to the neuropathic pain phenotype, we conducted a weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) on the GSE60670 gene expression profile. Lastly, we performed a single-cell sequencing analysis on GSE162807 for identifying microglia subpopulations. We found that the trend of microglia's transcriptome changes after nerve injury was that mRNA expression changes mainly occur early after injury, which is also consistent with phenotypic changes (NP progression). We also revealed that in addition to spatial specificity, microglia are also temporally specific in NP progression following nerve injury. The WGCNA findings revealed that the functional analysis of the key module genes emphasized the endoplasmic reticulum's (ER's) crucial role in NP. In our single-cell sequencing analysis, microglia were clustered into 18 cell subsets, of which we identified specific subsets of two timepoints (D3/D7) post-injury. Our study further revealed the temporal and spatial gene expression specificity of microglia in neuropathic pain. These results contribute to our comprehensive understanding of the pathogenic mechanism of microglia in neuropathic pain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zeyuan Liu
- Department of Hand Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University
- Key Laboratory of Hand Reconstruction, Ministry of Health
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Peripheral Nerve and Microsurgery, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuzhou Liu
- Department of Hand Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University
- Key Laboratory of Hand Reconstruction, Ministry of Health
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Peripheral Nerve and Microsurgery, Shanghai, China
| | - Junxi Dai
- Department of Hand Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University
- Key Laboratory of Hand Reconstruction, Ministry of Health
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Peripheral Nerve and Microsurgery, Shanghai, China
| | - Jie Lao
- Department of Hand Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University
- Key Laboratory of Hand Reconstruction, Ministry of Health
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Peripheral Nerve and Microsurgery, Shanghai, China
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Wu S, Yang S, Li R, Ba X, Jiang C, Xiong D, Xiao L, Sun W. HSV-1 infection-induced herpetic neuralgia involves a CCL5/CCR5-mediated inflammation mechanism. J Med Virol 2023; 95:e28718. [PMID: 37185840 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.28718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Revised: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Herpetic-related neuralgia (HN) caused by varicella-zoster virus (VZV) infection is one of the most typical and common neuropathic pain in the clinic. However, the potential mechanisms and therapeutic approaches for the prevention and treatment of HN are still unclear. This study aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the molecular mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets of HN. We used an HSV-1 infection-induced HN mouse model and screened the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the DRG and spinal cord using an RNAseq technique. Moreover, bioinformatics methods were used to figure out the signaling pathways and expression regulation patterns of the DEGs enriched. In addition, quantitative real-time RT-PCR and western blot were carried out to further confirm the expression of DEGs. HSV-1 inoculation in mice resulted in mechanical allodynia, thermal hyperalgesia, and cold allodynia, following the infection of HSV-1 in both DRG and spinal cord. Besides, HSV-1 inoculation induced an up-regulation of ATF3, CGRP, and GAL in DRG and activation of astrocytes and microglia in the spinal cord. Moreover, 639 genes were upregulated, 249 genes were downregulated in DRG, whereas 534 genes were upregulated and 12 genes were downregulated in the spinal cord of mice 7 days after HSV-1 inoculation. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis suggested that immune responses and cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction are involved in DRG and spinal cord neurons in mice after HSV-1 infection. In addition, CCL5 and its receptor CCR5 were significantly upregulated in DRG and spinal cord upon HSV-1 infection in mice. And blockade of CCR5 exhibited a significant analgesic effect and suppressed the upregulation of inflammatory cytokines in DRG and spinal cord induced by HSV-1 infection in mice. HSV-1 infection-induced allodynia and hyperalgesia in mice through dysregulation of immune response and cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction mechanism. Blockade of CCR5 alleviated allodynia and hyperalgesia probably through the suppression of inflammatory cytokines. Therefore, CCR5 could be a therapeutic target for the alleviation of HSV-1 infection-induced HN.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Songbin Wu
- Shenzhen Municipal Key Laboratory for Pain Medicine, Department of Pain Medicine, National Key Clinic of Pain Medicine, Huazhong University of Science and Technology Union Shenzhen Hospital, The 6th Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University Health Science Center, Shenzhen, China
| | - Shaomin Yang
- Shenzhen Municipal Key Laboratory for Pain Medicine, Department of Pain Medicine, National Key Clinic of Pain Medicine, Huazhong University of Science and Technology Union Shenzhen Hospital, The 6th Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University Health Science Center, Shenzhen, China
| | - Rongzhen Li
- Shenzhen Municipal Key Laboratory for Pain Medicine, Department of Pain Medicine, National Key Clinic of Pain Medicine, Huazhong University of Science and Technology Union Shenzhen Hospital, The 6th Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University Health Science Center, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xiyuan Ba
- Shenzhen Municipal Key Laboratory for Pain Medicine, Department of Pain Medicine, National Key Clinic of Pain Medicine, Huazhong University of Science and Technology Union Shenzhen Hospital, The 6th Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University Health Science Center, Shenzhen, China
| | - Changyu Jiang
- Shenzhen Municipal Key Laboratory for Pain Medicine, Department of Pain Medicine, National Key Clinic of Pain Medicine, Huazhong University of Science and Technology Union Shenzhen Hospital, The 6th Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University Health Science Center, Shenzhen, China
| | - Donglin Xiong
