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David ET, Yousuf MS, Mei HR, Jain A, Krishnagiri S, Elahi H, Venkatesan R, Srikanth KD, Dussor G, Dalva MB, Price TJ. ephrin-B2 promotes nociceptive plasticity and hyperalgesic priming through EphB2-MNK-eIF4E signaling in both mice and humans. Pharmacol Res 2024; 206:107284. [PMID: 38925462 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2024.107284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2024] [Revised: 06/21/2024] [Accepted: 06/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Ephrin-B-EphB signaling can promote pain through ligand-receptor interactions between peripheral cells, like immune cells expressing ephrin-Bs, and EphB receptors expressed by DRG neurons. Previous studies have shown increased ephrin-B2 expression in peripheral tissues like synovium of rheumatoid and osteoarthritis patients, indicating the clinical significance of this signaling. The primary goal of this study was to understand how ephrin-B2 acts on mouse and human DRG neurons, which express EphB receptors, to promote pain and nociceptor plasticity. We hypothesized that ephrin-B2 would promote nociceptor plasticity and hyperalgesic priming through MNK-eIF4E signaling, a critical mechanism for nociceptive plasticity induced by growth factors, cytokines and nerve injury. Both male and female mice developed dose-dependent mechanical hypersensitivity in response to ephrin-B2, and both sexes showed hyperalgesic priming when challenged with PGE2 injection either to the paw or the cranial dura. Acute nociceptive behaviors and hyperalgesic priming were blocked in mice lacking MNK1 (Mknk1 knockout mice) and by eFT508, a specific MNK inhibitor. Sensory neuron-specific knockout of EphB2 using Pirt-Cre demonstrated that ephrin-B2 actions require this receptor. In Ca2+-imaging experiments on cultured DRG neurons, ephrin-B2 treatment enhanced Ca2+ transients in response to PGE2 and these effects were absent in DRG neurons from MNK1-/- and EphB2-PirtCre mice. In experiments on human DRG neurons, ephrin-B2 increased eIF4E phosphorylation and enhanced Ca2+ responses to PGE2 treatment, both blocked by eFT508. We conclude that ephrin-B2 acts directly on mouse and human sensory neurons to induce nociceptor plasticity via MNK-eIF4E signaling, offering new insight into how ephrin-B signaling promotes pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric T David
- University of Texas at Dallas, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, Department of Neuroscience, Center for Advanced Pain Studies
| | - Muhammad Saad Yousuf
- University of Texas at Dallas, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, Department of Neuroscience, Center for Advanced Pain Studies
| | - Hao-Ruei Mei
- University of Texas at Dallas, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, Department of Neuroscience, Center for Advanced Pain Studies
| | - Ashita Jain
- University of Texas at Dallas, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, Department of Neuroscience, Center for Advanced Pain Studies
| | - Sharada Krishnagiri
- University of Texas at Dallas, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, Department of Neuroscience, Center for Advanced Pain Studies
| | - Hajira Elahi
- University of Texas at Dallas, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, Department of Neuroscience, Center for Advanced Pain Studies
| | - Rupali Venkatesan
- University of Texas at Dallas, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, Department of Neuroscience, Center for Advanced Pain Studies
| | - Kolluru D Srikanth
- Jefferson Synaptic Biology Center, Department of Neuroscience, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107; Tulane Brain Institute, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Tulane University; New Orleans, LA 70124, USA
| | - Gregory Dussor
- University of Texas at Dallas, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, Department of Neuroscience, Center for Advanced Pain Studies
| | - Matthew B Dalva
- Jefferson Synaptic Biology Center, Department of Neuroscience, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107; Tulane Brain Institute, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Tulane University; New Orleans, LA 70124, USA
| | - Theodore J Price
- University of Texas at Dallas, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, Department of Neuroscience, Center for Advanced Pain Studies.
