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Kim K, Nan G, Bak H, Kim HY, Kim J, Cha M, Lee BH. Insular cortex stimulation alleviates neuropathic pain through changes in the expression of collapsin response mediator protein 2 involved in synaptic plasticity. Neurobiol Dis 2024; 194:106466. [PMID: 38471625 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2024.106466] [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: 01/12/2024] [Revised: 03/03/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
In recent studies, brain stimulation has shown promising potential to alleviate chronic pain. Although studies have shown that stimulation of pain-related brain regions can induce pain-relieving effects, few studies have elucidated the mechanisms of brain stimulation in the insular cortex (IC). The present study was conducted to explore the changes in characteristic molecules involved in pain modulation mechanisms and to identify the changes in synaptic plasticity after IC stimulation (ICS). Following ICS, pain-relieving behaviors and changes in proteomics were explored. Neuronal activity in the IC after ICS was observed by optical imaging. Western blotting was used to validate the proteomics data and identify the changes in the expression of glutamatergic receptors associated with synaptic plasticity. Experimental results showed that ICS effectively relieved mechanical allodynia, and proteomics identified specific changes in collapsin response mediator protein 2 (CRMP2). Neuronal activity in the neuropathic rats was significantly decreased after ICS. Neuropathic rats showed increased expression levels of phosphorylated CRMP2, alpha amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid receptor (AMPAR), and N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) subunit 2B (NR2B), which were inhibited by ICS. These results indicate that ICS regulates the synaptic plasticity of ICS through pCRMP2, together with AMPAR and NR2B, to induce pain relief.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyeongmin Kim
- Department of Physiology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea; Department of Medical Science, Brain Korea 21 Project, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Guanghai Nan
- Department of Physiology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea; Department of Medical Science, Brain Korea 21 Project, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyeji Bak
- Department of Physiology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Hee Young Kim
- Department of Physiology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Junesun Kim
- Rehabilitation Science Program, Department of Health Science, Graduate School, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea; Department of Health and Environment Science, College of Health Science, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Myeounghoon Cha
- Department of Physiology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea.
| | - Bae Hwan Lee
- Department of Physiology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea; Department of Medical Science, Brain Korea 21 Project, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea.
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Park M, Woo HN, Koh CS, Chang H, Kim JH, Park K, Chang JW, Lee H, Jung HH. A Single Injection of rAAV-shmTOR in Peripheral Nerve Persistently Attenuates Nerve Injury-Induced Mechanical Allodynia. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:15918. [PMID: 37958901 PMCID: PMC10649356 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242115918] [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: 09/14/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Activation of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) has been known as one of the contributing factors in nociceptive sensitization after peripheral injury. Its activation followed by the phosphorylation of downstream effectors causes hyperexcitability of primary sensory neurons in the dorsal root ganglion. We investigated whether a single injection of rAAV-shmTOR would effectively downregulate both complexes of mTOR in the long-term and glial activation as well. Male SD rats were categorized into shmTOR (n = 29), shCON (n = 23), SNI (n = 13), and Normal (n = 8) groups. Treatment groups were injected with rAAV-shmTOR or rAAV-shCON, respectively. DRG tissues and sciatic nerve were harvested for Western blot and immunohistochemical analyses. Peripheral sensitization was gradually attenuated in the shmTOR group, and it reached a peak on PID 21. Western blot analysis showed that both p-mTORC1 and p-mTORC2 were downregulated in the DRG compared to shCON and SNI groups. We also found decreased expression of phosphorylated p38 and microglial activation in the DRG. We first attempted a therapeutic strategy for neuropathic pain with a low dose of AAV injection by interfering with the mTOR signaling pathway, suggesting its potential application in pain treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minkyung Park
- Department of Neurosurgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea; (M.P.); (C.S.K.); (H.C.); (J.W.C.)
- Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science and Brain Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Ha-Na Woo
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul 05505, Republic of Korea;
- Bio-Medical Institute of Technology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul 05505, Republic of Korea;
| | - Chin Su Koh
- Department of Neurosurgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea; (M.P.); (C.S.K.); (H.C.); (J.W.C.)
| | - Heesue Chang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea; (M.P.); (C.S.K.); (H.C.); (J.W.C.)
| | - Ji Hyun Kim
- Bio-Medical Institute of Technology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul 05505, Republic of Korea;
- Department of Microbiology, Asan Medical Center, College of Medicine, University of Ulsan, Seoul 05505, Republic of Korea
| | - Keerang Park
- Cedmogen Co., Ltd., Cheongju 28644, Republic of Korea;
| | - Jin Woo Chang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea; (M.P.); (C.S.K.); (H.C.); (J.W.C.)
- Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science and Brain Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Heuiran Lee
- Bio-Medical Institute of Technology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul 05505, Republic of Korea;
- Department of Microbiology, Asan Medical Center, College of Medicine, University of Ulsan, Seoul 05505, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun Ho Jung
- Department of Neurosurgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea; (M.P.); (C.S.K.); (H.C.); (J.W.C.)
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Kim K, Nan G, Kim L, Kwon M, Lee KH, Cha M, Lee BH. Insular cortex stimulation alleviates neuropathic pain via ERK phosphorylation in neurons. CNS Neurosci Ther 2023; 29:1636-1648. [PMID: 36806498 PMCID: PMC10173725 DOI: 10.1111/cns.14126] [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: 09/27/2022] [Revised: 11/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
AIMS The clinical use of brain stimulation is attractive for patients who have side effects or tolerance. However, studies on insular cortex (IC) stimulation are lacking in neuropathic pain. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of IC stimulation (ICS) on neuropathic pain and to determine how ICS modulates pain. METHODS Changes in pain behaviors were observed following ICS with various parameters in neuropathic rats. Western blotting was performed to assess molecular changes in the expression levels of phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (pERK), neurons, astrocytes, and microglia between experimental groups. Immunohistochemistry was performed to investigate the colocalization of pERK with different cell types. RESULTS The most effective pain-relieving effect was induced at 50 Hz-120 μA in single trial of ICS and it maintained 4 days longer after the termination of repetitive ICS. The expression levels of pERK, astrocytes, and microglia were increased in neuropathic rats. However, after ICS, the expression levels of pERK were decreased, and colocalization of pERK and neurons was reduced in layers 2-3 of the IC. CONCLUSION These results indicated that ICS attenuated neuropathic pain by the regulation of pERK in neurons located in layers 2-3 of the IC. This preclinical study may enhance the potential use of ICS and identify the therapeutic mechanisms of ICS in neuropathic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyeongmin Kim
- Department of Physiology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Guanghai Nan
- Department of Physiology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.,Department of Medical Science, Brain Korea 21 Project, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Leejeong Kim
- Department of Physiology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.,Department of Medical Science, Brain Korea 21 Project, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Minjee Kwon
- Department of Nursing, Kyungil University, Gyeongsan, Korea
| | - Kyung Hee Lee
- Department of Dental Hygiene, Division of Health Science, Dongseo University, Busan, Korea
| | - Myeounghoon Cha
- Department of Physiology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Bae Hwan Lee
- Department of Physiology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.,Department of Medical Science, Brain Korea 21 Project, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