- Shenzhen Municipal Key Laboratory for Pain Medicine, Department of Pain Medicine, National Key Clinic of Pain Medicine, Huazhong University of Science and Technology Union Shenzhen Hospital, The 6th Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University Health Science Center, Shenzhen, China
| | - Lizu Xiao
- Shenzhen Municipal Key Laboratory for Pain Medicine, Department of Pain Medicine, National Key Clinic of Pain Medicine, Huazhong University of Science and Technology Union Shenzhen Hospital, The 6th Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University Health Science Center, Shenzhen, China
| | - Wuping Sun
- Shenzhen Municipal Key Laboratory for Pain Medicine, Department of Pain Medicine, National Key Clinic of Pain Medicine, Huazhong University of Science and Technology Union Shenzhen Hospital, The 6th Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University Health Science Center, Shenzhen, China
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Ultramicronized N-Palmitoylethanolamine Regulates Mast Cell-Astrocyte Crosstalk: A New Potential Mechanism Underlying the Inhibition of Morphine Tolerance. Biomolecules 2023; 13:biom13020233. [PMID: 36830602 PMCID: PMC9953591 DOI: 10.3390/biom13020233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Persistent pain can be managed with opioids, but their use is limited by the onset of tolerance. Ultramicronized N-palmitoylethanolamine (PEA) in vivo delays morphine tolerance with mechanisms that are still unclear. Since glial cells are involved in opioid tolerance and mast cells (MCs) are pivotal targets of PEA, we hypothesized that a potential mechanism by which PEA delays opioid tolerance might depend on the control of the crosstalk between these cells. Morphine treatment (30 μM, 30 min) significantly increased MC degranulation of RBL-2H3 cells, which was prevented by pre-treatment with PEA (100 μM, 18 h), as evaluated by β-hexosaminidase assay and histamine quantification. The impact of RBL-2H3 secretome on glial cells was studied. Six-hour incubation of astrocytes with control RBL-2H3-conditioned medium, and even more so co-incubation with morphine, enhanced CCL2, IL-1β, IL-6, Serpina3n, EAAT2 and GFAP mRNA levels. The response was significantly prevented by the secretome from PEA pre-treated RBL-2H3, except for GFAP, which was further upregulated, suggesting a selective modulation of glial signaling. In conclusion, ultramicronized PEA down-modulated both morphine-induced MC degranulation and the expression of inflammatory and pain-related genes from astrocytes challenged with RBL-2H3 medium, suggesting that PEA may delay morphine tolerance, regulating MC-astrocyte crosstalk.
Collapse
|
10
|
Xu L, Chen Z, Li X, Xu H, Zhang Y, Yang W, Chen J, Zhang S, Xu L, Zhou S, Li G, Yu B, Gu X, Yang J. Integrated analyses reveal evolutionarily conserved and specific injury response genes in dorsal root ganglion. Sci Data 2022; 9:666. [PMID: 36323676 PMCID: PMC9630366 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-022-01783-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Rodent dorsal root ganglion (DRG) is widely used for studying axonal injury. Extensive studies have explored genome-wide profiles on rodent DRGs under peripheral nerve insults. However, systematic integration and exploration of these data still be limited. Herein, we re-analyzed 21 RNA-seq datasets and presented a web-based resource (DRGProfile). We identified 53 evolutionarily conserved injury response genes, including well-known injury genes (Atf3, Npy and Gal) and less-studied transcriptional factors (Arid5a, Csrnp1, Zfp367). Notably, we identified species-preference injury response candidates (e.g. Gpr151, Lipn, Anxa10 in mice; Crisp3, Csrp3, Vip, Hamp in rats). Temporal profile analysis reveals expression patterns of genes related to pre-regenerative and regenerating states. Finally, we found a large sex difference in response to sciatic nerve injury, and identified four male-specific markers (Uty, Eif2s3y, Kdm5d, Ddx3y) expressed in DRG. Our study provides a comprehensive integrated landscape for expression change in DRG upon injury which will greatly contribute to the neuroscience community.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lian Xu
- grid.260483.b0000 0000 9530 8833Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration, Ministry of Education and Jiangsu Province, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Tissue Engineering Technology Products, Nantong University, 19# Qixiu Road, Nantong, Jiangsu 226001 China
| | - Zhifeng Chen
- grid.260483.b0000 0000 9530 8833Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration, Ministry of Education and Jiangsu Province, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Tissue Engineering Technology Products, Nantong University, 19# Qixiu Road, Nantong, Jiangsu 226001 China
| | - Xiaodi Li
- grid.410745.30000 0004 1765 1045Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Hui Xu
- grid.260483.b0000 0000 9530 8833Nantong Institute of Genetics and Reproductive Medicine, Affiliated Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu China
| | - Yu Zhang
- grid.410745.30000 0004 1765 1045Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Weiwei Yang
- grid.410745.30000 0004 1765 1045Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Jing Chen
- grid.260483.b0000 0000 9530 8833Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration, Ministry of Education and Jiangsu Province, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Tissue Engineering Technology Products, Nantong University, 19# Qixiu Road, Nantong, Jiangsu 226001 China
| | - Shuqiang Zhang
- grid.260483.b0000 0000 9530 8833Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration, Ministry of Education and Jiangsu Province, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Tissue Engineering Technology Products, Nantong University, 19# Qixiu Road, Nantong, Jiangsu 226001 China
| | - Lingchi Xu
- grid.260483.b0000 0000 9530 8833Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration, Ministry of Education and Jiangsu Province, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Tissue Engineering Technology Products, Nantong University, 19# Qixiu Road, Nantong, Jiangsu 226001 China
| | - Songlin Zhou
- grid.260483.b0000 0000 9530 8833Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration, Ministry of Education and Jiangsu Province, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Tissue Engineering Technology Products, Nantong University, 19# Qixiu Road, Nantong, Jiangsu 226001 China
| | - Guicai Li
