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Lee SH, Bonifacio F, Prudente AS, Choi YI, Roh J, Adjafre BL, Park CK, Jung SJ, Cunha TM, Berta T. STING recognition of viral dsDNA by nociceptors mediates pain in mice. Brain Behav Immun 2024; 121:29-42. [PMID: 39025416 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2024.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2024] [Revised: 07/05/2024] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Pain is often one of the initial indicators of a viral infection, yet our understanding of how viruses induce pain is limited. Immune cells typically recognize viral nucleic acids, which activate viral receptors and signaling, leading to immunity. Interestingly, these viral receptors and signals are also present in nociceptors and are associated with pain. Here, we investigate the response of nociceptors to nucleic acids during viral infections, specifically focusing on the role of the viral signal, Stimulator of Interferon Genes (STING). Our research shows that cytosolic double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) from viruses, like herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1), triggers pain responses through STING expression in nociceptors. In addition, STING agonists alone can elicit pain responses. Notably, these responses involve the direct activation of STING in nociceptors through TRPV1. We also provided a proof-of-concept showing that STING and TRPV1 significantly contribute to the mechanical hypersensitivity induced by HSV-1 infection. These findings suggest that STING could be a potential therapeutic target for relieving pain during viral infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sang Hoon Lee
- Pain Research Center, Department of Anesthesiology, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Fabio Bonifacio
- Center for Research in Inflammatory Diseases, Department of Pharmacology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Arthur Silveira Prudente
- Pain Research Center, Department of Anesthesiology, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Y I Choi
- Department of Physiology, Medical School, Hanyang University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Jueun Roh
- Pain Research Center, Department of Anesthesiology, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States; Gachon Pain Center and Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Gachon University, Incheon, South Korea
| | - Beatriz Lima Adjafre
- Pain Research Center, Department of Anesthesiology, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States; Center for Research in Inflammatory Diseases, Department of Pharmacology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Chul-Kyu Park
- Gachon Pain Center and Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Gachon University, Incheon, South Korea
| | - Sung Jun Jung
- Department of Physiology, Medical School, Hanyang University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Thiago M Cunha
- Center for Research in Inflammatory Diseases, Department of Pharmacology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil.
| | - Temugin Berta
- Pain Research Center, Department of Anesthesiology, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States.
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Arendt-Tranholm A, Mwirigi JM, Price TJ. RNA isoform expression landscape of the human dorsal root ganglion generated from long-read sequencing. Pain 2024:00006396-990000000-00606. [PMID: 38809314 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000003255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Splicing is a posttranscriptional RNA processing mechanism that enhances genomic complexity by creating multiple isoforms from the same gene. We aimed to characterize the isoforms expressed in the human peripheral nervous system, with the goal of creating a resource to identify novel isoforms of functionally relevant genes associated with somatosensation and nociception. We used long-read sequencing to document isoform expression in the human dorsal root ganglia from 3 organ donors and validated in silico by confirming expression in short-read sequencing from 3 independent organ donors. Nineteen thousand five hundred forty-seven isoforms of protein-coding genes were detected and validated. We identified 763 isoforms with at least one previously undescribed splice junction. Previously unannotated isoforms of multiple pain-associated genes, including ASIC3, MRGPRX1, and HNRNPK, were identified. In the novel isoforms of ASIC3, a region comprising approximately 35% of the 5'UTR was excised. By contrast, a novel splice junction was used in isoforms of MRGPRX1 to include an additional exon upstream of the start codon, consequently adding a region to the 5'UTR. Novel isoforms of HNRNPK were identified, which used previously unannotated splice sites to both excise exon 14 and include a sequence in the 3' end of exon 13. This novel insertion is predicted to introduce a tyrosine phosphorylation site potentially phosphorylated by SRC. We also independently confirm a recently reported DRG-specific splicing event in WNK1 that gives insight into how painless peripheral neuropathy occurs when this gene is mutated. Our findings give a clear overview of mRNA isoform diversity in the human dorsal root ganglia obtained using long-read sequencing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asta Arendt-Tranholm
- Department of Neuroscience and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, United States
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Jain A, Hakim S, Woolf CJ. Immune drivers of physiological and pathological pain. J Exp Med 2024; 221:e20221687. [PMID: 38607420 PMCID: PMC11010323 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20221687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Physiological pain serves as a warning of exposure to danger and prompts us to withdraw from noxious stimuli to prevent tissue damage. Pain can also alert us of an infection or organ dysfunction and aids in locating such malfunction. However, there are instances where pain is purely pathological, such as unresolved pain following an inflammation or injury to the nervous system, and this can be debilitating and persistent. We now appreciate that immune cells are integral to both physiological and pathological pain, and that pain, in consequence, is not strictly a neuronal phenomenon. Here, we discuss recent findings on how immune cells in the skin, nerve, dorsal root ganglia, and spinal cord interact with somatosensory neurons to mediate pain. We also discuss how both innate and adaptive immune cells, by releasing various ligands and mediators, contribute to the initiation, modulation, persistence, or resolution of various modalities of pain. Finally, we propose that the neuroimmune axis is an attractive target for pain treatment, but the challenges in objectively quantifying pain preclinically, variable sex differences in pain presentation, as well as adverse outcomes associated with immune system modulation, all need to be considered in the development of immunotherapies against pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aakanksha Jain
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sara Hakim
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Clifford J. Woolf
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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4
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Rodriguez-Palma EJ, Allen HN, Khanna R. STINGing away the pain: the role of interferon-stimulated genes. J Clin Invest 2024; 134:e180497. [PMID: 38690736 PMCID: PMC11060727 DOI: 10.1172/jci180497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Pain and inflammation are biologically intertwined responses that warn the body of potential danger. In this issue of the JCI, Defaye, Bradaia, and colleagues identified a functional link between inflammation and pain, demonstrating that inflammation-induced activation of stimulator of IFN genes (STING) in dorsal root ganglia nociceptors reduced pain-like behaviors in a rodent model of inflammatory pain. Utilizing mice with a gain-of-function STING mutation, Defaye, Bradaia, and colleagues identified type I IFN regulation of voltage-gated potassium channels as the mechanism of this pain relief. Further investigation into mechanisms by which proinflammatory pathways can reduce pain may reveal druggable targets and insights into new approaches for treating persistent pain.
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Sanz-Gonzalez M, Zhang J. Our understanding of microglia involvement in neuropathic pain has expanded. Brain Behav Immun 2024; 118:190-191. [PMID: 38442784 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2024.02.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Marina Sanz-Gonzalez
- The Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Ji Zhang
- The Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Faculty of Dental Medicine and Oral Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Neurology & Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
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6
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Defaye M, Bradaia A, Abdullah NS, Agosti F, Iftinca M, Delanne-Cuménal M, Soubeyre V, Svendsen K, Gill G, Ozmaeian A, Gheziel N, Martin J, Poulen G, Lonjon N, Vachiery-Lahaye F, Bauchet L, Basso L, Bourinet E, Chiu IM, Altier C. Induction of antiviral interferon-stimulated genes by neuronal STING promotes the resolution of pain in mice. J Clin Invest 2024; 134:e176474. [PMID: 38690737 PMCID: PMC11060736 DOI: 10.1172/jci176474] [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: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Inflammation and pain are intertwined responses to injury, infection, or chronic diseases. While acute inflammation is essential in determining pain resolution and opioid analgesia, maladaptive processes occurring during resolution can lead to the transition to chronic pain. Here we found that inflammation activates the cytosolic DNA-sensing protein stimulator of IFN genes (STING) in dorsal root ganglion nociceptors. Neuronal activation of STING promotes signaling through TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1) and triggers an IFN-β response that mediates pain resolution. Notably, we found that mice expressing a nociceptor-specific gain-of-function mutation in STING exhibited an IFN gene signature that reduced nociceptor excitability and inflammatory hyperalgesia through a KChIP1-Kv4.3 regulation. Our findings reveal a role of IFN-regulated genes and KChIP1 downstream of STING in the resolution of inflammatory pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manon Defaye
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Cumming School of Medicine
- Inflammation Research Network–Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases, Cumming School of Medicine, and
- Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Amyaouch Bradaia
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Cumming School of Medicine
- Inflammation Research Network–Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases, Cumming School of Medicine, and
- Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Nasser S. Abdullah
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Cumming School of Medicine
- Inflammation Research Network–Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases, Cumming School of Medicine, and
- Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Francina Agosti
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Cumming School of Medicine
- Inflammation Research Network–Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases, Cumming School of Medicine, and
- Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Mircea Iftinca
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Cumming School of Medicine
- Inflammation Research Network–Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases, Cumming School of Medicine, and
- Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Mélissa Delanne-Cuménal
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Cumming School of Medicine
- Inflammation Research Network–Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases, Cumming School of Medicine, and
- Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Vanessa Soubeyre
- Department of Neurosurgery, Gui de Chauliac Hospital, Donation and Transplantation Coordination Unit, Montpellier University Medical Center, Montpellier, France
| | - Kristofer Svendsen
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Cumming School of Medicine
- Inflammation Research Network–Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases, Cumming School of Medicine, and
- Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Gurveer Gill
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Cumming School of Medicine
- Inflammation Research Network–Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases, Cumming School of Medicine, and
| | - Aye Ozmaeian
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Cumming School of Medicine
- Inflammation Research Network–Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases, Cumming School of Medicine, and
- Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Nadine Gheziel
- Toulouse Institute for Infectious and Inflammatory Diseases (INFINITy), INSERM UMR1291, University of Toulouse III, Toulouse, France
| | - Jérémy Martin
- Toulouse Institute for Infectious and Inflammatory Diseases (INFINITy), INSERM UMR1291, University of Toulouse III, Toulouse, France
| | - Gaetan Poulen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Gui de Chauliac Hospital, Donation and Transplantation Coordination Unit, Montpellier University Medical Center, Montpellier, France
| | - Nicolas Lonjon
- Department of Neurosurgery, Gui de Chauliac Hospital, Donation and Transplantation Coordination Unit, Montpellier University Medical Center, Montpellier, France
| | - Florence Vachiery-Lahaye
- Department of Neurosurgery, Gui de Chauliac Hospital, Donation and Transplantation Coordination Unit, Montpellier University Medical Center, Montpellier, France
| | - Luc Bauchet
- Department of Neurosurgery, Gui de Chauliac Hospital, Donation and Transplantation Coordination Unit, Montpellier University Medical Center, Montpellier, France
- Institute of Functional Genomics, Montpellier University, CNRS, INSERM, Montpellier, France
| | - Lilian Basso
- Toulouse Institute for Infectious and Inflammatory Diseases (INFINITy), INSERM UMR1291, University of Toulouse III, Toulouse, France
| | - Emmanuel Bourinet
- Institute of Functional Genomics, Montpellier University, CNRS, INSERM, Montpellier, France
| | - Isaac M. Chiu
- Department of Immunology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Christophe Altier
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Cumming School of Medicine
- Inflammation Research Network–Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases, Cumming School of Medicine, and
- Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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7
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Luo Y, Yu Y, He H, Fan N. Acute ketamine induces neuronal hyperexcitability and deficits in prepulse inhibition by upregulating IL-6. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2024; 130:110913. [PMID: 38103855 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2023.110913] [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: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Acute ketamine administration results in psychotic symptoms similar to those observed in schizophrenia and is regarded as a pharmacological model of schizophrenia. Accumulating evidence suggests that patients with schizophrenia show increased IL-6 levels in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid and that IL-6 levels are associated with the severity of psychotic symptoms. In the present study, we found that a single ketamine exposure led to increased expression of IL-6 and IL-6Rα, decreased dendritic spine density, increased expression and currents of T-type calcium channels, and increased neuron excitability in the hippocampal CA1 area 12 h after exposure. Acute ketamine administration also led to impaired prepulse inhibition (PPI) 12 h after administration. Additionally, we found that the expression of signaling molecules IKKα/β, NF-κB, JAK2, and STAT3 was upregulated 12 h after a single ketamine injection. The decreases in dendritic spine density, the increases in calcium currents and neuron excitability, and the impairments in PPI were ameliorated by blocking IL-6 or IL-6Rα. Our findings show that blocking IL-6 or its receptor may protect hippocampal neurons from hyperexcitability, thereby ameliorating ketamine-induced psychotic effects. Our study provides additional evidence that targeting IL-6 and its receptor is a potential strategy for treating psychotic symptoms in acute ketamine-induced psychosis and schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yayan Luo
- The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, 36 Mingxin Road, Liwan District, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province 510370, China
| | - Yang Yu
- The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, 36 Mingxin Road, Liwan District, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province 510370, China
| | - Hongbo He
- The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, 36 Mingxin Road, Liwan District, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province 510370, China
| | - Ni Fan
- The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, 36 Mingxin Road, Liwan District, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province 510370, China.