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Choi S, Kim K, Kwon M, Bai SJ, Cha M, Lee BH. Modulation of Neuropathic Pain by Glial Regulation in the Insular Cortex of Rats. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:815945. [PMID: 35493331 PMCID: PMC9043281 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.815945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The insular cortex (IC) is known to process pain information. However, analgesic effects of glial inhibition in the IC have not yet been explored. The aim of this study was to investigate pain alleviation effects after neuroglia inhibition in the IC during the early or late phase of pain development. The effects of glial inhibitors in early or late phase inhibition in neuropathic pain were characterized in astrocytes and microglia expressions in the IC of an animal model of neuropathic pain. Changes in withdrawal responses during different stages of inhibition were compared, and morphological changes in glial cells with purinergic receptor expressions were analyzed. Inhibition of glial cells had an analgesic effect that persisted even after drug withdrawal. Both GFAP and CD11b/c expressions were decreased after injection of glial inhibitors. Morphological alterations of astrocytes and microglia were observed with expression changes of purinergic receptors. These findings indicate that inhibition of neuroglia activity in the IC alleviates chronic pain, and that purinergic receptors in glial cells are closely related to chronic pain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Songyeon Choi
- Department of Physiology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
- Department of Medical Science, Brain Korea 21 Project, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Kyeongmin Kim
- Department of Physiology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
- Department of Medical Science, Brain Korea 21 Project, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Minjee Kwon
- Department of Nursing, Kyungil University, Gyeongsan, South Korea
| | - Sun Joon Bai
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Myeounghoon Cha
- Department of Physiology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
- *Correspondence: Myeounghoon Cha,
| | - Bae Hwan Lee
- Department of Physiology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
- Department of Medical Science, Brain Korea 21 Project, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
- Bae Hwan Lee,
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Du L, Wang D, Nagle PW, Groen AAH, Zhang H, Muijs CT, Plukker JTM, Coppes RP. Role of mTOR through Autophagy in Esophageal Cancer Stemness. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14071806. [PMID: 35406578 PMCID: PMC9040713 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14071806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Revised: 03/27/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Esophageal cancer (EC) is a highly aggressive disease with a poor prognosis. Therapy resistance and early recurrences are major obstacles in reaching a better outcome. Esophageal cancer stem-like cells (CSCs) seem tightly related with chemoradiation resistance, initiating new tumors and metastases. Several oncogenic pathways seem to be involved in the regulation of esophageal CSCs and might harbor novel therapeutic targets to eliminate CSCs. Previously, we identified a subpopulation of EC cells that express high levels of CD44 and low levels of CD24 (CD44+/CD24-), show CSC characteristics and reside in hypoxic niches. Here, we aim to clarify the role of the hypoxia-responding mammalian target of the rapamycin (mTOR) pathway in esophageal CSCs. We showed that under a low-oxygen culture condition and nutrient deprivation, the CD44+/CD24- population is enriched. Since both low oxygen and nutrient deprivation may inhibit the mTOR pathway, we next chemically inhibited the mTOR pathway using Torin-1. Torin-1 upregulated SOX2 resulted in an enrichment of the CD44+/CD24- population and increased sphere formation potential. In contrast, stimulation of the mTOR pathway using MHY1485 induced the opposite effects. In addition, Torin-1 increased autophagic activity, while MHY1485 suppressed autophagy. Torin-1-mediated CSCs upregulation was significantly reduced in cells treated with autophagy inhibitor, hydroxychloroquine (HCQ). Finally, a clearly defined CD44+/CD24- CSC population was detected in EC patients-derived organoids (ec-PDOs) and here, MHY1485 also reduced this population. These data suggest that autophagy may play a crucial role in mTOR-mediated CSCs repression. Stimulation of the mTOR pathway might aid in the elimination of putative esophageal CSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Du
- Section Molecular Cell Biology, Department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells and Systems, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands; (L.D.); (D.W.); (P.W.N.); (A.A.H.G.)
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands;
- Graduate School, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515041, China
| | - Da Wang
- Section Molecular Cell Biology, Department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells and Systems, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands; (L.D.); (D.W.); (P.W.N.); (A.A.H.G.)
- Department of Surgery, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands;
| | - Peter W. Nagle
- Section Molecular Cell Biology, Department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells and Systems, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands; (L.D.); (D.W.); (P.W.N.); (A.A.H.G.)