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Liu X, Mao X, Liu Y, Chen W, Li W, Lin N, Zhang Y. Preclinical efficacy of TZG in myofascial pain syndrome by impairing PI3K-RAC2 signaling-mediated neutrophil extracellular traps. iScience 2023; 26:108074. [PMID: 37860777 PMCID: PMC10583084 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.108074] [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] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 05/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Tianhe Zhuifeng Gao (TZG) shows a satisfying therapeutic efficacy in treating arthromyodynia, which shares similar etiology to myofascial pain syndrome (MPS). We herein aim to explore whether TZG could be a potential prescription for MPS therapy. An MPS rat model was successfully established presenting with reduced pain thresholds, abnormal local switch responses, etc., which was effectively reversed by TZG treatment externally. A transcriptome sequencing based on the active MTrPs samples of rats, combined with network analysis revealed that TZG might ameliorate the progression of MPS by impairing neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) release through inhibiting PI3K-RAC2 signaling to reduce NADPH oxidase-originated ROS. Experimentally, the expression levels of inducers, biomarkers of NETs formation and vessel injury, and p-PI3K, p-P47, and RAC2 proteins were all significantly up-regulated in affected tissues, which were markedly reversed by TZG. Our results not only shed light into broadening the clinical indications of TZG, but benefit MPS therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueting Liu
- Research Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine Theory and Literatures, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Xia Mao
- Research Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine Theory and Literatures, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Yudong Liu
- Research Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine Theory and Literatures, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Wenjia Chen
- Research Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine Theory and Literatures, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Weijie Li
- Research Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine Theory and Literatures, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Na Lin
- Research Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine Theory and Literatures, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Yanqiong Zhang
- Research Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine Theory and Literatures, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
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Liu M, Liu Y, Li X, Pei M, Han M, Qi F. Dexmedetomidine inhibits abnormal muscle hypertrophy of myofascial trigger points via TNF-α/ NF-κB signaling pathway in rats. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:1031804. [PMID: 36408215 PMCID: PMC9669483 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.1031804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) is a chronic pain disorder with inflammation-related primarily characterized by the presence of myofascial trigger points (MTrPs). Myocyte enhancer factor 2C (MEF2C) is involved in the occurrence of a variety of skeletal muscle diseases. However, it is not yet clear if MEF2C is involved in MTrPs. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether MEF2C was involved in the inflammatory pathogenesis of MTrPs. In the present study, we used RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) to compare the differential expression of myocyte enhancer factor 2C (MEF2C) in healthy participants and MTrPs participants. The widely used rat MTrPs model was established to research the upstream and downstream regulatory mechanism of MEF2C and found that MEF2C was significantly increased in patients with MTrPs. Dexmedetomidine (Dex) was injected intramuscularly in the MTrPs animal to assess its effects on MEF2C. The expression of MEF2C protein and mRNA in skeletal muscle of rats in the MTrPs group were up-regulated. In addition, the expression of TNF- α, p-P65, MLCK, and Myocilin (MyoC) was up-regulated and the mechanical pain threshold was decreased. Peripheral TNF- α injection significantly decreased the mechanical pain threshold and increased the expression of p-P65, MLCK, MEF2C, and MyoC in healthy rats. Maslinic acid increased the mechanical pain threshold and inhibited the expression of p-P65, MLCK, MEF2C, and MyoC. In addition, peripheral injection of DEX in MTrPs rats also inhibited the expression of TNF- α, p-P65, MLCK, MEF2C, and MyoC. These results suggest that MEF2C is involved in the inflammatory pathogenesis of MTrPs and DEX serves as a potential therapeutic strategy for the treatment of MPS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingjian Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Clinic, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
- Laboratory of Basic Medical Sciences, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Yu Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Clinic, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
- Laboratory of Basic Medical Sciences, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Xuan Li
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Clinic, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
- Laboratory of Basic Medical Sciences, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Miao Pei
- Laboratory of Basic Medical Sciences, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Department of Anesthesiology Clinic, Clinical Medical College & Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu University, Chengdu, China
| | - Mei Han
- Department of the Quality Management, The Second Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China
- *Correspondence: Mei Han, ; Feng Qi,
| | - Feng Qi
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Clinic, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
- *Correspondence: Mei Han, ; Feng Qi,
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