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Silveira Prudente A, Hoon Lee S, Roh J, Luckemeyer DD, Cohen CF, Pertin M, Park CK, Suter MR, Decosterd I, Zhang JM, Ji RR, Berta T. Microglial STING activation alleviates nerve injury-induced neuropathic pain in male but not female mice. Brain Behav Immun 2024; 117:51-65. [PMID: 38190983 PMCID: PMC11034751 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2024.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Microglia, resident immune cells in the central nervous system, play a role in neuroinflammation and the development of neuropathic pain. We found that the stimulator of interferon genes (STING) is predominantly expressed in spinal microglia and upregulated after peripheral nerve injury. However, mechanical allodynia, as a marker of neuropathic pain following peripheral nerve injury, did not require microglial STING expression. In contrast, STING activation by specific agonists (ADU-S100, 35 nmol) significantly alleviated neuropathic pain in male mice, but not female mice. STING activation in female mice leads to increase in proinflammatory cytokines that may counteract the analgesic effect of ADU-S100. Microglial STING expression and type I interferon-ß (IFN-ß) signaling were required for the analgesic effects of STING agonists in male mice. Mechanistically, downstream activation of TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1) and the production of IFN-ß, may partly account for the analgesic effect observed. These findings suggest that STING activation in spinal microglia could be a potential therapeutic intervention for neuropathic pain, particularly in males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arthur Silveira Prudente
- Pain Research Center, Department of Anesthesiology, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Sang Hoon Lee
- Pain Research Center, Department of Anesthesiology, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Jueun Roh
- Pain Research Center, Department of Anesthesiology, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Department of Physiology, Gachon Pain Center, Gachon University College of Medicine, Incheon, South Korea
| | - Debora D Luckemeyer
- Pain Research Center, Department of Anesthesiology, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Cinder F Cohen
- Pain Research Center, Department of Anesthesiology, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Marie Pertin
- Pain Center, Department of Anesthesiology, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland; Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Chul-Kyu Park
- Department of Physiology, Gachon Pain Center, Gachon University College of Medicine, Incheon, South Korea
| | - Marc R Suter
- Pain Center, Department of Anesthesiology, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland; Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Isabelle Decosterd
- Pain Center, Department of Anesthesiology, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland; Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Jun-Ming Zhang
- Pain Research Center, Department of Anesthesiology, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Ru-Rong Ji
- Center for Translational Pain Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA; Departments of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Temugin Berta
- Pain Research Center, Department of Anesthesiology, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
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Smith PR, Campbell ZT. RNA-binding proteins in pain. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. RNA 2024; 15:e1843. [PMID: 38576117 PMCID: PMC11003723 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2024] [Revised: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
RNAs are meticulously controlled by proteins. Through direct and indirect associations, every facet in the brief life of an mRNA is subject to regulation. RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) permeate biology. Here, we focus on their roles in pain. Chronic pain is among the largest challenges facing medicine and requires new strategies. Mounting pharmacologic and genetic evidence obtained in pre-clinical models suggests fundamental roles for a broad array of RBPs. We describe their diverse roles that span RNA modification, splicing, stability, translation, and decay. Finally, we highlight opportunities to expand our understanding of regulatory interactions that contribute to pain signaling. This article is categorized under: RNA Interactions with Proteins and Other Molecules > Protein-RNA Interactions: Functional Implications Translation > Regulation RNA in Disease and Development > RNA in Disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick R. Smith
- Department of Anaesthesiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA 53792
| | - Zachary T. Campbell
- Department of Anaesthesiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA 53792
- Department of Biomolecular Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA 53792
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Franco-Enzástiga Ú, Natarajan K, David ET, Patel K, Ravirala A, Price TJ. Vinorelbine causes a neuropathic pain-like state in mice via STING and MNK1 signaling associated with type I interferon induction. iScience 2024; 27:108808. [PMID: 38303713 PMCID: PMC10831286 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.108808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Revised: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Type I interferons (IFNs) increase the excitability of dorsal root ganglia (DRGs) neurons via MNK-eIF4E signaling to promote pain sensitization in mice. Activation of stimulator of interferon response cGAMP interactor 1 (STING) signaling is pivotal for type I IFN induction. We hypothesized that vinorelbine, a chemotherapeutic and activator of STING, would cause a neuropathic pain-like state in mice via STING signaling in DRG neurons associated with IFN production. Vinorelbine caused tactile allodynia and grimacing in wild-type (WT) mice and increased p-IRF3, type I IFNs, and p-eIF4E in peripheral nerves. Supporting our hypothesis, vinorelbine failed to induce IRF3-IFNs-MNK-eIF4E in StingGt/Gt mice and, subsequently, failed to cause pain. The vinorelbine-elicited increase of p-eIF4E was not observed in Mknk1-/- (MNK1 knockout) mice in peripheral nerves consistent with the attenuated pro-nociceptive effect of vinorelbine in these mice. Our findings show that activation of STING signaling in the periphery causes a neuropathic pain-like state through type I IFN signaling to DRG nociceptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Úrzula Franco-Enzástiga
- Center for Advanced Pain Studies, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX 75080, USA
| | - Keerthana Natarajan
- Center for Advanced Pain Studies, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX 75080, USA
| | - Eric T. David
- Center for Advanced Pain Studies, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX 75080, USA
| | - Krish Patel
- Center for Advanced Pain Studies, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX 75080, USA
| | - Abhira Ravirala
- Center for Advanced Pain Studies, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX 75080, USA
| | - Theodore J. Price
- Center for Advanced Pain Studies, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX 75080, USA
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Chen Y, Hu Y, He X, Zang H, Sun R, Zhu C, Yao W. Activation of mitochondrial DNA-mediated cGAS-STING pathway contributes to chronic postsurgical pain by inducing type I interferons and A1 reactive astrocytes in the spinal cord. Int Immunopharmacol 2024; 127:111348. [PMID: 38086268 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2023.111348] [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: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 11/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Chronic postsurgical pain (CPSP) is increasingly recognized as a public health issue. Recent studies indicated the innate immune pathway of cyclic guanosine monophosphate-adenosine monophosphate synthase (cGAS)-stimulator of interferon genes (STING) was involved in pain regulation. However, the detailed mechanisms remain unclear. Previous studies found A1 reactive astrocytes in the spinal cord contributed to CPSP. This study aimed to investigate the roles and mechanisms of the cGAS-STING pathway in regulating the generation of A1 reactive astrocytes during CPSP. First, CPSP model was established using skin/muscle incision and retraction (SMIR) in rats. We found that cGAS-STING pathway was activated accompanied with an increase in mitochondrial DNA in the cytosol in the spinal cord following SMIR. Second, a STING inhibitor C-176 was intrathecally administrated. We found that C-176 decreased the expression of type I interferons and A1 reactive astrocytes in the spinal cord, and alleviated mechanical allodynia in SMIR rats. Third, cyclosporin A as a mitochondrial permeability transition pore blocker was intrathecally administrated. We found that cyclosporin A decreased the leakage of mitochondrial DNA and inhibited the activation of cGAS-STING pathway. Compared with C-176, cyclosporin A exhibits similar analgesic effects. The expression of type I interferons and A1 reactive astrocytes in the spinal cord were also down-regulated after intervention with cyclosporin A. Moreover, simultaneous administration of cyclosporin A and C-176 did not show synergistic effects in SMIR rats. Therefore, our study demonstrated that the cGAS-STING pathway activated by the leakage of mitochondrial DNA contributed to chronic postsurgical pain by inducing type I interferons and A1 reactive astrocytes in the spinal cord.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuye Chen
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Geriatric Anesthesia and Perioperative Brain Health, Wuhan Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Anesthesia, Department of Anesthesiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Yingjie Hu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Geriatric Anesthesia and Perioperative Brain Health, Wuhan Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Anesthesia, Department of Anesthesiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Xiao He
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Geriatric Anesthesia and Perioperative Brain Health, Wuhan Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Anesthesia, Department of Anesthesiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Hu Zang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Geriatric Anesthesia and Perioperative Brain Health, Wuhan Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Anesthesia, Department of Anesthesiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Rao Sun
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Geriatric Anesthesia and Perioperative Brain Health, Wuhan Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Anesthesia, Department of Anesthesiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Chang Zhu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Geriatric Anesthesia and Perioperative Brain Health, Wuhan Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Anesthesia, Department of Anesthesiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Wenlong Yao
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Geriatric Anesthesia and Perioperative Brain Health, Wuhan Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Anesthesia, Department of Anesthesiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China.