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands;
- Medical Research Council (MRC) Centre for Reproductive Health, The Queen’s Medical Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Andries A. H. Groen
- Section Molecular Cell Biology, Department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells and Systems, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands; (L.D.); (D.W.); (P.W.N.); (A.A.H.G.)
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands;
| | - Hao Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Institute of Precision Cancer Medicine and Pathology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China;
- Department of General Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Christina T. Muijs
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands;
| | - John Th. M. Plukker
- Department of Surgery, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands;
| | - Robert P. Coppes
- Section Molecular Cell Biology, Department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells and Systems, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands; (L.D.); (D.W.); (P.W.N.); (A.A.H.G.)
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands;
- Correspondence:
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Ma J, Hua XY, Zheng MX, Wu JJ, Huo BB, Xing XX, Feng SY, Li B, Xu JG. Surface-based map plasticity of brain regions related to sensory motor and pain information processing after osteonecrosis of the femoral head. Neural Regen Res 2021; 17:806-811. [PMID: 34472479 PMCID: PMC8530129 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.322471] [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
Pain is one of the manifestations of hip disorder and has been proven to lead to the remodeling of somatotopic map plasticity in the cortex. However, most studies are volume-based which may lead to inaccurate anatomical positioning of functional data. The methods that work on the cortical surface may be more sensitive than those using the full brain volume and thus be more suitable for map plasticity study. In this prospective cross-sectional study performed in Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China, 20 patients with osteonecrosis of the femoral head (12 males and 8 females, aged 56.80 ± 13.60 years) and 20 healthy controls (9 males and 11 females, aged 54.56 ± 10.23 years) were included in this study. Data of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging were collected. The results revealed that compared with healthy controls, compared with the healthy controls, patients with osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) showed significantly increased surface-based regional homogeneity (ReHo) in areas distributed mainly in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, frontal eye field, right frontal eye field, and the premotor cortex and decreased surface-based ReHo in the right primary motor cortex and primary sensory cortex. Regions showing significant differences in surface-based ReHo values between the healthy controls and patients with ONFH were defined as the regions of interests. Seed-based functional connectivity was performed to investigate interregional functional synchronization. When the areas with decreased surface-based ReHo in the frontal eye field and right premotor cortex were used as the regions of interest, compared with the healthy controls, the patients with ONFH displayed increased functional connectivity in the right middle frontal cortex and right inferior parietal cortex and decreased functional connectivity in the right precentral cortex and right middle occipital cortex. Compared with healthy controls, patients with ONFH showed significantly decreased cortical thickness in the para-insular area, posterior insular area, anterior superior temporal area, frontal eye field and supplementary motor cortex and reduced volume of subcortical gray matter nuclei in the right nucleus accumbens. These findings suggest that hip disorder patients showed cortical plasticity changes, mainly in sensorimotor- and pain-related regions. This study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (approval No. 2018-041) on August 1, 2018.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Ma
- School of Rehabilitation Science, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xu-Yun Hua
- School of Rehabilitation Science; Department of Traumatology and Orthopedics, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine; Yangzhi Rehabilitation Hospital (Shanghai Sunshine Rehabilitation Center), Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Mou-Xiong Zheng
- Department of Traumatology and Orthopedics, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jia-Jia Wu
- Center of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Bei-Bei Huo
- School of Rehabilitation Science, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiang-Xin Xing
- School of Rehabilitation Science, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Sheng-Yi Feng
- Department of Traumatology and Orthopedics, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Bo Li
- Department of Traumatology and Orthopedics, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jian-Guang Xu
- School of Rehabilitation Science; Center of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
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Current Understanding of the Involvement of the Insular Cortex in Neuropathic Pain: A Narrative Review. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22052648. [PMID: 33808020 PMCID: PMC7961886 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22052648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Revised: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuropathic pain is difficult to cure and is often accompanied by emotional and psychological changes. Exploring the mechanisms underlying neuropathic pain will help to identify a better treatment for this condition. The insular cortex is an important information integration center. Numerous imaging studies have documented increased activity of the insular cortex in the presence of neuropathic pain; however, the specific role of this region remains controversial. Early studies suggested that the insular lobe is mainly involved in the processing of the emotional motivation dimension of pain. However, increasing evidence suggests that the role of the insular cortex is more complex and may even be related to the neural plasticity, cognitive evaluation, and psychosocial aspects of neuropathic pain. These effects contribute not only to the development of neuropathic pain, but also to its comorbidity with neuropsychiatric diseases. In this review, we summarize the changes that occur in the insular cortex in the presence of neuropathic pain and analgesia, as well as the molecular mechanisms that may underlie these conditions. We also discuss potential sex-based differences in these processes. Further exploration of the involvement of the insular lobe will contribute to the development of new pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy treatments for neuropathic pain.