- grid.260483.b0000 0000 9530 8833Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration, Ministry of Education and Jiangsu Province, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Tissue Engineering Technology Products, Nantong University, 19# Qixiu Road, Nantong, Jiangsu 226001 China
| | - Bin Yu
- grid.260483.b0000 0000 9530 8833Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration, Ministry of Education and Jiangsu Province, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Tissue Engineering Technology Products, Nantong University, 19# Qixiu Road, Nantong, Jiangsu 226001 China
| | - Xiaosong Gu
- grid.260483.b0000 0000 9530 8833Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration, Ministry of Education and Jiangsu Province, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Tissue Engineering Technology Products, Nantong University, 19# Qixiu Road, Nantong, Jiangsu 226001 China ,grid.410745.30000 0004 1765 1045Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Jian Yang
- grid.260483.b0000 0000 9530 8833Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration, Ministry of Education and Jiangsu Province, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Tissue Engineering Technology Products, Nantong University, 19# Qixiu Road, Nantong, Jiangsu 226001 China
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Wang Y, Qin X, Han Y, Li B. VGF: A prospective biomarker and therapeutic target for neuroendocrine and nervous system disorders. Biomed Pharmacother 2022; 151:113099. [PMID: 35594706 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2022.113099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Revised: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuroendocrine regulatory polypeptide VGF (nerve growth factor inducible) was firstly found in the rapid induction of nerve growth factor on PC12 cells. It was selectively distributed in neurons and many neuroendocrine tissues. This paper reviewed the latest literatures on the gene structure, transcriptional regulation, protein processing, distribution and potential receptors of VGF. The neuroendocrine roles of VGF and its derived polypeptides in regulating energy, water electrolyte balance, circadian rhythm and reproductive activities were also summarized. Furthermore, based on the experimental evidence in vivo and in vitro, dysregulation of VGF in different neuroendocrine diseases and the possible mechanism mediated by VGF polypeptides were discussed. We next discussed the potential as the clinical diagnosis and therapy for VGF related diseases in the future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yibei Wang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, China; Department of Developmental Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, China.
| | - Xiaoxue Qin
- Department of Developmental Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, China.
| | - Yun Han
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, China.
| | - Bo Li
- Department of Developmental Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, China.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Wang L, Lao J. Microarray analysis of potential biomarkers of brachial plexus avulsion caused neuropathic pain in male rat. BMC Neurosci 2022; 23:31. [PMID: 35619085 PMCID: PMC9134582 DOI: 10.1186/s12868-022-00717-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
The present study aimed to investigate the expression of mRNA in the brachial plexus avulsion neuropathic pain model and analyze biological functions. Microarray mRNA assay and reverse transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were conducted. The whole blood was collected from two groups for Microarray mRNA analysis. The predicted mRNA targets were studied by gene ontology analysis and pathway analysis. We identified 3 targeted mRNAs, including PIK3CB, HRAS, and JUN. The results showed that PIK3CB, HRAS, and JUN gene expression was increased in the control group but decreased in the neuropathic pain group. These findings indicate that certain genes may be important biomarkers for the potential targets for the prevention and treatment of brachial plexus avulsion caused neuropathic pain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Le Wang
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Affiliated Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Medical School, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jie Lao
- Department of Hand Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Hand Reconstruction, Ministry of Health, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Peripheral Nerve and Microsurgery, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Sun C, Wu G, Zhang Z, Cao R, Cui S. Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase Receptor Type D Regulates Neuropathic Pain After Nerve Injury via the STING-IFN-I Pathway. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:859166. [PMID: 35493326 PMCID: PMC9047945 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.859166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuropathic pain is usually caused by injury or dysfunction of the somatosensory system, and medicine is a common way of treatment. Currently, there are still no satisfactory drugs, like opioids and lidocaine, which carry a high risk of addiction. Protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor type D (PTPRD) is a known therapeutic target in addiction pathways and small molecule inhibitors targeting it, such as 7-butoxy illudalic acid analog (7-BIA), have recently been developed to tackle addition. PTPRD is also upregulated in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) in a rat model of neuropathic pain, but is not yet clear whether PTPRD contributes to the development of neuropathic pain. Here, we established a chronic constriction injury (CCI) and evaluated PTPRD expression and its association with neuropathic pain. PTPRD expression was found to gradually increase after CCI in DRGs, and its expression was concomitant with the progressive development of hypersensitivity as assessed by both mechanical and thermal stimuli. Both PTPRD knockdown and administration of PTPRD inhibitor 7-BIA alleviated CCI-induced neuropathic pain while upregulating STING and IFN-α in the DRG. Treatment with H-151, a STING inhibitor, abolished the analgesic effects of PTPRD knockdown. Taken together, our study suggests that increased levels of PTPRD in the DRG following CCI are involved in the development of neuropathic pain via the STING-IFN-I pathway. 7-BIA, a small molecule inhibitor of PTPRD with anti-addiction effects, may represent a novel and safe therapeutic strategy for the clinical management of neuropathic pain without the risk of addiction.