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12
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Mali SS, Silva R, Gong Z, Cronce M, Vo U, Vuong C, Moayedi Y, Cox JS, Bautista DM. SARS-CoV-2 papain-like protease activates nociceptors to drive sneeze and pain. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.10.575114. [PMID: 38260476 PMCID: PMC10802627 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.10.575114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, triggers symptoms such as sneezing, aches and pain.1 These symptoms are mediated by a subset of sensory neurons, known as nociceptors, that detect noxious stimuli, densely innervate the airway epithelium, and interact with airway resident epithelial and immune cells.2-6 However, the mechanisms by which viral infection activates these neurons to trigger pain and airway reflexes are unknown. Here, we show that the coronavirus papain-like protease (PLpro) directly activates airway-innervating trigeminal and vagal nociceptors in mice and human iPSC-derived nociceptors. PLpro elicits sneezing and acute pain in mice and triggers the release of neuropeptide calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) from airway afferents. We find that PLpro-induced sneeze and pain requires the host TRPA1 ion channel that has been previously demonstrated to mediate pain, cough, and airway inflammation.7-9 Our findings are the first demonstration of a viral product that directly activates sensory neurons to trigger pain and airway reflexes and highlight a new role for PLpro and nociceptors in COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonali S. Mali
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
| | - Ricardo Silva
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
| | - Zhongyan Gong
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
| | - Michael Cronce
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
| | - Uyen Vo
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute
| | - Cliff Vuong
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
| | - Yalda Moayedi
- Pain Research Center, Department of Molecular Pathobiology, New York University College of Dentistry, New York, NY
| | - Jeffery S. Cox
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
| | - Diana M. Bautista
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute
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13
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Serafini RA, Ramakrishnan A, Shen L, Zachariou V. Desipramine induces anti-inflammatory dorsal root ganglion transcriptional signatures in the murine spared nerve injury model. NEUROBIOLOGY OF PAIN (CAMBRIDGE, MASS.) 2024; 15:100153. [PMID: 38549875 PMCID: PMC10973649 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynpai.2024.100153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2024] [Revised: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/09/2024]
Abstract
Monoamine-targeting antidepressants serve as frontline medications for chronic pain and associated comorbidities. While persistent anti-allodynic properties of antidepressants generally require weeks of treatment, several groups have demonstrated acute analgesic effects within hours of administration, suggesting a role in non-mesocorticolimbic pain processing regions such as the peripheral nervous system. To further explore this possibility, after four weeks of spared nerve injury or sham surgeries, we systemically administered desipramine or saline for an additional three weeks and performed whole transcriptome RNA sequencing on L3-6 dorsal root ganglia. Along with alterations in molecular pathways associated with neuronal activity, we observed a robust immunomodulatory transcriptional signature in the desipramine treated group. Cell subtype deconvolution predicted that these changes were associated with A- and C-fibers. Of note, differentially expressed genes from the dorsal root ganglia of DMI-treated, injured mice were largely unique compared to those from the nucleus accumbens of the same animals. These observations suggest that, under peripheral nerve injury conditions, desipramine induces specific gene expression changes across various regions of the nociceptive circuitry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Randal A. Serafini
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, United States
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology & Biophysics, Avedisian and Chobanian School of Medicine at Boston University, Boston, MA 02118, United States
| | - Aarthi Ramakrishnan
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, United States
| | - Li Shen
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology & Biophysics, Avedisian and Chobanian School of Medicine at Boston University, Boston, MA 02118, United States
| | - Venetia Zachariou
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, United States
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology & Biophysics, Avedisian and Chobanian School of Medicine at Boston University, Boston, MA 02118, United States
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14
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Salazar S, Luong KTY, Koyuncu OO. Cell Intrinsic Determinants of Alpha Herpesvirus Latency and Pathogenesis in the Nervous System. Viruses 2023; 15:2284. [PMID: 38140525 PMCID: PMC10747186 DOI: 10.3390/v15122284] [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: 10/20/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Alpha herpesvirus infections (α-HVs) are widespread, affecting more than 70% of the adult human population. Typically, the infections start in the mucosal epithelia, from which the viral particles invade the axons of the peripheral nervous system. In the nuclei of the peripheral ganglia, α-HVs establish a lifelong latency and eventually undergo multiple reactivation cycles. Upon reactivation, viral progeny can move into the nerves, back out toward the periphery where they entered the organism, or they can move toward the central nervous system (CNS). This latency-reactivation cycle is remarkably well controlled by the intricate actions of the intrinsic and innate immune responses of the host, and finely counteracted by the viral proteins in an effort to co-exist in the population. If this yin-yang- or Nash-equilibrium-like balance state is broken due to immune suppression or genetic mutations in the host response factors particularly in the CNS, or the presence of other pathogenic stimuli, α-HV reactivations might lead to life-threatening pathologies. In this review, we will summarize the molecular virus-host interactions starting from mucosal epithelia infections leading to the establishment of latency in the PNS and to possible CNS invasion by α-HVs, highlighting the pathologies associated with uncontrolled virus replication in the NS.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Orkide O. Koyuncu
- Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, School of Medicine and Center for Virus Research, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; (S.S.); (K.T.Y.L.)
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15
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Wong C, Tavares-Ferreira D, Thörn Perez C, Sharif B, Uttam S, Amiri M, Lister KC, Hooshmandi M, Nguyen V, Séguéla P, Sonenberg N, Price TJ, Gkogkas CG, Khoutorsky A. 4E-BP1-dependent translation in nociceptors controls mechanical hypersensitivity via TRIM32/type I interferon signaling. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadh9603. [PMID: 37922363 PMCID: PMC10624345 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adh9603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/05/2023]
Abstract
Activation of the mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) contributes to the development of chronic pain. However, the specific mechanisms by which mTORC1 causes hypersensitivity remain elusive. The eukaryotic initiation factor 4E-binding protein 1 (4E-BP1) is a key mTORC1 downstream effector that represses translation initiation. Here, we show that nociceptor-specific deletion of 4E-BP1, mimicking activation of mTORC1-dependent translation, is sufficient to cause mechanical hypersensitivity. Using translating ribosome affinity purification in nociceptors lacking 4E-BP1, we identified a pronounced translational up-regulation of tripartite motif-containing protein 32 (TRIM32), an E3 ubiquitin ligase that promotes interferon signaling. Down-regulation of TRIM32 in nociceptors or blocking type I interferon signaling reversed the mechanical hypersensitivity in mice lacking 4E-BP1. Furthermore, nociceptor-specific ablation of TRIM32 alleviated mechanical hypersensitivity caused by tissue inflammation. These results show that mTORC1 in nociceptors promotes hypersensitivity via 4E-BP1-dependent up-regulation of TRIM32/interferon signaling and identify TRIM32 as a therapeutic target in inflammatory pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Calvin Wong
- Department of Anaesthesia, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Diana Tavares-Ferreira
- School of Behavioural and Brain Sciences and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, TX 75080, USA
| | - Carolina Thörn Perez
- Department of Anaesthesia, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
- Gene Expression Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Behrang Sharif
- Department of Physiology, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
- Montreal Neurological Institute, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Sonali Uttam
- Department of Anaesthesia, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Mehdi Amiri
- Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Kevin C. Lister
- Department of Anaesthesia, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | | | - Vivienne Nguyen
- Department of Anaesthesia, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Philippe Séguéla
- Montreal Neurological Institute, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
- Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Nahum Sonenberg
- Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Theodore J. Price
- School of Behavioural and Brain Sciences and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, TX 75080, USA
| | - Christos G. Gkogkas
- Biomedical Research Institute, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, University Campus, 45110 Ioannina, Greece
| | - Arkady Khoutorsky
- Department of Anaesthesia, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
- Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
- Faculty of Dental Medicine and Oral Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
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16
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Arendt-Tranholm A, Mwirigi JM, Price TJ. RNA isoform expression landscape of the human dorsal root ganglion (DRG) generated from long read sequencing. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.28.564535. [PMID: 37961262 PMCID: PMC10634934 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.28.564535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Splicing is a post-transcriptional RNA processing mechanism that enhances genomic complexity by creating multiple isoforms from the same gene. Diversity in splicing in the mammalian nervous system is associated with neuronal development, synaptic function and plasticity, and is also associated with diseases of the nervous system ranging from neurodegeneration to chronic pain. We aimed to characterize the isoforms expressed in the human peripheral nervous system, with the goal of creating a resource to identify novel isoforms of functionally relevant genes associated with somatosensation and nociception. We used long read sequencing (LRS) to document isoform expression in the human dorsal root ganglia (hDRG) from 3 organ donors. Isoforms were validated in silico by confirming expression in hDRG short read sequencing (SRS) data from 3 independent organ donors. 19,547 isoforms of protein-coding genes were detected using LRS and validated with SRS and strict expression cutoffs. We identified 763 isoforms with at least one previously undescribed splice-junction. Previously unannotated isoforms of multiple pain-associated genes, including ASIC3, MRGPRX1 and HNRNPK were identified. In the novel isoforms of ASIC3, a region comprising ~35% of the 5'UTR was excised. In contrast, a novel splice-junction was utilized in isoforms of MRGPRX1 to include an additional exon upstream of the start-codon, consequently adding a region to the 5'UTR. Novel isoforms of HNRNPK were identified which utilized previously unannotated splice-sites to both excise exon 14 and include a sequence in the 5' end of exon 13. The insertion and deletion in the coding region was predicted to excise a serine-phosphorylation site favored by cdc2, and replace it with a tyrosine-phosphorylation site potentially phosphorylated by SRC. We also independently confirm a recently reported DRG-specific splicing event in WNK1 that gives insight into how painless peripheral neuropathy occurs when this gene is mutated. Our findings give a clear overview of mRNA isoform diversity in the hDRG obtained using LRS. Using this work as a foundation, an important next step will be to use LRS on hDRG tissues recovered from people with a history of chronic pain. This should enable identification of new drug targets and a better understanding of chronic pain that may involve aberrant splicing events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asta Arendt-Tranholm
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, Department of Neuroscience and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W Campbell Rd, Richardson, Texas, 75080
| | - Juliet M. Mwirigi
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, Department of Neuroscience and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W Campbell Rd, Richardson, Texas, 75080
| | - Theodore J. Price
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, Department of Neuroscience and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W Campbell Rd, Richardson, Texas, 75080
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17
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Smith PA. Neuropathic pain; what we know and what we should do about it. FRONTIERS IN PAIN RESEARCH 2023; 4:1220034. [PMID: 37810432 PMCID: PMC10559888 DOI: 10.3389/fpain.2023.1220034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuropathic pain can result from injury to, or disease of the nervous system. It is notoriously difficult to treat. Peripheral nerve injury promotes Schwann cell activation and invasion of immunocompetent cells into the site of injury, spinal cord and higher sensory structures such as thalamus and cingulate and sensory cortices. Various cytokines, chemokines, growth factors, monoamines and neuropeptides effect two-way signalling between neurons, glia and immune cells. This promotes sustained hyperexcitability and spontaneous activity in primary afferents that is crucial for onset and persistence of pain as well as misprocessing of sensory information in the spinal cord and supraspinal structures. Much of the current understanding of pain aetiology and identification of drug targets derives from studies of the consequences of peripheral nerve injury in rodent models. Although a vast amount of information has been forthcoming, the translation of this information into the clinical arena has been minimal. Few, if any, major therapeutic approaches have appeared since the mid 1990's. This may reflect failure to recognise differences in pain processing in males vs. females, differences in cellular responses to different types of injury and differences in pain processing in humans vs. animals. Basic science and clinical approaches which seek to bridge this knowledge gap include better assessment of pain in animal models, use of pain models which better emulate human disease, and stratification of human pain phenotypes according to quantitative assessment of signs and symptoms of disease. This can lead to more personalized and effective treatments for individual patients. Significance statement: There is an urgent need to find new treatments for neuropathic pain. Although classical animal models have revealed essential features of pain aetiology such as peripheral and central sensitization and some of the molecular and cellular mechanisms involved, they do not adequately model the multiplicity of disease states or injuries that may bring forth neuropathic pain in the clinic. This review seeks to integrate information from the multiplicity of disciplines that seek to understand neuropathic pain; including immunology, cell biology, electrophysiology and biophysics, anatomy, cell biology, neurology, molecular biology, pharmacology and behavioral science. Beyond this, it underlines ongoing refinements in basic science and clinical practice that will engender improved approaches to pain management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter A. Smith
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute and Department of Pharmacology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
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18
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Lesnak JB, Mazhar K, Price TJ. Neuroimmune Mechanisms Underlying Post-acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC) Pain, Predictions from a Ligand-Receptor Interactome. Curr Rheumatol Rep 2023; 25:169-181. [PMID: 37300737 PMCID: PMC10256978 DOI: 10.1007/s11926-023-01107-8] [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] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Individuals with post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC) complain of persistent musculoskeletal pain. Determining how COVID-19 infection produces persistent pain would be valuable for the development of therapeutics aimed at alleviating these symptoms. RECENT FINDINGS To generate hypotheses regarding neuroimmune interactions in PASC, we used a ligand-receptor interactome to make predictions about how ligands from PBMCs in individuals with COVID-19 communicate with dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons to induce persistent pain. In a structured literature review of -omics COVID-19 studies, we identified ligands capable of binding to receptors on DRG neurons, which stimulate signaling pathways including immune cell activation and chemotaxis, the complement system, and type I interferon signaling. The most consistent finding across immune cell types was an upregulation of genes encoding the alarmins S100A8/9 and MHC-I. This ligand-receptor interactome, from our hypothesis-generating literature review, can be used to guide future research surrounding mechanisms of PASC-induced pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph B Lesnak
- School for Behavioral and Brain Sciences and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, University of Texas at Dallas, BSB 14.102G, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
| | - Khadijah Mazhar
- School for Behavioral and Brain Sciences and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, University of Texas at Dallas, BSB 14.102G, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
| | - Theodore J Price
- School for Behavioral and Brain Sciences and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, University of Texas at Dallas, BSB 14.102G, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA.