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Yousuf MS, Shiers SI, Sahn JJ, Price TJ. Pharmacological Manipulation of Translation as a Therapeutic Target for Chronic Pain. Pharmacol Rev 2021; 73:59-88. [PMID: 33203717 PMCID: PMC7736833 DOI: 10.1124/pharmrev.120.000030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Dysfunction in regulation of mRNA translation is an increasingly recognized characteristic of many diseases and disorders, including cancer, diabetes, autoimmunity, neurodegeneration, and chronic pain. Approximately 50 million adults in the United States experience chronic pain. This economic burden is greater than annual costs associated with heart disease, cancer, and diabetes combined. Treatment options for chronic pain are inadequately efficacious and riddled with adverse side effects. There is thus an urgent unmet need for novel approaches to treating chronic pain. Sensitization of neurons along the nociceptive pathway causes chronic pain states driving symptoms that include spontaneous pain and mechanical and thermal hypersensitivity. More than a decade of preclinical research demonstrates that translational mechanisms regulate the changes in gene expression that are required for ongoing sensitization of nociceptive sensory neurons. This review will describe how key translation regulation signaling pathways, including the integrated stress response, mammalian target of rapamycin, AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), and mitogen-activated protein kinase-interacting kinases, impact the translation of different subsets of mRNAs. We then place these mechanisms of translation regulation in the context of chronic pain states, evaluate currently available therapies, and examine the potential for developing novel drugs. Considering the large body of evidence now published in this area, we propose that pharmacologically manipulating specific aspects of the translational machinery may reverse key neuronal phenotypic changes causing different chronic pain conditions. Therapeutics targeting these pathways could eventually be first-line drugs used to treat chronic pain disorders. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Translational mechanisms regulating protein synthesis underlie phenotypic changes in the sensory nervous system that drive chronic pain states. This review highlights regulatory mechanisms that control translation initiation and how to exploit them in treating persistent pain conditions. We explore the role of mammalian/mechanistic target of rapamycin and mitogen-activated protein kinase-interacting kinase inhibitors and AMPK activators in alleviating pain hypersensitivity. Modulation of eukaryotic initiation factor 2α phosphorylation is also discussed as a potential therapy. Targeting specific translation regulation mechanisms may reverse changes in neuronal hyperexcitability associated with painful conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Saad Yousuf
- Center for Advanced Pain Studies, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas (M.S.Y., S.I.S., T.J.P.) and 4E Therapeutics Inc, Austin, Texas (J.J.S.)
| | - Stephanie I Shiers
- Center for Advanced Pain Studies, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas (M.S.Y., S.I.S., T.J.P.) and 4E Therapeutics Inc, Austin, Texas (J.J.S.)
| | - James J Sahn
- Center for Advanced Pain Studies, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas (M.S.Y., S.I.S., T.J.P.) and 4E Therapeutics Inc, Austin, Texas (J.J.S.)
| | - Theodore J Price
- Center for Advanced Pain Studies, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas (M.S.Y., S.I.S., T.J.P.) and 4E Therapeutics Inc, Austin, Texas (J.J.S.)