Collapse
|
14
|
Yan W, Liu W, Wu J, Wu L, Xuan S, Wang W, Shang A. Neuropeptide Y in the amygdala contributes to neuropathic pain-like behaviors in rats via the neuropeptide Y receptor type 2/mitogen-activated protein kinase axis. Bioengineered 2022; 13:8101-8114. [PMID: 35313782 PMCID: PMC9162000 DOI: 10.1080/21655979.2022.2051783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is a highly conserved endogenous peptide in the central and peripheral nervous systems, which has been implicated in nociceptive signaling in neuropathic pain. However, downstream mechanistic actions remain uncharacterized. In this study, we sought to investigate the mechanism of NPY and its receptor NPY2R in the amygdala in rats with neuropathic pain-like behaviors induced by chronic constriction injury (CCI) of the sciatic nerve. The expression of NPY and NPY2R was found to be aberrantly up-regulated in neuropathic pain-related microarray dataset. Further, NPY was found to act on NPY2R in the basolateral amygdala (BLA). As reflected by the decrease in mechanical withdrawal threshold (MWT) and thermal withdrawal latency (TWL) as well as the increase of NPY expression in the amygdala of rats with neuropathic pain-like behaviors, NPY was closely related to the effect of amygdala nerve activity in neuropathic pain. Subsequently, mechanistic investigations indicated that NPY2R activated the MAPK signaling pathway in the amygdala. NPY2R-induced decrease of MWT and TWL were also restored in the presence of MAPK signaling pathway antagonist. Moreover, it was revealed that NPY2R overexpression promoted the viability while inhibiting the apoptosis of microglia. Taken together, NPY in the amygdala interacts with NPY2R to activate the MAPK signaling pathway, thereby promoting the occurrence of neuropathic pain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wenhui Yan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine Yangzhi Rehabilitation Hospital (Shanghai Sunshine Rehabilitation Center), Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, P.R. China.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, Tinghu People's Hospital, Yancheng, P.R. China
| | - Wuchao Liu
- Department of Neurorehabilitation, Yangzhi Rehabilitation Hospital (Shanghai Sunshine Rehabilitation Center), Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Junlu Wu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Shanghai Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Lipei Wu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Dongtai People's Hospital & Dongtai Hospital of Nantong University, Yancheng, P.R. China
| | - Shihai Xuan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Dongtai People's Hospital & Dongtai Hospital of Nantong University, Yancheng, P.R. China
| | - Weiwei Wang
- Department of Pathology, Tinghu People's Hospital, Yancheng, P.R. China
| | - Anquan Shang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Shanghai Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, P.R. China
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Aguilar G, Pagano N, Manuelidis L. Reduced Expression of Prion Protein With Increased Interferon-β Fail to Limit Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Agent Replication in Differentiating Neuronal Cells. Front Physiol 2022; 13:837662. [PMID: 35250638 PMCID: PMC8895124 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.837662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Immortalized uninfected septal (SEP) neurons proliferate but after physiological mitotic arrest they express differentiated neuronal characteristics including enhanced cell-to-cell membrane contacts and ≥ 8 fold increases in host prion protein (PrP). We compared proliferating uninfected and Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) agent infected cells with their arrested counterparts over 33 days by quantitative mRNA and protein blot analyses. Surprisingly, uninfected arrested cells increased interferon-β (IFN-β) mRNA by 2.5–8 fold; IFN-β mRNA elevations were not previously associated with neuronal differentiation. SEP cells with high CJD infectivity titers produced a much larger 40–68-fold increase in IFN-β mRNA, a classic host anti-viral response that is virucidal for RNA but not DNA viruses. High titers of CJD agent also induced dramatic decreases in host PrP, a protein needed for productive agent replication. Uninfected arrested cells produced large sustained 20–30-fold increases in PrP mRNA and protein, whereas CJD arrested cells showed only transient small 5-fold increases in PrP. A > 10-fold increase in infectivity, but not PrP misfolding, induced host PrP reductions that can limit CJD agent replication. In contrast to neuronal lineage cells, functionally distinct migratory microglia with high titers of CJD agent do not induce an IFN-β mRNA response. Because they have 1/50th of PrP of an average brain cell, microglia would be unable to produce the many new infectious particles needed to induce a large IFN-β response by host cells. Instead, microglia and related cells can be persistent reservoirs of infection and spread. Phase separations of agent-associated molecules in neurons, microglia and other cell types can yield new insights into the molecular structure, persistent, and evasive behavior of CJD-type agents.