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19
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Shaikh A, Li YQ, Lu J. Perspectives on pain in Down syndrome. Med Res Rev 2023; 43:1411-1437. [PMID: 36924439 DOI: 10.1002/med.21954] [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: 05/07/2021] [Revised: 01/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
Down syndrome (DS) or trisomy 21 is a genetic condition often accompanied by chronic pain caused by congenital abnormalities and/or conditions, such as osteoarthritis, recurrent infections, and leukemia. Although DS patients are more susceptible to chronic pain as compared to the general population, the pain experience in these individuals may vary, attributed to the heterogenous structural and functional differences in the central nervous system, which might result in abnormal pain sensory information transduction, transmission, modulation, and perception. We tried to elaborate on some key questions and possible explanations in this review. Further clarification of the mechanisms underlying such abnormal conditions induced by the structural and functional differences is needed to help pain management in DS patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ammara Shaikh
- Department of Human Anatomy, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Yun-Qing Li
- Department of Anatomy, Histology, and Embryology & K. K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China
- Department of Anatomy, Basic Medical College, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Jie Lu
- Department of Human Anatomy, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, China
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20
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Ma L, Deng D, Zhang T, Zhao W, Liu C, Huang S, Xu F, Wang Y, Zhao S, Ding Y, Huang Y, Wang K, Zhang Y, Yang X, Cao S, Chen X. STING-IFN-I pathway relieves incision induced acute postoperative pain via inhibiting the neuroinflammation in dorsal root ganglion of rats. Inflamm Res 2023; 72:1551-1565. [PMID: 37433890 DOI: 10.1007/s00011-023-01764-6] [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: 12/10/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to study the effect of STING-IFN-I pathway on incision induced postoperative pain in rats and its possible mechanisms. METHODS The pain thresholds were evaluated by measuring the mechanical withdrawal threshold and the thermal withdrawal latency. The satellite glial cell and macrophage of DRG were analyzed. The expression of STING, IFN-a, P-P65, iNOS, TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 in DRG was evaluated. RESULTS The activation of STING-IFN-I pathway can reduce the mechanical hyperalgesia, thermal hyperalgesia, down-regulate the expression of P-P65, iNOS, TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6, and inhibit the activation of satellite glial cell and macrophage in DRG. CONCLUSIONS The activation of STING-IFN-I pathway can alleviate incision induced acute postoperative pain by inhibiting the activation of satellite glial cell and macrophage, which reducing the corresponding neuroinflammation in DRG.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lulin Ma
- Department of Anesthesiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China
- Department of Anesthesiology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Daling Deng
- Department of Anesthesiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China
- Department of Anesthesiology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Tianhao Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China
- Department of Anesthesiology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Wenjing Zhao
- Department of Anesthesiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China
- Department of Anesthesiology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Chengxi Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of University of South China, Hengyang, China
- Department of Anesthesiology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Shiqian Huang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China
- Department of Anesthesiology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Feng Xu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China
- Department of Anesthesiology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Yafeng Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China
- Department of Anesthesiology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Shuai Zhao
- Department of Anesthesiology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
- Department of Pain Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
| | - Yuanyuan Ding
- Department of Anesthesiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China
- Department of Anesthesiology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Yan Huang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
- Department of Anesthesiology, The First People's Hospital of Jiangxia District, Wuhan, China
| | - Kaixin Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China
- Department of Anesthesiology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Yanyan Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China
- Department of Anesthesiology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Xinxin Yang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China
- Department of Anesthesiology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Song Cao
- Department of Anesthesiology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
- Department of Pain Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
| | - Xiangdong Chen
- Department of Anesthesiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China.
- Department of Anesthesiology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China.
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21
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Zhao J, Huh Y, Bortsov A, Diatchenko L, Ji RR. Immunotherapies in chronic pain through modulation of neuroimmune interactions. Pharmacol Ther 2023; 248:108476. [PMID: 37307899 PMCID: PMC10527194 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2023.108476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
It is generally believed that immune activation can elicit pain through production of inflammatory mediators that can activate nociceptive sensory neurons. Emerging evidence suggests that immune activation may also contribute to the resolution of pain by producing distinct pro-resolution/anti-inflammatory mediators. Recent research into the connection between the immune and nervous systems has opened new avenues for immunotherapy in pain management. This review provides an overview of the most utilized forms of immunotherapies (e.g., biologics) and highlight their potential for immune and neuronal modulation in chronic pain. Specifically, we discuss pain-related immunotherapy mechanisms that target inflammatory cytokine pathways, the PD-L1/PD-1 pathway, and the cGAS/STING pathway. This review also highlights cell-based immunotherapies targeting macrophages, T cells, neutrophils and mesenchymal stromal cells for chronic pain management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junli Zhao
- Center for Translational Pain Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Yul Huh
- Center for Translational Pain Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA; Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Andrey Bortsov
- Center for Translational Pain Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Luda Diatchenko
- Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain, McGill University, Montréal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada; Faculty of Dental Medicine and Oral Health Sciences, Department of Anesthesia, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montréal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada
| | - Ru-Rong Ji
- Center for Translational Pain Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA; Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA; Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
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22
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Li Y, Uhelski ML, North RY, Mwirigi JM, Tatsui CE, Cata JP, Corrales G, Price TJ, Dougherty PM. MNK inhibitor eFT508 (Tomivosertib) suppresses ectopic activity in human dorsal root ganglion neurons from dermatomes with radicular neuropathic pain. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.13.544811. [PMID: 37398249 PMCID: PMC10312735 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.13.544811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
Spontaneous activity in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons is a key driver of neuropathic pain in preclinical models and in patients suffering from this largely untreated disease. While many intracellular signaling mechanisms have been examined in preclinical models that drive this spontaneous activity (SA), none of these have been tested directly on spontaneously active human nociceptors. Using cultured DRG neurons recovered during thoracic vertebrectomy surgeries, we show that inhibition of mitogen activated protein kinase interacting kinase (MNK) with eFT508 (25 nM) reverses SA in human sensory neurons associated with painful dermatomes. MNK inhibition in spontaneously active nociceptors decreased action potential amplitude and produced alterations in the magnitude of afterhyperpolarizing currents suggesting modification of Na+ and K+ channel activity downstream of MNK inhibition. The effects of MNK inhibition on SA took minutes to emerge and were reversible over time with eFT508 washout. MNK inhibition with eFT508 led to a profound loss of eIF4E Serine 209 phosphorylation, a specific target of the kinase, within 2 min of drug treatment, consistent with the rapid action of the drug on SA in electrophysiology experiments. Our results create a compelling case for the future testing of MNK inhibitors in clinical trials for neuropathic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Li
- Department of Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA, 77030
| | - Megan L. Uhelski
- Department of Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA, 77030
| | - Robert Y. North
- Department of Neurosurgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA, 77030
| | - Juliet M. Mwirigi
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W Campbell Rd, Richardson, Texas, 75080
- Center for Advanced Pain Studies, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W Campbell Rd, Richardson, Texas, 75080
| | - Claudio E. Tatsui
- Department of Neurosurgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA, 77030
| | - Juan P. Cata
- Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA, 77030
| | - German Corrales
- Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA, 77030
| | - Theodore J. Price
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W Campbell Rd, Richardson, Texas, 75080
- Center for Advanced Pain Studies, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W Campbell Rd, Richardson, Texas, 75080
| | - Patrick M. Dougherty
- Department of Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA, 77030
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23
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He C, Zhou P, Nie Q. exFINDER: identify external communication signals using single-cell transcriptomics data. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:e58. [PMID: 37026478 PMCID: PMC10250247 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Revised: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Cells make decisions through their communication with other cells and receiving signals from their environment. Using single-cell transcriptomics, computational tools have been developed to infer cell-cell communication through ligands and receptors. However, the existing methods only deal with signals sent by the measured cells in the data, the received signals from the external system are missing in the inference. Here, we present exFINDER, a method that identifies such external signals received by the cells in the single-cell transcriptomics datasets by utilizing the prior knowledge of signaling pathways. In particular, exFINDER can uncover external signals that activate the given target genes, infer the external signal-target signaling network (exSigNet), and perform quantitative analysis on exSigNets. The applications of exFINDER to scRNA-seq datasets from different species demonstrate the accuracy and robustness of identifying external signals, revealing critical transition-related signaling activities, inferring critical external signals and targets, clustering signal-target paths, and evaluating relevant biological events. Overall, exFINDER can be applied to scRNA-seq data to reveal the external signal-associated activities and maybe novel cells that send such signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changhan He
- Department of Mathematics, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Peijie Zhou
- Department of Mathematics, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Qing Nie
- Department of Mathematics, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
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24
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Franco-Enzástiga Ú, Natarajan K, David ET, Patel KJ, Ravirala A, Price TJ. Vinorelbine causes a neuropathic pain-like state in mice via STING and MNK1 signaling associated with type I interferon induction. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.03.543579. [PMID: 37333411 PMCID: PMC10274710 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.03.543579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
Type I interferons (IFNs) increase the excitability of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons via activation of MNK-eIF4E translation signaling to promote pain sensitization in mice. Activation of STING signaling is a key component of type I IFN induction. Manipulation of STING signaling is an active area of investigation in cancer and other therapeutic areas. Vinorelbine is a chemotherapeutic that activates STING and has been shown to cause pain and neuropathy in oncology clinical trials in patients. There are conflicting reports on whether STING signaling promotes or inhibits pain in mice. We hypothesized that vinorelbine would cause a neuropathic pain-like state in mice via STING and signaling pathways in DRG neurons associated with type I IFN induction. Vinorelbine (10 mg/kg, i.v.) induced tactile allodynia and grimacing in WT male and female mice and increased p-IRF3 and type I IFN protein in peripheral nerves. In support of our hypothesis, vinorelbine-mediated pain was absent in male and female StingGt/Gt mice. Vinorelbine also failed to induce IRF3 and type I IFN signaling in these mice. Since type I IFNs engage translational control via MNK1-eIF4E in DRG nociceptors, we assessed vinorelbine-mediated p-eIF4E changes. Vinorelbine increased p-eIF4E in DRG in WT animals but not in StingGt/Gt or Mknk1-/- (MNK1 KO) mice. Consistent with these biochemical findings, vinorelbine had an attenuated pro-nociceptive effect in male and female MNK1 KO mice. Our findings support the conclusion that activation of STING signaling in the peripheral nervous system causes a neuropathic pain-like state that is mediated by type I IFN signaling to DRG nociceptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Úrzula Franco-Enzástiga
- Center for Advanced Pain Studies, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas 75080
| | - Keerthana Natarajan
- Center for Advanced Pain Studies, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas 75080
| | - Eric T. David
- Center for Advanced Pain Studies, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas 75080
| | - Krish J. Patel
- Center for Advanced Pain Studies, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas 75080
| | - Abhira Ravirala
- Center for Advanced Pain Studies, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas 75080
| | - Theodore J. Price
- Center for Advanced Pain Studies, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas 75080
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25
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Cuddy SR, Cliffe AR. The Intersection of Innate Immune Pathways with the Latent Herpes Simplex Virus Genome. J Virol 2023; 97:e0135222. [PMID: 37129520 PMCID: PMC10231182 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01352-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Innate immune responses can impact different stages of viral life cycles. Herpes simplex virus latent infection of neurons and subsequent reactivation provide a unique context for immune responses to intersect with different stages of infection. Here, we discuss recent findings linking neuronal innate immune pathways with the modulation of latent infection, acting at the time of reactivation and during initial neuronal infection to have a long-term impact on the ability of the virus to reactivate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean R. Cuddy
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Anna R. Cliffe
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Cancer Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
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26
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Hu Y, Chen Y, Liu T, Zhu C, Wan L, Yao W. The bidirectional roles of the cGAS-STING pathway in pain processing: Cellular and molecular mechanisms. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 163:114869. [PMID: 37182515 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.114869] [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: 03/18/2023] [Revised: 04/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Pain is a common clinical condition. However, the mechanisms underlying pain are not yet fully understood. It is known that the neuroimmune system plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of pain. Recent studies indicated that the cyclic-GMP-AMP synthase-stimulator of interferon genes (cGAS-STING) pathway can activate the innate immune system by sensing both extrinsic and intrinsic double-stranded DNA in the cytoplasm, which is involved in pain processing. In this review, we summarise (1) the roles of the cGAS-STING pathway in different pain models, (2) the effect of the cGAS-STING pathway in different cells during pain regulation, and (3) the downstream molecular mechanisms of the cGAS-STING pathway in pain regulation. This review provides evidence that the cGAS-STING pathway has pro- and anti-nociceptive effects in pain models. It has different functions in neuron, microglia, macrophage, and T cells. Its downstream molecules include IFN-I, NF-κB, NLRP3, and eIF2α. The bidirectional roles of the cGAS-STING pathway in pain processing are mediated by regulating nociceptive neuronal sensitivity and neuroinflammatory responses. However, their effects in special brain regions, activation of astrocytes, and the different phases of pain require further exploration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingjie Hu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Geriatric Anesthesia and Perioperative Brain Health, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China; Wuhan Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Anesthesia, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China; Department of Anesthesiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Yuye Chen
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Geriatric Anesthesia and Perioperative Brain Health, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China; Wuhan Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Anesthesia, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China; Department of Anesthesiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Tongtong Liu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Geriatric Anesthesia and Perioperative Brain Health, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China; Wuhan Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Anesthesia, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China; Department of Anesthesiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Chang Zhu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Geriatric Anesthesia and Perioperative Brain Health, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China; Wuhan Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Anesthesia, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China; Department of Anesthesiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Li Wan
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Geriatric Anesthesia and Perioperative Brain Health, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China; Wuhan Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Anesthesia, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China; Department of Anesthesiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Wenlong Yao
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Geriatric Anesthesia and Perioperative Brain Health, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China; Wuhan Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Anesthesia, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China; Department of Anesthesiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China.