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Argueta DA, Aich A, Lei J, Kiven S, Nguyen A, Wang Y, Gu J, Zhao W, Gupta K. β-endorphin at the intersection of pain and cancer progression: Preclinical evidence. Neurosci Lett 2020; 744:135601. [PMID: 33387660 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2020.135601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2020] [Revised: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
We examined the association between endogenous opioid β-endorphin, cancer progression and pain in a transgenic mouse model of breast cancer, with a rat C3(1) simian virus 40 large tumor antigen fusion gene (C3TAg). C3TAg mice develop ductal epithelial atypia at 8 weeks, progression to intra-epithelial neoplasia at 12 weeks, and invasive carcinoma with palpable tumors at 16 weeks. Consistent with invasive carcinoma at 4 months of age, C3TAg mice demonstrate a significant increase in hyperalgesia compared to younger C3TAg or control FVBN mice without tumors. Our data show that the growing tumor contributes to circulating β-endorphin. As an endogenous ligand of mu opioid receptor, β-endorphin has analgesic activity. Paradoxically, we observed an increase in pain in transgenic breast cancer mice with significantly high circulating and tumor-associated β-endorphin. Increased circulating β-endorphin correlates with increasing tumor burden. β-endorphin induced the activation of mitogenic and survival-promoting signaling pathways, MAPK/ERK 1/2, STAT3 and Akt, observed by us in human MDA-MB-231 cells suggesting a role for β-endorphin in breast cancer progression and associated pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donovan A Argueta
- Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Anupam Aich
- Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Jianxun Lei
- Division of Hematology, Oncology and Transplantation, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Stacy Kiven
- Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Aithanh Nguyen
- Division of Hematology, Oncology and Transplantation, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Ying Wang
- Division of Hematology, Oncology and Transplantation, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA; Department of Anesthesia, Stark Neuroscience Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Joshua Gu
- Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA; Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA; Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Weian Zhao
- Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA; Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA; Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA; Edwards Life Sciences Center for Advanced Cardiovascular Technology, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Kalpna Gupta
- Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA; Division of Hematology, Oncology and Transplantation, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA; Southern California Institute for Research and Education, VA Medical Center, Long Beach, CA, USA.
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Cha M, Choi S, Kim K, Lee BH. Manganese-enhanced MRI depicts a reduction in brain responses to nociception upon mTOR inhibition in chronic pain rats. Mol Brain 2020; 13:158. [PMID: 33267907 PMCID: PMC7713325 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-020-00687-1] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 10/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuropathic pain induced by a nerve injury can lead to chronic pain. Recent studies have reported hyperactive neural activities in the nociceptive-related area of the brain as a result of chronic pain. Although cerebral activities associated with hyperalgesia and allodynia in chronic pain models are difficult to represent with functional imaging techniques, advances in manganese (Mn)-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MEMRI) could facilitate the visualization of the activation of pain-specific neural responses in the cerebral cortex. In order to investigate the alleviation of pain nociception by mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) modulation, we observed cerebrocortical excitability changes and compared regional Mn2+ enhancement after mTOR inhibition. At day 7 after nerve injury, drugs were applied into the intracortical area, and drug (Vehicle, Torin1, and XL388) effects were compared within groups using MEMRI. Therein, signal intensities of the insular cortex (IC), primary somatosensory cortex of the hind limb region, motor cortex 1/2, and anterior cingulate cortex regions were significantly reduced after application of mTOR inhibitors (Torin1 and XL388). Furthermore, rostral-caudal analysis of the IC indicated that the rostral region of the IC was more strongly associated with pain perception than the caudal region. Our data suggest that MEMRI can depict pain-related signal changes in the brain and that mTOR inhibition is closely correlated with pain modulation in chronic pain rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myeounghoon Cha
- Department of Physiology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1, Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, 03722, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
| | - Songyeon Choi
- Department of Physiology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1, Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, 03722, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 03722, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyeongmin Kim