Collapse
|
16
|
Liu Y, Jia M, Wu C, Zhang H, Chen C, Ge W, Wan K, Lan Y, Liu S, Li Y, Fang M, He J, Pan HL, Si JQ, Li M. Transcriptomic Profiling in Mice With CB1 receptor Deletion in Primary Sensory Neurons Suggests New Analgesic Targets for Neuropathic Pain. Front Pharmacol 2022; 12:781237. [PMID: 35046811 PMCID: PMC8762320 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.781237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Type 1 and type 2 cannabinoid receptors (CB1 and CB2, respectively) mediate cannabinoid-induced analgesia. Loss of endogenous CB1 is associated with hyperalgesia. However, the downstream targets affected by ablation of CB1 in primary sensory neurons remain unknown. In the present study, we hypothesized that conditional knockout of CB1 in primary sensory neurons (CB1cKO) alters downstream gene expression in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) and that targeting these pathways alleviates neuropathic pain. We found that CB1cKO in primary sensory neurons induced by tamoxifen in adult Advillin-Cre:CB1-floxed mice showed persistent hyperalgesia. Transcriptome/RNA sequencing analysis of the DRG indicated that differentially expressed genes were enriched in energy regulation and complement and coagulation cascades at the early phase of CB1cKO, whereas pain regulation and nerve conduction pathways were affected at the late phase of CB1cKO. Chronic constriction injury in mice induced neuropathic pain and changed transcriptome expression in the DRG of CB1cKO mice, and differentially expressed genes were mainly associated with inflammatory and immune-related pathways. Nerve injury caused a much larger increase in CB2 expression in the DRG in CB1cKO than in wildtype mice. Interfering with downstream target genes of CB1, such as antagonizing CB2, inhibited activation of astrocytes, reduced neuroinflammation, and alleviated neuropathic pain. Our results demonstrate that CB1 in primary sensory neurons functions as an endogenous analgesic mediator. CB2 expression is regulated by CB1 and may be targeted for the treatment of neuropathic pain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yongmin Liu
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Department of Pathophysiology, Medical College of Shihezi University, Shihezi, China
| | - Min Jia
- Clinical Laboratories, Wuhan First Hospital, Wuhan, China
| | - Caihua Wu
- Department of Acupuncture, Wuhan First Hospital, Wuhan, China
| | - Hong Zhang
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Chao Chen
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Wenqiang Ge
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Kexing Wan
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yuye Lan
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Shiya Liu
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yuanheng Li
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Mengyue Fang
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jiexi He
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Hui-Lin Pan
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Jun-Qiang Si
- Department of Physiology, Medical College of Shihezi University, Shihezi, China
| | - Man Li
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Xu C, Zheng H, Liu T, Zhang Y, Feng Y. Bioinformatics analysis identifies CSF1R as an essential gene mediating Neuropathic pain - Experimental research. Int J Surg 2021; 95:106140. [PMID: 34628075 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijsu.2021.106140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neuropathic pain (NP) severely affects the quality of life; however, there is no effective long-term treatment. The spinal dorsal horn (SDH) is an essential target for studying NP mechanisms and clinical treatments. MATERIALS AND METHODS We searched the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) for the datasets of SDH microarray changes in mice NP models. Bioinformatics analysis was conducted to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs), DEG enrichment pathways, and critical hub genes in the datasets. Finally, we explored the expression, function, and relevant mechanisms of the mouse NP model's most critical hub gene. RESULTS Two SDH microarray datasets for the mice NP model were retrieved from GEO, GSE75072, and GSE111216. We found 43 overlapping DEGs in the datasets, primarily in the inflammatory and immune pathways. The most essential hub gene was the colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R). Seven days after creating the mouse NP model-spared nerve injury (SNI) model or Sham model, the expression of CSF1R and microglia increased significantly in the SDH of SNI group. PLX3397, an inhibitor of CSF1R, reduced the SDH CSF1R and microglia expression after SNI and significantly alleviated the hyperalgesia in the SNI mice. CONCLUSION SDH CSF1R participates in regulation NP, which is related to changes in the activity of microglia in the SDH.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chao Xu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, China Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University; Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, Ministry of Education and National Health Commission, Peking University, Beijing, China Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Analgesia, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China Department of Anesthesiology, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
18
|
Li L, Du X, Ling H, Li Y, Wu X, Jin A, Yang M. Gene correlation network analysis to identify regulatory factors in sciatic nerve injury. J Orthop Surg Res 2021; 16:622. [PMID: 34663380 PMCID: PMC8522103 DOI: 10.1186/s13018-021-02756-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sciatic nerve injury (SNI), which frequently occurs under the traumatic hip and hip fracture dislocation, induces serious complications such as motor and sensory loss, muscle atrophy, or even disabling. The present work aimed to determine the regulating factors and gene network related to the SNI pathology. METHODS Sciatic nerve injury dataset GSE18803 with 24 samples was divided into adult group and neonate group. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was carried out to identify modules associated with SNI in the two groups. Moreover, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were determined from every group, separately. Subsequently, co-expression network and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network were overlapped to identify hub genes, while functional enrichment and Reactome analysis were used for a comprehensive analysis of potential pathways. GSE30165 was used as the test set for investigating the hub gene involvement within SNI. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was performed separately using difference between samples and gene expression level as phenotype label to further prove SNI-related signaling pathways. In addition, immune infiltration analysis was accomplished by CIBERSORT. Finally, Drug-Gene Interaction database (DGIdb) was employed for predicting the possible therapeutic agents. RESULTS 14 SNI status modules and 97 DEGs were identified in adult group, while 15 modules and 21 DEGs in neonate group. A total of 12 hub genes was overlapping from co-expression and PPI network. After the results from both test and training sets were overlapped, we verified that the ten real hub genes showed remarkably up-regulation within SNI. According to functional enrichment of hub genes, the above genes participated in the immune effector process, inflammatory responses, the antigen processing and presentation, and the phagocytosis. GSEA also supported that gene sets with the highest significance were mostly related to the cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction. Analysis of hub genes possible related signaling pathways using gene expression level as phenotype label revealed an enrichment involved in Lysosome, Chemokine signaling pathway, and Neurotrophin signaling pathway. Immune infiltration analysis showed that Macrophages M2 and Regulatory T cells may participate in the development of SNI. At last, 25 drugs were screened from DGIdb to improve SNI treatment. CONCLUSIONS The gene expression network is determined in the present work based on the related regulating factors within SNI, which sheds more light on SNI pathology and offers the possible biomarkers and therapeutic targets in subsequent research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Liuxun Li
- Department of Spine Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiaokang Du
- Department of Spine Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Haiqian Ling
- Department of Spine Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Yuhang Li
- Department of Joint and Trauma Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xuemin Wu
- Department of Endocrinology, Shenzhen Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine (Futian), Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Anmin Jin
- Department of Spine Surgery, ZhuJiang Hospital of Southern Medical University, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Meiling Yang
- Department of Oncology, Shenzhen Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine (Futian), Shenzhen, 518034, Guangdong, China.