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27
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Serafini RA, Frere JJ, Zimering J, Giosan IM, Pryce KD, Golynker I, Panis M, Ruiz A, tenOever BR, Zachariou V. SARS-CoV-2 airway infection results in the development of somatosensory abnormalities in a hamster model. Sci Signal 2023; 16:eade4984. [PMID: 37159520 PMCID: PMC10422867 DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.ade4984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Although largely confined to the airways, SARS-CoV-2 infection has been associated with sensory abnormalities that manifest in both acute and chronic phenotypes. To gain insight on the molecular basis of these sensory abnormalities, we used the golden hamster model to characterize and compare the effects of infection with SARS-CoV-2 and influenza A virus (IAV) on the sensory nervous system. We detected SARS-CoV-2 transcripts but no infectious material in the cervical and thoracic spinal cord and dorsal root ganglia (DRGs) within the first 24 hours of intranasal virus infection. SARS-CoV-2-infected hamsters exhibited mechanical hypersensitivity that was milder but prolonged compared with that observed in IAV-infected hamsters. RNA sequencing analysis of thoracic DRGs 1 to 4 days after infection suggested perturbations in predominantly neuronal signaling in SARS-CoV-2-infected animals as opposed to type I interferon signaling in IAV-infected animals. Later, 31 days after infection, a neuropathic transcriptome emerged in thoracic DRGs from SARS-CoV-2-infected animals, which coincided with SARS-CoV-2-specific mechanical hypersensitivity. These data revealed potential targets for pain management, including the RNA binding protein ILF3, which was validated in murine pain models. This work elucidates transcriptomic signatures in the DRGs triggered by SARS-CoV-2 that may underlie both short- and long-term sensory abnormalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Randal A. Serafini
- Nash Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Justin J. Frere
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Department of Microbiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Jeffrey Zimering
- Nash Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Ilinca M. Giosan
- Nash Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Kerri D. Pryce
- Nash Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Ilona Golynker
- Department of Microbiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Maryline Panis
- Department of Microbiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Anne Ruiz
- Nash Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Benjamin R. tenOever
- Department of Microbiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Venetia Zachariou
- Nash Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Biophysics, Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA
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28
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Monné Rodríguez JM, Frisk AL, Kreutzer R, Lemarchand T, Lezmi S, Saravanan C, Stierstorfer B, Thuilliez C, Vezzali E, Wieczorek G, Yun SW, Schaudien D. European Society of Toxicologic Pathology (Pathology 2.0 Molecular Pathology Special Interest Group): Review of In Situ Hybridization Techniques for Drug Research and Development. Toxicol Pathol 2023; 51:92-111. [PMID: 37449403 PMCID: PMC10467011 DOI: 10.1177/01926233231178282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
In situ hybridization (ISH) is used for the localization of specific nucleic acid sequences in cells or tissues by complementary binding of a nucleotide probe to a specific target nucleic acid sequence. In the last years, the specificity and sensitivity of ISH assays were improved by innovative techniques like synthetic nucleic acids and tandem oligonucleotide probes combined with signal amplification methods like branched DNA, hybridization chain reaction and tyramide signal amplification. These improvements increased the application spectrum for ISH on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues. ISH is a powerful tool to investigate DNA, mRNA transcripts, regulatory noncoding RNA, and therapeutic oligonucleotides. ISH can be used to obtain spatial information of a cell type, subcellular localization, or expression levels of targets. Since immunohistochemistry and ISH share similar workflows, their combination can address simultaneous transcriptomics and proteomics questions. The goal of this review paper is to revisit the current state of the scientific approaches in ISH and its application in drug research and development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Seong-Wook Yun
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Biberach an der Riß, Germany
| | - Dirk Schaudien
- Fraunhofer Institute for Toxicology and Experimental Medicine, Hannover, Germany
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29
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Shiers S, Sahn JJ, Price TJ. MNK1 and MNK2 Expression in the Human Dorsal Root and Trigeminal Ganglion. Neuroscience 2023; 515:96-107. [PMID: 36764601 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2023.01.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Revised: 01/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023]
Abstract
Mitogen activated protein kinase interacting kinases (MNK) 1 and 2 are serine/threonine protein kinases that play an important role in translation of mRNAs through their phosphorylation of the RNA 5'-cap binding protein, eukaryotic translation initiation factor (eIF) 4E. These kinases are downstream targets for mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPKs), extracellular activity regulated protein kinase (ERK) and p38. MNKs have been implicated in the sensitization of peripheral nociceptors of the dorsal root and trigeminal ganglion (DRG and TG) using transgenic mouse lines and through the use of specific inhibitors of MNK1 and MNK2. While specific knockout of the Mknk1 gene suggests that it is the key isoform for regulation of nociceptor excitability and nociceptive behaviors in mice, both MKNK1 and MKNK2 genes are expressed in the DRG and TG of mice and humans based on RNA sequencing experiments. Single cell sequencing in mice suggests that Mknk1 and Mknk2 may be expressed in different populations of nociceptors. We sought to characterize mRNA expression in human DRG and TG (N = 3 ganglia for both DRG and TG) for both MNK1 and MNK2. Our results show that both genes are expressed by nearly all neurons in both human ganglia with expression in other cell types as well. Our findings provide evidence that MNK1 and MNK2 are expressed by human nociceptors of males and females and suggest that efforts to pharmacologically target MNKs for pain would likely be translatable due its conserved expression in both species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Shiers
- Center for Advanced Pain Studies, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, USA
| | | | - Theodore J Price
- Center for Advanced Pain Studies, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, USA.
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30
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He C, Zhou P, Nie Q. exFINDER: identify external communication signals using single-cell transcriptomics data. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.24.533888. [PMID: 37034624 PMCID: PMC10081188 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.24.533888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/15/2023]
Abstract
Cells make decisions through their communication with other cells and receiving signals from their environment. Using single-cell transcriptomics, computational tools have been developed to infer cell-cell communication through ligands and receptors. However, the existing methods only deal with signals sent by the measured cells in the data, the received signals from the external system are missing in the inference. Here, we present exFINDER, a method that identifies such external signals received by the cells in the single-cell transcriptomics datasets by utilizing the prior knowledge of signaling pathways. In particular, exFINDER can uncover external signals that activate the given target genes, infer the external signal-target signaling network (exSigNet), and perform quantitative analysis on exSigNets. The applications of exFINDER to scRNA-seq datasets from different species demonstrate the accuracy and robustness of identifying external signals, revealing critical transition-related signaling activities, inferring critical external signals and targets, clustering signal-target paths, and evaluating relevant biological events. Overall, exFINDER can be applied to scRNA-seq data to reveal the external signal-associated activities and maybe novel cells that send such signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changhan He
- Department of Mathematics, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Peijie Zhou
- Department of Mathematics, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Qing Nie
- Department of Mathematics, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
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31
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Ray PR, Shiers S, Caruso JP, Tavares-Ferreira D, Sankaranarayanan I, Uhelski ML, Li Y, North RY, Tatsui C, Dussor G, Burton MD, Dougherty PM, Price TJ. RNA profiling of human dorsal root ganglia reveals sex differences in mechanisms promoting neuropathic pain. Brain 2023; 146:749-766. [PMID: 35867896 PMCID: PMC10169414 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awac266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 41.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Revised: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuropathic pain is a leading cause of high-impact pain, is often disabling and is poorly managed by current therapeutics. Here we focused on a unique group of neuropathic pain patients undergoing thoracic vertebrectomy where the dorsal root ganglia is removed as part of the surgery allowing for molecular characterization and identification of mechanistic drivers of neuropathic pain independently of preclinical models. Our goal was to quantify whole transcriptome RNA abundances using RNA-seq in pain-associated human dorsal root ganglia from these patients, allowing comprehensive identification of molecular changes in these samples by contrasting them with non-pain-associated dorsal root ganglia. We sequenced 70 human dorsal root ganglia, and among these 50 met inclusion criteria for sufficient neuronal mRNA signal for downstream analysis. Our expression analysis revealed profound sex differences in differentially expressed genes including increase of IL1B, TNF, CXCL14 and OSM in male and CCL1, CCL21, PENK and TLR3 in female dorsal root ganglia associated with neuropathic pain. Coexpression modules revealed enrichment in members of JUN-FOS signalling in males and centromere protein coding genes in females. Neuro-immune signalling pathways revealed distinct cytokine signalling pathways associated with neuropathic pain in males (OSM, LIF, SOCS1) and females (CCL1, CCL19, CCL21). We validated cellular expression profiles of a subset of these findings using RNAscope in situ hybridization. Our findings give direct support for sex differences in underlying mechanisms of neuropathic pain in patient populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pradipta R Ray
- Department of Neuroscience and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, USA
| | - Stephanie Shiers
- Department of Neuroscience and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, USA
| | - James P Caruso
- Department of Neuroscience and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, USA.,Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Diana Tavares-Ferreira
- Department of Neuroscience and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, USA
| | - Ishwarya Sankaranarayanan
- Department of Neuroscience and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, USA
| | - Megan L Uhelski
- Department of Pain Medicine, Division of Anesthesiology, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Yan Li
- Department of Pain Medicine, Division of Anesthesiology, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Robert Y North
- Department of Neurosurgery, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Claudio Tatsui
- Department of Neurosurgery, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Gregory Dussor
- Department of Neuroscience and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, USA
| | - Michael D Burton
- Department of Neuroscience and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, USA
| | - Patrick M Dougherty
- Department of Pain Medicine, Division of Anesthesiology, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Theodore J Price
- Department of Neuroscience and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, USA
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32
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Shiers S, Sahn JJ, Price TJ. MNK1 and MNK2 expression in the human dorsal root and trigeminal ganglion. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.01.04.522773. [PMID: 36711529 PMCID: PMC9881964 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.04.522773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Mitogen activated protein kinase interacting kinases (MNK) 1 and 2 are serine/threonine protein kinases that play an important role in translation of mRNAs through their phosphorylation of the RNA 5’-cap binding protein, eukaryotic translation initiation factor (eIF) 4E. These kinases are downstream targets for mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPKs), extracellular activity regulated protein kinase (ERK) and p38. MNKs have been implicated in the sensitization of peripheral nociceptors of the dorsal root and trigeminal ganglion (DRG and TG) using transgenic mouse lines and through the use of specific inhibitors of MNK1 and MNK2. While specific knockout of the Mknk1 gene suggests that it is the key isoform for regulation of nociceptor excitability and nociceptive behaviors in mice, both MKNK1 and MKNK2 genes are expressed in the DRG and TG of mice and humans based on RNA sequencing experiments. Single cell sequencing in mice suggests that Mknk1 and Mknk2 may be expressed in different populations of nociceptors. We sought to characterize mRNA expression in human DRG and TG for both MNK1 and MNK2. Our results show that both genes are expressed by nearly all neurons in both human ganglia with expression in other cell types as well. Our findings provide evidence that MNK1 and MNK2 are expressed by human nociceptors and suggest that efforts to pharmacologically target MNKs for pain would likely be translatable due its conserved expression in both species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Shiers