- Department of Physiology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1, Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, 03722, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 03722, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Bae Hwan Lee
- Department of Physiology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1, Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, 03722, Seoul, Republic of Korea. .,Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 03722, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
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11
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Chen Y, Zhou X. Research progress of mTOR inhibitors. Eur J Med Chem 2020; 208:112820. [PMID: 32966896 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2020.112820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Revised: 08/16/2020] [Accepted: 09/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a highly conserved Serine/Threonine (Ser/Thr) protein kinase, which belongs to phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase-related kinase (PIKK) protein family. mTOR exists as two types of protein complex: mTORC1 and mTORC2, which act as central controller regulating processes of cell metabolism, growth, proliferation, survival and autophagy. The mTOR inhibitors block mTOR signaling pathway, producing anti-inflammatory, anti-proliferative, autophagy and apoptosis induction effects, thus mTOR inhibitors are mainly used in cancer therapy. At present, mTOR inhibitors are divided into four categories: Antibiotic allosteric mTOR inhibitors (first generation), ATP-competitive mTOR inhibitors (second generation), mTOR/PI3K dual inhibitors (second generation) and other new mTOR inhibitors (third generation). In this article, these four categories of mTOR inhibitors and their structures, properties and some clinical researches will be introduced. Among them, we focus on the structure of mTOR inhibitors and try to analyze the structure-activity relationship. mTOR inhibitors are classified according to their chemical structure and their contents are introduced systematically. Moreover, some natural products that have direct or indirect mTOR inhibitory activities are introduced together. In this article, we analyzed the target, binding mode and structure-activity relationship of each generation of mTOR inhibitors and proposed two hypothetic scaffolds (the inverted-Y-shape scaffold and the C-shape scaffold) for the second generation of mTOR inhibitors. These findings may provide some help or reference for drug designing, drug modification or the future development of mTOR inhibitor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifan Chen
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Xiaoping Zhou
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China.
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12
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Xu B, Liu SS, Wei J, Jiao ZY, Mo C, Lv CM, Huang AL, Chen QB, Ma L, Guan XH. Role of Spinal Cord Akt-mTOR Signaling Pathways in Postoperative Hyperalgesia Induced by Plantar Incision in Mice. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:766. [PMID: 32848550 PMCID: PMC7396510 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.00766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2020] [Accepted: 06/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Poor postoperative pain (POP) control increases perioperative morbidity, prolongs hospitalization days, and causes chronic pain. However, the specific mechanism(s) underlying POP is unclear and the identification of optimal perioperative treatment remains elusive. Akt and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) are expressed in the spinal cord, dorsal root ganglion, and sensory axons. In this study, we explored the role of Akt and mTOR in pain-related behaviors induced by plantar incision in mice. Plantar incision activated spinal Akt and mTOR in a dose-dependent manner. Pre-treatment with Akt inhibitors intrathecally prevented the activation of mTOR dose-dependently. In addition, blocking the Akt-mTOR signaling cascade attenuated pain-related behaviors and spinal Fos protein expression induced by plantar incision. Our observations demonstrate that Akt-mTOR might be a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of POP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bing Xu
- Department of Rehabilitation, The People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
| | - Su-Su Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, The People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
| | - Jin Wei
- Department of Anesthesiology, The People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
| | - Zi-Yin Jiao
- Department of Anesthesiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Cheng Mo
- Department of Anesthesiology, The People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
| | - Cheng-Mei Lv
- Department of Anesthesiology, The People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
| | - Ai-Lan Huang
- Department of Anesthesiology, The People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
| | - Qi-Bo Chen
- Department of Rehabilitation, The People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
| | - Li Ma
- Department of Anesthesiology, The People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
| | - Xue-Hai Guan
- Department of Anesthesiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
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