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Mészár Z, Erdei V, Szücs P, Varga A. Epigenetic Regulation and Molecular Mechanisms of Burn Injury-Induced Nociception in the Spinal Cord of Mice. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:8510. [PMID: 39126078 PMCID: PMC11313498 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25158510] [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: 07/21/2024] [Revised: 08/02/2024] [Accepted: 08/02/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic mechanisms, including histone post-translational modifications (PTMs), play a critical role in regulating pain perception and the pathophysiology of burn injury. However, the epigenetic regulation and molecular mechanisms underlying burn injury-induced pain remain insufficiently explored. Spinal dynorphinergic (Pdyn) neurons contribute to heat hyperalgesia induced by severe scalding-type burn injury through p-S10H3-dependent signaling. Beyond p-S10H3, burn injury may impact various other histone H3 PTMs. Double immunofluorescent staining and histone H3 protein analyses demonstrated significant hypermethylation at H3K4me1 and H3K4me3 sites and hyperphosphorylation at S10H3 within the spinal cord. By analyzing Pdyn neurons in the spinal dorsal horn, we found evidence of chromatin activation with a significant elevation in p-S10H3 immunoreactivity. We used RNA-seq analysis to compare the effects of burn injury and formalin-induced inflammatory pain on spinal cord transcriptomic profiles. We identified 98 DEGs for burn injury and 86 DEGs for formalin-induced inflammatory pain. A limited number of shared differentially expressed genes (DEGs) suggest distinct central pain processing mechanisms between burn injury and formalin models. KEGG pathway analysis supported this divergence, with burn injury activating Wnt signaling. This study enhances our understanding of burn injury mechanisms and uncovers converging and diverging pathways in pain models with different origins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoltán Mészár
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (Z.M.); (P.S.)
| | - Virág Erdei
- Department of Radiology, Central Hospital of Northern Pest—Military Hospital, H-1134 Budapest, Hungary;
| | - Péter Szücs
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (Z.M.); (P.S.)
- HUN-REN-DE Neuroscience Research Group, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Angelika Varga
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (Z.M.); (P.S.)
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Harrison JM, Leong EK, Osborne ND, Marshall JS, Bezuhly M. AT2R Activation Improves Wound Healing in a Preclinical Mouse Model. Biomedicines 2024; 12:1238. [PMID: 38927444 PMCID: PMC11200587 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12061238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2024] [Revised: 05/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Abnormal skin healing resulting in chronic wounds or hypertrophic scarring remains a major healthcare burden. Here, the antifibrotic angiotensin II type 2 receptor (AT2R) signaling pathway was modulated to determine its impact on cutaneous wound healing. Balb/c mice received two splinted full-thickness wounds. Topical treatments with the selective AT2R agonist compound 21 (C21) and/or selective antagonist PD123319 or saline vehicle were administered until sacrifice on post-wounding days 7 or 10. The rate of wound re-epithelialization was accelerated by PD123319 and combination treatments. In vitro, C21 significantly reduced human fibroblast migration. C21 increased both collagen and vascular densities at days 7 and 10 post-wounding and collagen I:III ratio at day 10, while PD123319 and combination treatments decreased them. Genes associated with regeneration and repair were upregulated by C21, while PD123319 treatment increased the expression of genes associated with inflammation and immune cell chemotaxis. C21 treatment reduced wound total leukocyte and neutrophil staining densities, while PD123319 increased these and macrophage densities. Overall, AT2R activation with C21 yields wounds that mature more quickly with structural, cellular, and gene expression profiles more closely approximating unwounded skin. These findings support AT2R signal modulation as a potential therapeutic target to improve skin quality during wound healing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia M. Harrison
- Department of Surgery, IWK Health Centre, 5850/5980 University Avenue, Halifax, NS B3K 6R8, Canada;
- Department of Surgery, Dalhousie University, 5850 College St, Halifax, NS B3H 4H7, Canada
| | - Edwin K. Leong
- Department of Pathology, Dalhousie University, 5850 College St, Halifax, NS B3H 4H7, Canada
| | - Natasha D. Osborne
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Dalhousie University, 5850 College St, Halifax, NS B3H 4H7, Canada;
| | - Jean S. Marshall
- Department of Pathology, Dalhousie University, 5850 College St, Halifax, NS B3H 4H7, Canada
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Dalhousie University, 5850 College St, Halifax, NS B3H 4H7, Canada;
| | - Michael Bezuhly
- Department of Surgery, IWK Health Centre, 5850/5980 University Avenue, Halifax, NS B3K 6R8, Canada;
- Department of Surgery, Dalhousie University, 5850 College St, Halifax, NS B3H 4H7, Canada
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Dalhousie University, 5850 College St, Halifax, NS B3H 4H7, Canada;
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Zhou M, Wu J, Chang H, Fang Y, Zhang D, Guo Y. Adenosine signaling mediate pain transmission in the central nervous system. Purinergic Signal 2023; 19:245-254. [PMID: 35000074 PMCID: PMC9984632 DOI: 10.1007/s11302-021-09826-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Pain is a common clinical symptom that seriously affects the quality of life in a variety of patient populations. In recent years, research on the role of adenosine signaling in pain modulation has made great progress. Adenosine is a purine nucleoside and a neuromodulator, and regulates multiple physiological and pathophysiological functions through the activation of four G protein-coupled receptors, which are classified as A1, A2A, A2B, and A3 adenosine receptors (ARs). Adenosine and its receptors that are widespread in the central nervous system (CNS) play an important role in the processing of nociceptive sensory signals in different pain models. A1Rs have the highest affinity to adenosine, and the role in analgesia has been well investigated. The roles of A2ARs and A2BRs in the modulation of pain are controversial because they have both analgesic and pronociceptive effects. The analgesic effects of A3Rs are primarily manifested in neuropathic pain. In this article, we have reviewed the recent studies on ARs in the modulation of neuropathic pain, inflammatory pain, postoperative pain, and visceral pain in the CNS. Furthermore, we have outlined the pathways through which ARs contribute to pain regulation, thereby shedding light on how this mechanism can be targeted to provide effective pain relief.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengmeng Zhou
- Research Center of Experimental Acupuncture Science, College of Acumox and Tuina, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617, People's Republic of China
| | - Jinrong Wu
- Research Center of Experimental Acupuncture Science, College of Acumox and Tuina, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617, People's Republic of China
| | - Hongen Chang
- Research Center of Experimental Acupuncture Science, College of Acumox and Tuina, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuxin Fang
- Research Center of Experimental Acupuncture Science, College of Acumox and Tuina, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617, People's Republic of China.
| | - Di Zhang
- College of Pharmaceutical Engineering of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617, People's Republic of China.
| | - Yi Guo
- Research Center of Experimental Acupuncture Science, College of Acumox and Tuina, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617, People's Republic of China. .,College of Chinese Medical, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617, People's Republic of China.
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