- Center for Advanced Pain Studies, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas, USA
| | | | - Theodore J. Price
- Center for Advanced Pain Studies, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas, USA
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Yang J, Ding H, Shuai B, Zhang Y, Zhang Y. Mechanism and effects of STING-IFN-I pathway on nociception: A narrative review. Front Mol Neurosci 2023; 15:1081288. [PMID: 36683857 PMCID: PMC9846240 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.1081288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Since the discovery of STING in 2008, numerous studies have investigated its functions in immunity, inflammation, and cancer. STING activates downstream molecules including IFN-I, NLRP3, and NF-κB. The STING-IFN-I pathway plays a vital role in nociception. After receiving the upstream signal, STING is activated and induces the expression of IFN-I, and after paracrine and autocrine signaling, IFN-I binds to IFN receptors. Subsequently, the activity of ion channels is inhibited by TYK2, which induces an acute antinociceptive effect. JAK activates PIK3 and MAPK-MNK-eIF4E pathways, which sensitize nociceptors in the peripheral nervous system. In the mid-late stage, the STING-IFN-I pathway activates STAT, increases pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines, inhibits ER-phagy, and promotes microglial M1-polarization in the central nervous system, leading to central sensitization. Thus, the STING-IFN-I pathway may exert complex effects on nociception at various stages, and these effects require further comprehensive elucidation. Therefore, in this review, we systematically summarized the mechanisms of the STING-IFN-I pathway and discussed its function in nociception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinghan Yang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Hui Ding
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Bo Shuai
- Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- Department of Pain, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China,*Correspondence: Yan Zhang,
| | - Yan Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China,Institute of Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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Sun J, Zhou YQ, Xu BY, Li JY, Zhang LQ, Li DY, Zhang S, Wu JY, Gao SJ, Ye DW, Mei W. STING/NF-κB/IL-6-Mediated Inflammation in Microglia Contributes to Spared Nerve Injury (SNI)-Induced Pain Initiation. J Neuroimmune Pharmacol 2022; 17:453-469. [PMID: 34727296 DOI: 10.1007/s11481-021-10031-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 10/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Innate immune response acts as the first line of host defense against damage and is initiated following the recognition of pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). For double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) sensing, interferon gene stimulator (STING) was discovered to be an integral sensor and could mediate the immune and inflammatory response. Selective STING antagonist C-176 was administered and pain behaviors were assessed following spared nerve injury (SNI)-induced neuropathic pain. The level of serum dsDNA following neuropathic pain was assessed using Elisa analysis. STING signaling pathway, microglia activation, and proinflammatory cytokines were assessed by qPCR, western blots, Elisa, and immunofluorescence staining. STING agonist DMXAA was introduced into BV-2 cells to assess the inflammatory response in microglial cells. dsDNA was significantly increased following SNI and STING/TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1)/nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) pathway was activated in vivo and vitro. Early but not the late intrathecal injection of C-176 attenuated SNI-induced pain hypersensitivity, microglia activation, proinflammatory factors, and phosphorylated JAK2/STAT3 in the spinal cord dorsal horn, and the analgesic effect of C-176 was greatly abolished by recombinant IL-6 following SNI. We provided evidence clarifying dsDNA mediated activation of microglia STING signaling pathway, after which promoting expression of proinflammatory cytokines that are required for hyperalgesia initiation in the spinal cord dorsal horn of SNI model. Further analysis showed that microglial STING/TBK1/NF-κB may contribute to pain initiation via IL-6 signaling. Pharmacological blockade of STING may be a promising target in the treatment of initiation of neuropathic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Sun
- Anesthesiology Institute, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Ya-Qun Zhou
- Anesthesiology Institute, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Bing-Yang Xu
- Institute of Organ Transplantation, Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Education, NHC Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Jia-Yan Li
- Anesthesiology Institute, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Long-Qing Zhang
- Anesthesiology Institute, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Dan-Yang Li
- Anesthesiology Institute, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Shuang Zhang
- Anesthesiology Institute, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jia-Yi Wu
- Anesthesiology Institute, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Shao-Jie Gao
- Anesthesiology Institute, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Da-Wei Ye
- Cancer Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
| | - Wei Mei
- Anesthesiology Institute, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China. .,Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
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Tan PH, Ji J, Hsing CH, Tan R, Ji RR. Emerging Roles of Type-I Interferons in Neuroinflammation, Neurological Diseases, and Long-Haul COVID. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232214394. [PMID: 36430870 PMCID: PMC9696119 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232214394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Interferons (IFNs) are pleiotropic cytokines originally identified for their antiviral activity. IFN-α and IFN-β are both type I IFNs that have been used to treat neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis. Microglia, astrocytes, as well as neurons in the central and peripheral nervous systems, including spinal cord neurons and dorsal root ganglion neurons, express type I IFN receptors (IFNARs). Type I IFNs play an active role in regulating cognition, aging, depression, and neurodegenerative diseases. Notably, by suppressing neuronal activity and synaptic transmission, IFN-α and IFN-β produced potent analgesia. In this article, we discuss the role of type I IFNs in cognition, neurodegenerative diseases, and pain with a focus on neuroinflammation and neuro-glial interactions and their effects on cognition, neurodegenerative diseases, and pain. The role of type I IFNs in long-haul COVID-associated neurological disorders is also discussed. Insights into type I IFN signaling in neurons and non-neuronal cells will improve our treatments of neurological disorders in various disease conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping-Heng Tan
- Department of Anesthesiology, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan 701, Taiwan
- Correspondence: (P.-H.T.); (C.-H.H.)
| | - Jasmine Ji
- Neuroscience Department, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA 02482, USA
| | - Chung-Hsi Hsing
- Department of Anesthesiology, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan 701, Taiwan
- Correspondence: (P.-H.T.); (C.-H.H.)
| | - Radika Tan
- Kaohsiung American School, Kaohsiung 81354, Taiwan
| | - Ru-Rong Ji
- Center for Translational Pain Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
- Departments of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
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Staurengo-Ferrari L, Deng L, Chiu IM. Interactions between nociceptor sensory neurons and microbial pathogens in pain. Pain 2022; 163:S57-S68. [PMID: 36252233 PMCID: PMC9586460 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Larissa Staurengo-Ferrari
- Harvard Medical School, Blavatnik Institute, Department of Immunology, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Liwen Deng
- Harvard Medical School, Blavatnik Institute, Department of Immunology, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Isaac M. Chiu
- Harvard Medical School, Blavatnik Institute, Department of Immunology, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
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Augustine T, John P, Friedman T, Jiffry J, Guzik H, Mannan R, Gupta R, Delano C, Mariadason JM, Zang X, Maitra R, Goel S. Potentiating effect of reovirus on immune checkpoint inhibition in microsatellite stable colorectal cancer. Front Oncol 2022; 12:1018767. [PMID: 36387154 PMCID: PMC9642964 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.1018767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 09/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The majority of colorectal cancers (CRCs) are microsatellite stable (MSS) and resistant to immunotherapy. The current study explores the possibility of using oncolytic reovirus to sensitize MSS CRC to immune checkpoint inhibition. While reovirus reduced metabolic activity among KRAS Mut cells, microarray/computational analysis revealed microsatellite status-oriented activation of immune-response pathways. Reovirus plus anti-PD-1 treatment increased cell death among MSS cells ex vivo. Reduced tumorigenicity and proliferative index, and increased apoptosis were evident among CT26 [MSS, KRAS Mut], but not in MC38 [microsatellite unstable/MSI, KRAS Wt] syngeneic mouse models under combinatorial treatment. PD-L1-PD-1 signaling axis were differentially altered among CT26/MC38 models. Combinatorial treatment activated the innate immune system, pattern recognition receptors, and antigen presentation markers. Furthermore, we observed the reduction of immunosuppressive macrophages and expansion of effector T cell subsets, as well as reduction in T cell exhaustion. The current investigation sheds light on the immunological mechanisms of the reovirus-anti-PD-1 combination to reduce the growth of MSS CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Titto Augustine
- Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States
| | - Peter John
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States
| | - Tyler Friedman
- Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States
- Department of Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, United States
| | - Jeeshan Jiffry
- Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States
| | - Hillary Guzik
- Analytical Imaging Facility, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States
| | - Rifat Mannan
- Department of Pathology, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, United States
| | - Riya Gupta
- Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States
- Department of Computer Science, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Catherine Delano
- Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States
| | - John M. Mariadason
- Gastrointestinal Cancers Program and Oncogenic Transcription Laboratory, Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, La Trobe University School of Cancer Medicine, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Xingxing Zang
- Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States
- Department of Urology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States
| | - Radhashree Maitra
- Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States
- Department of Medical Oncology, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, United States
- Department of Biology, Yeshiva University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Sanjay Goel
- Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States
- Department of Medical Oncology, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, United States
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Serafini RA, Frere JJ, Zimering J, Giosan IM, Pryce KD, Golynker I, Panis M, Ruiz A, tenOever B, Zachariou V. SARS-CoV-2 Airway Infection Results in Time-dependent Sensory Abnormalities in a Hamster Model. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2022:2022.08.19.504551. [PMID: 36032984 PMCID: PMC9413707 DOI: 10.1101/2022.08.19.504551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Despite being largely confined to the airways, SARS-CoV-2 infection has been associated with sensory abnormalities that manifest in both acute and long-lasting phenotypes. To gain insight on the molecular basis of these sensory abnormalities, we used the golden hamster infection model to characterize the effects of SARS-CoV-2 versus Influenza A virus (IAV) infection on the sensory nervous system. Efforts to detect the presence of virus in the cervical/thoracic spinal cord and dorsal root ganglia (DRGs) demonstrated detectable levels of SARS-CoV-2 by quantitative PCR and RNAscope uniquely within the first 24 hours of infection. SARS-CoV-2-infected hamsters demonstrated mechanical hypersensitivity during acute infection; intriguingly, this hypersensitivity was milder, but prolonged when compared to IAV-infected hamsters. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) of thoracic DRGs from acute infection revealed predominantly neuron-biased signaling perturbations in SARS-CoV-2-infected animals as opposed to type I interferon signaling in tissue derived from IAV-infected animals. RNA-seq of 31dpi thoracic DRGs from SARS-CoV-2-infected animals highlighted a uniquely neuropathic transcriptomic landscape, which was consistent with substantial SARS-CoV-2-specific mechanical hypersensitivity at 28dpi. Ontology analysis of 1, 4, and 30dpi RNA-seq revealed novel targets for pain management, such as ILF3. Meta-analysis of all SARS-CoV-2 RNA-seq timepoints against preclinical pain model datasets highlighted both conserved and unique pro-nociceptive gene expression changes following infection. Overall, this work elucidates novel transcriptomic signatures triggered by SARS-CoV-2 that may underlie both short- and long-term sensory abnormalities while also highlighting several therapeutic targets for alleviation of infection-induced hypersensitivity. One Sentence Summary SARS-CoV-2 infection results in an interferon-associated transcriptional response in sensory tissues underlying time-dependent hypersensitivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Randal A. Serafini
- Nash Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place Box #1022, New York, NY, 10029
| | - Justin J. Frere
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box #1124, New York, NY, 10029
- Department of Microbiology, New York University Langone, 430-450 E. 29 St., New York, NY 10016