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Microglial Activation of GLP-1R Signaling in Neuropathic Pain Promotes Gene Expression Adaption Involved in Inflammatory Responses. Neural Plast 2021; 2021:9923537. [PMID: 34512747 PMCID: PMC8426070 DOI: 10.1155/2021/9923537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2021] [Revised: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Neuropathic pain is a common chronic pain, which is related to hypersensitivity to stimulus and greatly affects the quality of life of patients. Maladaptive gene changes and molecular signaling underlie the sensitization of nociceptive pathways. We previously found that the activation of microglial glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor (GLP-1R) could potently relieve formalin-, bone cancer-, peripheral nerve injury-, and diabetes-induced pain hypersensitivity. So far, little is known about how the gene profile changes upon the activation of GLP-1R signaling in the pathophysiology of neuropathic pain. Methods Spinal nerve ligation (SNL) was performed to induce neuropathic pain in rats. Mechanical allodynia was assessed using von Frey filaments. The expression of IL-10, β-endorphin, and μ-opioid receptor (MOR) was examined by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and whole-cell recording. Measurements of cellular excitability of the substantia gelatinosa (SG) neurons by whole-cell recording were carried out. R packages of differential gene expression analysis based on the negative binomial distribution (DESeq2) and weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA) were used to analyze differential gene expression and the correlated modules among GLP-1R clusters in neuropathic pain. Results The GLP-1R agonist, exenatide, has an antiallodynic effect on neuropathic pain, which could be reversed by intrathecal injections of the microglial inhibitor minocycline. Furthermore, differential gene expression analysis (WGCNA) indicated that intrathecal injections of exenatide could reverse the abnormal expression of 591 genes in the spinal dorsal horn induced by nerve injury. WGCNA revealed 58 modules with a close relationship between the microglial GLP-1R pathway and features of nerve injuries, including pain, ligation, paw withdrawal latency (PWL), and anxiety. The brown module was identified as the highest correlated module, and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis indicated that inflammatory responses were most correlated with PWL. To further unravel the changes of hyperalgesia-related neuronal electrophysiological activity mediated by microglia GLP-1 receptors, whole-cell recording identified that MOR agonism stimulated a robust outward current in the sham groups compared with the spinal nerve ligation (SNL) groups. This inhibitory effect on the SNL group was more sensitive than that of the sham group after bath application of β-endorphin. Conclusions Our results further confirmed that the GLP-1R pathway is involved in alleviating pain hypersensitivity mediated by spinal microglia activation, and inflammatory responses were the most correlated pathway associated with PWL changes in response to exenatide treatment. We found that the identification of gene regulation in response to GLP-1R activation is an effective strategy for identifying new therapeutic targets for neuropathic pain. Investigation for the activation of spinal microglial GLP-1R which might ameliorate inflammatory responses through gene expression and structural changes is providing a potential biomarker in pain management.
Collapse
|
20
|
Stephens KE, Zhou W, Renfro Z, Ji Z, Ji H, Guan Y, Taverna SD. Global gene expression and chromatin accessibility of the peripheral nervous system in animal models of persistent pain. J Neuroinflammation 2021; 18:185. [PMID: 34446036 PMCID: PMC8390277 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-021-02228-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Efforts to understand genetic variability involved in an individual's susceptibility to chronic pain support a role for upstream regulation by epigenetic mechanisms. METHODS To examine the transcriptomic and epigenetic basis of chronic pain that resides in the peripheral nervous system, we used RNA-seq and ATAC-seq of the rat dorsal root ganglion (DRG) to identify novel molecular pathways associated with pain hypersensitivity in two well-studied persistent pain models induced by chronic constriction injury (CCI) of the sciatic nerve and intra-plantar injection of complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) in rats. RESULTS Our RNA-seq studies identify a variety of biological process related to synapse organization, membrane potential, transmembrane transport, and ion binding. Interestingly, genes that encode transcriptional regulators were disproportionately downregulated in both models. Our ATAC-seq data provide a comprehensive map of chromatin accessibility changes in the DRG. A total of 1123 regions showed changes in chromatin accessibility in one or both models when compared to the naïve and 31 shared differentially accessible regions (DAR)s. Functional annotation of the DARs identified disparate molecular functions enriched for each pain model which suggests that chromatin structure may be altered differently following sciatic nerve injury and hind paw inflammation. Motif analysis identified 17 DNA sequences known to bind transcription factors in the CCI DARs and 33 in the CFA DARs. Two motifs were significantly enriched in both models. CONCLUSIONS Our improved understanding of the changes in chromatin accessibility that occur in chronic pain states may identify regulatory genomic elements that play essential roles in modulating gene expression in the DRG.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly E Stephens
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA.
- Arkansas Children's Research Institute, 13 Children's Way, Slot 512-47, Little Rock, AR, 72202, USA.