| | - Jeffrey Zimering
- Nash Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place Box #1022, New York, NY, 10029
- Department of Neurosurgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box #1136, New York, NY, 10029
| | - Ilinca M. Giosan
- Nash Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place Box #1022, New York, NY, 10029
| | - Kerri D. Pryce
- Nash Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place Box #1022, New York, NY, 10029
| | - Ilona Golynker
- Department of Microbiology, New York University Langone, 430-450 E. 29 St., New York, NY 10016
| | - Maryline Panis
- Department of Microbiology, New York University Langone, 430-450 E. 29 St., New York, NY 10016
| | - Anne Ruiz
- Nash Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place Box #1022, New York, NY, 10029
| | - Benjamin tenOever
- Department of Microbiology, New York University Langone, 430-450 E. 29 St., New York, NY 10016
| | - Venetia Zachariou
- Nash Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place Box #1022, New York, NY, 10029
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place Box #1677, New York, New York 10029
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Wu J, Li X, Zhang X, Wang W, You X. What role of the cGAS-STING pathway plays in chronic pain? Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:963206. [PMID: 35979145 PMCID: PMC9376357 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.963206] [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: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic pain interferes with daily functioning and is frequently accompanied by depression. Currently, traditional clinic treatments do not produce satisfactory analgesic effects and frequently result in various adverse effects. Pathogen recognition receptors (PRRs) serve as innate cellular sensors of danger signals, sense invading microorganisms, and initiate innate and adaptive immune responses. Among them, cGAS-STING alerts on the presence of both exogenous and endogenous DNA in the cytoplasm, and this pathway has been closely linked to multiple diseases, including auto-inflammation, virus infection, and cancer. An increasing numbers of evidence suggest that cGAS-STING pathway involves in the chronic pain process; however, its role remains controversial. In this narrative review, we summarize the recent findings on the involvement of the cGAS-STING pathway in chronic pain, as well as several possible mechanisms underlying its activation. As a new area of research, this review is unique in considering the cGAS-STING pathway in sensory neurons and glial cells as a part of a broader understanding of pain, including potential mechanisms of inflammation, immunity, apoptosis, and autophagy. It will provide new insight into the treatment of pain in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingxiang Wu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xin Li
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- School of Medicine, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaoxuan Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- School of Medicine, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xingji You
- School of Medicine, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Xingji You
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Tran VTA, Lee LP, Cho H. Neuroinflammation in neurodegeneration via microbial infections. Front Immunol 2022; 13:907804. [PMID: 36052093 PMCID: PMC9425114 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.907804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent epidemiological studies show a noticeable correlation between chronic microbial infections and neurological disorders. However, the underlying mechanisms are still not clear due to the biological complexity of multicellular and multiorgan interactions upon microbial infections. In this review, we show the infection leading to neurodegeneration mediated by multiorgan interconnections and neuroinflammation. Firstly, we highlight three inter-organ communications as possible routes from infection sites to the brain: nose-brain axis, lung-brain axis, and gut-brain axis. Next, we described the biological crosstalk between microglia and astrocytes upon pathogenic infection. Finally, our study indicates how neuroinflammation is a critical player in pathogen-mediated neurodegeneration. Taken together, we envision that antibiotics targeting neuro-pathogens could be a potential therapeutic strategy for neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Van Thi Ai Tran
- Department of Biophysics, Institute of Quantum Biophysics, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, South Korea
| | - Luke P. Lee
- Department of Biophysics, Institute of Quantum Biophysics, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, South Korea
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Institute of Medicine, Harvard University, Boston, MA, United States
- *Correspondence: Hansang Cho, ; Luke P. Lee,
| | - Hansang Cho
- Department of Biophysics, Institute of Quantum Biophysics, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, South Korea
- Department of Intelligent Precision Healthcare Convergence, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, South Korea
- *Correspondence: Hansang Cho, ; Luke P. Lee,
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Fineschi S, Klar J, Gustafsson KA, Jonsson K, Karlsson B, Dahl N. Inflammation and Interferon Signatures in Peripheral B-Lymphocytes and Sera of Individuals With Fibromyalgia. Front Immunol 2022; 13:874490. [PMID: 35693781 PMCID: PMC9177944 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.874490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Fibromyalgia (FM) is an idiopathic chronic disease characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, hyperalgesia and allodynia, often accompanied by fatigue, cognitive dysfunction and other symptoms. Autoimmunity and neuroinflammatory mechanisms have been suggested to play important roles in the pathophysiology of FM supported by recently identified interferon signatures in affected individuals. However, the contribution of different components in the immune system, such as the B-lymphocytes, in the progression to FM are yet unknown. Furthermore, there is a great need for biomarkers that may improve diagnostics of FM. Herein, we investigated the gene expression profile in peripheral B-cells, as well as a panel of inflammatory serum proteins, in 30 FM patients and 23 healthy matched control individuals. RNA sequence analysis revealed 60 differentially expressed genes when comparing the two groups. The group of FM patients showed increased expression of twenty-five interferon-regulated genes, such as S100A8 and S100A9, VCAM, CD163, SERPINA1, ANXA1, and an increased interferon score. Furthermore, FM was associated with elevated levels of 19 inflammatory serum proteins, such as IL8, AXIN1, SIRT2 and STAMBP, that correlated with the FM severity score. Together, the results shows that FM is associated with an interferon signature in B-cells and increased levels of a set of inflammatory serum proteins. Our findings bring further support for immune activation in the pathogenesis of FM and highlight candidate biomarkers for diagnosis and intervention in the management of FM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena Fineschi
- Östhammar Health Care Centre, Östhammar, Sweden
- Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Unit of General Practice, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- *Correspondence: Serena Fineschi,
| | - Joakim Klar
- Science for Life Laboratory, Genetics and Pathology, Department of Immunology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Kristin Ayoola Gustafsson
- Science for Life Laboratory, Genetics and Pathology, Department of Immunology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Kent Jonsson
- Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Unit of General Practice, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Department of Geriatric and Rehabilitation Medicine, Nyköping Hospital, Nyköping, Sweden
| | - Bo Karlsson
- Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Unit of General Practice, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Niklas Dahl
- Science for Life Laboratory, Genetics and Pathology, Department of Immunology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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Nikolenko VN, Shelomentseva EM, Tsvetkova MM, Abdeeva EI, Giller DB, Babayeva JV, Achkasov EE, Gavryushova LV, Sinelnikov MY. Nociceptors: Their Role in Body’s Defenses, Tissue Specific Variations and Anatomical Update. J Pain Res 2022; 15:867-877. [PMID: 35392632 PMCID: PMC8982820 DOI: 10.2147/jpr.s348324] [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: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The human body is constantly under the influence of numerous pathological factors: both external and internal. These factors can be potentially harmful and are perceived as such with a specialized nervous system subunit: the nociceptive system. The functional unit of the nociceptive system is the nociceptor. Recent studies have shown that nociceptors play a crucial role in maintaining of defensive homeostasis (responsive, immune, behavioral). Nociceptors respond to potentially harmful stimuli within viscera, bones, muscles, skin and specialized sensory organs. They function as complex predictors of harm through formation of pain stimulus. Their function and structures vary within different tissues. This variability reflects the anatomical and pathological peculiarities of varying tissues. Nociceptors play a significant role in adaptive, protective and behavioral reactions. Their functional capabilities and vast spread throughout the body make them the main units of the body’s defense system, allowing us to interact with the inner and outer environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladimir N Nikolenko
- First Moscow State Medical University Named After I.M. Sechenov (Sechenov University), Moscow, 119991, Russia
- Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | | | | | - Elina I Abdeeva
- First Moscow State Medical University Named After I.M. Sechenov (Sechenov University), Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - Dmitriy B Giller
- First Moscow State Medical University Named After I.M. Sechenov (Sechenov University), Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - Juliya V Babayeva
- First Moscow State Medical University Named After I.M. Sechenov (Sechenov University), Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - Evgeny E Achkasov
- First Moscow State Medical University Named After I.M. Sechenov (Sechenov University), Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | | | - Mikhail Y Sinelnikov
- First Moscow State Medical University Named After I.M. Sechenov (Sechenov University), Moscow, 119991, Russia
- Research Institute of Human Morphology, Moscow, 119901, Russian Federation
- Correspondence: Mikhail Y Sinelnikov, Sechenov University, Trubetskaya 8, Moscow, 119991, Russian Federation, Tel/Fax +7 89199688587, Email
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de Oliveira JADP, de Athaide MM, Rahman AU, de Mattos Barbosa MG, Jardim MM, Moraes MO, Pinheiro RO. Kynurenines in the Pathogenesis of Peripheral Neuropathy During Leprosy and COVID-19. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:815738. [PMID: 35281455 PMCID: PMC8907883 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.815738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Inflammatory disorders are associated with the activation of tryptophan (TRYP) catabolism via the kynurenine pathway (KP). Several reports have demonstrated the role of KP in the immunopathophysiology of both leprosy and coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19). The nervous system can be affected in infections caused by both Mycobacterium leprae and SARS-CoV-2, but the mechanisms involved in the peripheral neural damage induced by these infectious agents are not fully understood. In recent years KP has received greater attention due the importance of kynurenine metabolites in infectious diseases, immune dysfunction and nervous system disorders. In this review, we discuss how modulation of the KP may aid in controlling the damage to peripheral nerves and the effects of KP activation on neural damage during leprosy or COVID-19 individually and we speculate its role during co-infection.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Atta Ur Rahman
- Leprosy Laboratory, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Marcia Maria Jardim
- Leprosy Laboratory, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Department of Neurology, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Milton Ozório Moraes
- Leprosy Laboratory, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Roberta Olmo Pinheiro
- Leprosy Laboratory, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- *Correspondence: Roberta Olmo Pinheiro,
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Cohen SP, Wang EJ, Doshi TL, Vase L, Cawcutt KA, Tontisirin N. Chronic pain and infection: mechanisms, causes, conditions, treatments, and controversies. BMJ MEDICINE 2022; 1:e000108. [PMID: 36936554 PMCID: PMC10012866 DOI: 10.1136/bmjmed-2021-000108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2021] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Throughout human history, infection has been the leading cause of morbidity and mortality, with pain being one of the cardinal warning signs. However, in a substantial percentage of cases, pain can persist after resolution of acute illness, manifesting as neuropathic, nociplastic (eg, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome), or nociceptive pain. Mechanisms by which acute infectious pain becomes chronic are variable and can include immunological phenomena (eg, bystander activation, molecular mimicry), direct microbe invasion, central sensitization from physical or psychological triggers, and complications from treatment. Microbes resulting in a high incidence of chronic pain include bacteria such as the Borrelia species and Mycobacterium leprae, as well as viruses such as HIV, SARS-CoV-2 and herpeses. Emerging evidence also supports an infectious cause in a subset of patients with discogenic low back pain and inflammatory bowel disease. Although antimicrobial treatment might have a role in treating chronic pain states that involve active infectious inflammatory processes, their use in chronic pain conditions resulting from autoimmune mechanisms, central sensitization and irrevocable tissue (eg, arthropathy, vasculitis) or nerve injury, are likely to cause more harm than benefit. This review focuses on the relation between infection and chronic pain, with an emphasis on common viral and bacterial causes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven P Cohen
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Departments of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Neurology, and Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Departments of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Anesthesiology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Eric J Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Tina L Doshi
- Departments of Anesthesiology & Critical Care Medicine and Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Lene Vase
- Department of Psychology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Kelly A Cawcutt
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Nuj Tontisirin
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
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45
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Hiroki CH, Sarden N, Hassanabad MF, Yipp BG. Innate Receptors Expression by Lung Nociceptors: Impact on COVID-19 and Aging. Front Immunol 2021; 12:785355. [PMID: 34975876 PMCID: PMC8716370 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.785355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The lungs are constantly exposed to non-sterile air which carries harmful threats, such as particles and pathogens. Nonetheless, this organ is equipped with fast and efficient mechanisms to eliminate these threats from the airways as well as prevent pathogen invasion. The respiratory tract is densely innervated by sensory neurons, also known as nociceptors, which are responsible for the detection of external stimuli and initiation of physiological and immunological responses. Furthermore, expression of functional innate receptors by nociceptors have been reported; however, the influence of these receptors to the lung function and local immune response is poorly described. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown the importance of coordinated and competent pulmonary immunity for the prevention of pathogen spread as well as prevention of excessive tissue injury. New findings suggest that lung nociceptors can be a target of SARS-CoV-2 infection; what remains unclear is whether innate receptor trigger sensory neuron activation during SARS-CoV-2 infection and what is the relevance for the outcomes. Moreover, elderly individuals often present with respiratory, neurological and immunological dysfunction. Whether aging in the context of sensory nerve function and innate receptors contributes to the disorders of these systems is currently unknown. Here we discuss the expression of innate receptors by nociceptors, particularly in the lungs, and the possible impact of their activation on pulmonary immunity. We then demonstrate recent evidence that suggests lung sensory neurons as reservoirs for SARS-CoV-2 and possible viral recognition via innate receptors. Lastly, we explore the mechanisms by which lung nociceptors might contribute to disturbance in respiratory and immunological responses during the aging process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos H. Hiroki
- Calvin, Phoebe and Joan Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Department of Critical Care, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Nicole Sarden
- Calvin, Phoebe and Joan Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Department of Critical Care, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Mortaza F. Hassanabad
- Calvin, Phoebe and Joan Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Department of Critical Care, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Bryan G. Yipp
- Calvin, Phoebe and Joan Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Department of Critical Care, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
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46
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Tan PH, Ji J, Yeh CC, Ji RR. Interferons in Pain and Infections: Emerging Roles in Neuro-Immune and Neuro-Glial Interactions. Front Immunol 2021; 12:783725. [PMID: 34804074 PMCID: PMC8602180 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.783725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Interferons (IFNs) are cytokines that possess antiviral, antiproliferative, and immunomodulatory actions. IFN-α and IFN-β are two major family members of type-I IFNs and are used to treat diseases, including hepatitis and multiple sclerosis. Emerging evidence suggests that type-I IFN receptors (IFNARs) are also expressed by microglia, astrocytes, and neurons in the central and peripheral nervous systems. Apart from canonical transcriptional regulations, IFN-α and IFN-β can rapidly suppress neuronal activity and synaptic transmission via non-genomic regulation, leading to potent analgesia. IFN-γ is the only member of the type-II IFN family and induces central sensitization and microglia activation in persistent pain. We discuss how type-I and type-II IFNs regulate pain and infection via neuro-immune modulations, with special focus on neuroinflammation and neuro-glial interactions. We also highlight distinct roles of type-I IFNs in the peripheral and central nervous system. Insights into IFN signaling in nociceptors and their distinct actions in physiological vs. pathological and acute vs. chronic conditions will improve our treatments of pain after surgeries, traumas, and infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping-Heng Tan
- Department of Anesthesiology, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan City, Taiwan
| | - Jasmine Ji
- Neuroscience Department, Wellesley College, Wellesley, Massachusetts, MA, United States.,Center for Translational Pain Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Chun-Chang Yeh
- Department of Anesthesiology of Tri-Service General Hospital & National Defense Medical Center, Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Ru-Rong Ji
- Center for Translational Pain Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States.,Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States.,Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States
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Neuro-immune-metabolism: The tripod system of homeostasis. Immunol Lett 2021; 240:77-97. [PMID: 34655659 DOI: 10.1016/j.imlet.2021.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2021] [Revised: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Homeostatic regulation of cellular and molecular processes is essential for the efficient physiological functioning of body organs. It requires an intricate balance of several networks throughout the body, most notable being the nervous, immune and metabolic systems. Several studies have reported the interactions between neuro-immune, immune-metabolic and neuro-metabolic pathways. Current review aims to integrate the information and show that neuro, immune and metabolic systems form the triumvirate of homeostasis. It focuses on the cellular and molecular interactions occurring in the extremities and intestine, which are innervated by the peripheral nervous system and for the intestine in particular the enteric nervous system. While the interdependence of neuro-immune-metabolic pathways provides a fallback mechanism in case of disruption of homeostasis, in chronic pathologies of continued disequilibrium, the collapse of one system spreads to the other interacting networks as well. Current review illustrates this domino-effect using diabetes as the main example. Together, this review attempts to provide a holistic picture of the integrated network of neuro-immune-metabolism and attempts to broaden the outlook when devising a scientific study or a treatment strategy.
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48
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Suzich JB, Cuddy SR, Baidas H, Dochnal S, Ke E, Schinlever AR, Babnis A, Boutell C, Cliffe AR. PML-NB-dependent type I interferon memory results in a restricted form of HSV latency. EMBO Rep 2021; 22:e52547. [PMID: 34197022 PMCID: PMC8419685 DOI: 10.15252/embr.202152547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Revised: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Herpes simplex virus (HSV) establishes latent infection in long-lived neurons. During initial infection, neurons are exposed to multiple inflammatory cytokines but the effects of immune signaling on the nature of HSV latency are unknown. We show that initial infection of primary murine neurons in the presence of type I interferon (IFN) results in a form of latency that is restricted for reactivation. We also find that the subnuclear condensates, promyelocytic leukemia nuclear bodies (PML-NBs), are absent from primary sympathetic and sensory neurons but form with type I IFN treatment and persist even when IFN signaling resolves. HSV-1 genomes colocalize with PML-NBs throughout a latent infection of neurons only when type I IFN is present during initial infection. Depletion of PML prior to or following infection does not impact the establishment latency; however, it does rescue the ability of HSV to reactivate from IFN-treated neurons. This study demonstrates that viral genomes possess a memory of the IFN response during de novo infection, which results in differential subnuclear positioning and ultimately restricts the ability of genomes to reactivate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jon B Suzich
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Cancer BiologyUniversity of VirginiaCharlottesvilleVAUSA
| | - Sean R Cuddy
- Neuroscience Graduate ProgramUniversity of VirginiaCharlottesvilleVAUSA
| | - Hiam Baidas
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Cancer BiologyUniversity of VirginiaCharlottesvilleVAUSA
| | - Sara Dochnal
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Cancer BiologyUniversity of VirginiaCharlottesvilleVAUSA
| | - Eugene Ke
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Cancer BiologyUniversity of VirginiaCharlottesvilleVAUSA
| | - Austin R Schinlever
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Cancer BiologyUniversity of VirginiaCharlottesvilleVAUSA
| | - Aleksandra Babnis
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Cancer BiologyUniversity of VirginiaCharlottesvilleVAUSA
| | - Chris Boutell
- MRC‐University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research (CVR)GlasgowUK
| | - Anna R Cliffe
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Cancer BiologyUniversity of VirginiaCharlottesvilleVAUSA
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Wang K, Donnelly CR, Jiang C, Liao Y, Luo X, Tao X, Bang S, McGinnis A, Lee M, Hilton MJ, Ji RR. STING suppresses bone cancer pain via immune and neuronal modulation. Nat Commun 2021; 12:4558. [PMID: 34315904 PMCID: PMC8316360 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24867-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2020] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Patients with advanced stage cancers frequently suffer from severe pain as a result of bone metastasis and bone destruction, for which there is no efficacious treatment. Here, using multiple mouse models of bone cancer, we report that agonists of the immune regulator STING (stimulator of interferon genes) confer remarkable protection against cancer pain, bone destruction, and local tumor burden. Repeated systemic administration of STING agonists robustly attenuates bone cancer-induced pain and improves locomotor function. Interestingly, STING agonists produce acute pain relief through direct neuronal modulation. Additionally, STING agonists protect against local bone destruction and reduce local tumor burden through modulation of osteoclast and immune cell function in the tumor microenvironment, providing long-term cancer pain relief. Finally, these in vivo effects are dependent on host-intrinsic STING and IFN-I signaling. Overall, STING activation provides unique advantages in controlling bone cancer pain through distinct and synergistic actions on nociceptors, immune cells, and osteoclasts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaiyuan Wang
- Center for Translational Pain Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.
| | - Christopher R Donnelly
- Center for Translational Pain Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.
| | - Changyu Jiang
- Center for Translational Pain Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Yihan Liao
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Xin Luo
- Center for Translational Pain Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Xueshu Tao
- Center for Translational Pain Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Sangsu Bang
- Center for Translational Pain Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Aidan McGinnis
- Center for Translational Pain Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Michael Lee
- Center for Translational Pain Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Matthew J Hilton
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Ru-Rong Ji
- Center for Translational Pain Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.
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50
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Infection-Associated Mechanisms of Neuro-Inflammation and Neuro-Immune Crosstalk in Chronic Respiratory Diseases. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22115699. [PMID: 34071807 PMCID: PMC8197882 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22115699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2021] [Revised: 05/21/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic obstructive airway diseases are characterized by airflow obstruction and airflow limitation as well as chronic airway inflammation. Especially bronchial asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) cause considerable morbidity and mortality worldwide, can be difficult to treat, and ultimately lack cures. While there are substantial knowledge gaps with respect to disease pathophysiology, our awareness of the role of neurological and neuro-immunological processes in the development of symptoms, the progression, and the outcome of these chronic obstructive respiratory diseases, is growing. Likewise, the role of pathogenic and colonizing microorganisms of the respiratory tract in the development and manifestation of asthma and COPD is increasingly appreciated. However, their role remains poorly understood with respect to the underlying mechanisms. Common bacteria and viruses causing respiratory infections and exacerbations of chronic obstructive respiratory diseases have also been implicated to affect the local neuro-immune crosstalk. In this review, we provide an overview of previously described neuro-immune interactions in asthma, COPD, and respiratory infections that support the hypothesis of a neuro-immunological component in the interplay between chronic obstructive respiratory diseases, respiratory infections, and respiratory microbial colonization.
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