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Center for Epigenetics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | - Weiqiang Zhou
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Zachary Renfro
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
- Arkansas Children's Research Institute, 13 Children's Way, Slot 512-47, Little Rock, AR, 72202, USA
| | - Zhicheng Ji
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Hongkai Ji
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Yun Guan
- Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Department of Neurological Surgery, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | - Sean D Taverna
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Center for Epigenetics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Comparative Transcriptome Profiling Reveals Changes of microRNAs Response to Exercise in Rats with Neuropathic Pain. Neural Plast 2021; 2021:5597139. [PMID: 34394340 PMCID: PMC8356008 DOI: 10.1155/2021/5597139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2021] [Revised: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
There is accumulating evidence showing that exercise therapy may play an active role in peripheral neuropathic pain (NP), but its mechanism is still unclear. Studies have found that microRNAs (miRNAs) may play a role in NP by regulating pain-related target genes. Therefore, we aimed to explore the changes of miRNA and mRNA of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) after NP in response to exercise with transcriptome technology. The chronic constriction injury (CCI) model was established, and rats were randomly allocated into three groups, namely, the sham-operated, CCI, and CCI-exercised groups. L4-L6 DRG tissue was taken for RNA-sequencing, and the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were determined through bioinformatics analysis. Real-time PCR was used to confirm the accuracy. A total of 4 overlapping differentially expressed miRNAs and 186 overlapping differentially expressed mRNAs were identified in the two comparisons of the sham-operated group versus the CCI group and the CCI group versus the CCI-exercised group. Among these DEGs, miR-145-5p, miR-341, miR-300-5p, miR-653-5p, Atf3, Cacna2d1, Gal, and Ctss related to NP were validated by real-time PCR. DEGs between the CCI and CCI-exercised groups were enriched in HIF-1 signaling pathway, Rap1 signaling pathway, and neurotrophin signaling pathway. This study provides an understanding of the adaptive mechanisms after exercise of NP, and these DEGs in DRG might play a role in NP by stimulating the enriched pathways.
Collapse
|
22
|
Zhai M, Yang S, Lin S, Zhu H, Xu L, Liao H, Song XJ. Distinct Gene Expression Patterns of Ion Channels and Cytokines in Rat Primary Sensory Neurons During Development of Bone Cancer and Cancer Pain. Front Mol Neurosci 2021; 14:665085. [PMID: 34025351 PMCID: PMC8134751 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2021.665085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2021] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer and cancer pain processes a major clinical challenge and the underlined mechanisms of pathogenesis remain elusive. We examined the specific changes in the transcriptomic profiles in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons of rats with bone cancer and bone cancer pain (BCP) using RNA sequencing technology. The bone cancer and BCP was induced by tumor cells implantation (TCI) into the tibia bone cavity in adult female rats. One week after treatment, TCI caused up- and down-regulation of thousands of genes in DRG. These genes were mainly involved in the immune process, inflammatory response, and intracellular signaling transduction of carbohydrate and cytokine. The cAMP and calcium signaling pathways were the major processes in the initial responses. Differentially expressed gene (DEG) analysis further showed that the genes for ion channels increased during day 1-7, while the genes for cytokine signaling pathways sustainedly increased during day 7-14 after TCI. The time courses of gene expression for ion channels and cytokines support their distinct roles in the early induction and late maintenance of BCP development. In addition, among the top 500 up- and down-regulated genes, 80-90% were unique for bone cancer pain as well as neuropathic and inflammatory pain, while less than 2% were shared among the three different forms of pain. This study reveals the uniqueness of mechanisms underlying bone cancer with pain, which is, to a large extent, differently from pain after acute inflammatory and nerve injury and provides novel potential targets of DEGs for bone cancer with pain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mingzhu Zhai
- School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China.,Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education of China), Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute, Beijing, China.,SUSTech Center for Pain Medicine, School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China.,Department of Perioperative Medicine, SUSTech Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Shaomin Yang
- Department of Pain Medicine, Shenzhen Nanshan Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Simin Lin
- Department of Laboratory Animal Center, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Hanxu Zhu
- SUSTech Center for Pain Medicine, School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Lihong Xu
- SUSTech Center for Pain Medicine, School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Huabao Liao
- SUSTech Center for Pain Medicine, School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xue-Jun Song
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education of China), Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute, Beijing, China.,SUSTech Center for Pain Medicine, School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China.,Department of Perioperative Medicine, SUSTech Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Tran EL, Crawford LK. Revisiting PNS Plasticity: How Uninjured Sensory Afferents Promote Neuropathic Pain. Front Cell Neurosci 2020; 14:612982. [PMID: 33362476 PMCID: PMC7759741 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2020.612982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2020] [Accepted: 11/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the widespread study of how injured nerves contribute to chronic pain, there are still major gaps in our understanding of pain mechanisms. This is particularly true of pain resulting from nerve injury, or neuropathic pain, wherein tactile or thermal stimuli cause painful responses that are particularly difficult to treat with existing therapies. Curiously, this stimulus-driven pain relies upon intact, uninjured sensory neurons that transmit the signals that are ultimately sensed as painful. Studies that interrogate uninjured neurons in search of cell-specific mechanisms have shown that nerve injury alters intact, uninjured neurons resulting in an activity that drives stimulus-evoked pain. This review of neuropathic pain mechanisms summarizes cell-type-specific pathology of uninjured sensory neurons and the sensory ganglia that house their cell bodies. Uninjured neurons have demonstrated a wide range of molecular and neurophysiologic changes, many of which are distinct from those detected in injured neurons. These intriguing findings include expression of pain-associated molecules, neurophysiological changes that underlie increased excitability, and evidence that intercellular signaling within sensory ganglia alters uninjured neurons. In addition to well-supported findings, this review also discusses potential mechanisms that remain poorly understood in the context of nerve injury. This review highlights key questions that will advance our understanding of the plasticity of sensory neuron subpopulations and clarify the role of uninjured neurons in developing anti-pain therapies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emily L Tran
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine, Madison, WI, United States
| | - LaTasha K Crawford
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine, Madison, WI, United States
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Deletion of the Gene Encoding the NMDA Receptor GluN1 Subunit in Schwann Cells Causes Ultrastructural Changes in Remak Bundles and Hypersensitivity in Pain Processing. J Neurosci 2020; 40:9121-9136. [PMID: 33051351 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0663-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2020] [Revised: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Abnormalities in interactions between sensory neurons and Schwann cells (SCs) may result in heightened pain processing and chronic pain states. We previously reported that SCs express the NMDA receptor (NMDA-R), which activates cell signaling in response to glutamate and specific protein ligands, such as tissue-type plasminogen activator. Herein, we genetically targeted grin1 encoding the essential GluN1 NMDA-R subunit, conditionally in SCs, to create a novel mouse model in which SCs are NMDA-R-deficient (GluN1- mice). These mice demonstrated increased sensitivity to light touch, pinprick, and thermal hyperalgesia in the absence of injury, without associated changes in motor function. Ultrastructural analysis of adult sciatic nerve in GluN1- mice revealed increases in the density of Aδ fibers and Remak bundles and a decrease in the density of Aβ fibers, without altered g-ratios. Abnormalities in adult Remak bundle ultrastructure were also present including aberrant C-fiber ensheathment, distances between axons, and increased poly-axonal pockets. Developmental and post radial sorting defects contributed to altered nerve fiber densities in adult. Uninjured sciatic nerves in GluN1- mice did not demonstrate an increase in neuroinflammatory infiltrates. Transcriptome profiling of dorsal root ganglia (DRGs) revealed 138 differentially regulated genes in GluN1- mice. One third of the regulated genes are known to be involved in pain processing, including sprr1a, npy, fgf3, atf3, and cckbr, which were significantly increased. The intraepidermal nerve fiber density (IENFD) was significantly decreased in the skin of GluN1- mice. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that SC NMDA-R is essential for normal PNS development and for preventing development of pain states.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Chronic unremitting pain is a prevalent medical condition; however, the molecular mechanisms that underlie heightened pain processing remain incompletely understood. Emerging data suggest that abnormalities in Schwann cells (SCs) may cause neuropathic pain. We established a novel mouse model for small fiber neuropathy (SFN) in which grin1, the gene that encodes the NMDA receptor (NMDA-R) GluN1 subunit, is deleted in SCs. These mice demonstrate hypersensitivity in pain processing in the absence of nerve injury. Changes in the density of intraepidermal small fibers, the ultrastructure of Remak bundles, and the transcriptome of dorsal root ganglia (DRGs) provide possible explanations for the increase in pain processing. Our results support the hypothesis that abnormalities in communication between sensory nerve fibers and SCs may result in pain states.
Collapse
|
25
|
Wang Z, Ling D, Wu C, Han J, Zhao Y. Baicalin prevents the up-regulation of TRPV1 in dorsal root ganglion and attenuates chronic neuropathic pain. Vet Med Sci 2020; 6:1034-1040. [PMID: 32613759 PMCID: PMC7738711 DOI: 10.1002/vms3.318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2019] [Revised: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 06/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Neuropathic pain is a major public health problem because it has a considerable impact on life quality of patients. TRP channels from dorsal root ganglion (DRG) play a crucial role in facilitating pain transmission at peripheral and spinal sites. Baicalin has neuroprotective effects and improves the pathological and behavioural outcomes of various types of nerve injury. The present study aims to examine the analgesic effects of baicalin on chronic neuropathic pain. Methods Neuropathic pain animal model was created by chronic constriction injury of the sciatic nerve (CCI). Behavioural tests were performed by von Frey and hot plate tests. mRNA and protein expression levels were examined by quantitative RT‐PCR and western blot. Results Consecutive intraperitoneal administration of baicalin for 16 days reduced the mechanical and thermal nociceptive responses induced by CCI surgery in a dose‐dependent manner. The mRNA expression levels of Trpv1 and Trpa1 were significantly increased in the DRG of CCI rats. Moreover baicalin administration reversed TRPV1 expression and phosphorylation of ERK in DRG neurons after peripheral nerve injury. Conclusions Our results suggested that baicalin may ameliorate neuropathic pain by suppressing TRPV1 up‐regulation and ERK phosphorylation in DRG of neuropathic pain rats. Baicalin has a significant analgesic effect on alleviating neuropathic pain and thus may serve as a therapeutic approach for neuropathic pain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zheyin Wang
- Department of Pain Medicine, Shenzhen People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Diyang Ling
- Department of Pain Medicine, Shenzhen People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Chenxiang Wu
- Department of Pain Medicine, Shenzhen People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jian Han
- Department of Pain Medicine, Shenzhen People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yan Zhao
- Department of Pain Medicine, Shenzhen People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| |
Collapse
|