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Mogil JS, Parisien M, Esfahani SJ, Diatchenko L. Sex differences in mechanisms of pain hypersensitivity. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 163:105749. [PMID: 38838876 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105749] [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: 04/10/2024] [Revised: 05/23/2024] [Accepted: 06/02/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
The introduction of sex-as-a-biological-variable policies at funding agencies around the world has led to an explosion of very recent observations of sex differences in the biology underlying pain. This review considers evidence of sexually dimorphic mechanisms mediating pain hypersensitivity, derived from modern assays of persistent pain in rodent animal models. Three well-studied findings are described in detail: the male-specific role of spinal cord microglia, the female-specific role of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), and the female-specific role of prolactin and its receptor. Other findings of sex-specific molecular involvement in pain are subjected to pathway analyses and reveal at least one novel hypothesis: that females may preferentially use Th1 and males Th2 T cell activity to mediate chronic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey S Mogil
- Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 1B1, Canada.
| | - Marc Parisien
- Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 1B1, Canada
| | - Sahel J Esfahani
- Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 1B1, Canada
| | - Luda Diatchenko
- Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 1B1, Canada
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2
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Franco-Enzástiga Ú, Inturi NN, Natarajan K, Mwirigi JM, Mazhar K, Schlachetzki JC, Schumacher M, Price TJ. Epigenomic landscape of the human dorsal root ganglion: sex differences and transcriptional regulation of nociceptive genes. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.27.587047. [PMID: 38586055 PMCID: PMC10996669 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.27.587047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
Gene expression is influenced by chromatin architecture via controlled access of regulatory factors to DNA. To better understand gene regulation in the human dorsal root ganglion (hDRG) we used bulk and spatial transposase-accessible chromatin technology followed by sequencing (ATAC-seq). Using bulk ATAC-seq, we detected that in females diverse differentially accessible chromatin regions (DARs) mapped to the X chromosome and in males to autosomal genes. EGR1/3 and SP1/4 transcription factor binding motifs were abundant within DARs in females, and JUN, FOS and other AP-1 factors in males. To dissect the open chromatin profile in hDRG neurons, we used spatial ATAC-seq. The neuron cluster showed higher chromatin accessibility in GABAergic, glutamatergic, and interferon-related genes in females, and in Ca2+- signaling-related genes in males. Sex differences in transcription factor binding sites in neuron-proximal barcodes were consistent with the trends observed in bulk ATAC-seq data. We validated that EGR1 expression is biased to female hDRG compared to male. Strikingly, XIST, the long-noncoding RNA responsible for X inactivation, hybridization signal was found to be highly dispersed in the female neuronal but not non-neuronal nuclei suggesting weak X inactivation in female hDRG neurons. Our findings point to baseline epigenomic sex differences in the hDRG that likely underlie divergent transcriptional responses that determine mechanistic sex differences in pain.
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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
| | - Nikhil N. Inturi
- 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
| | - Juliet M. Mwirigi
- Center for Advanced Pain Studies, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas 75080
| | - Khadija Mazhar
- Center for Advanced Pain Studies, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas 75080
| | - Johannes C.M. Schlachetzki
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093-0651, USA
| | - Mark Schumacher
- Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care and the UCSF Pain and Addiction Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, California, 94143 USA
| | - 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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3
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Xu Z, Lee MC, Sheehan K, Fujii K, Rabl K, Rader G, Varney S, Sharma M, Eilers H, Kober K, Miaskowski C, Levine JD, Schumacher MA. Chemotherapy for pain: reversing inflammatory and neuropathic pain with the anticancer agent mithramycin A. Pain 2024; 165:54-74. [PMID: 37366593 PMCID: PMC10723648 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002972] [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: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACT The persistence of inflammatory and neuropathic pain is poorly understood. We investigated a novel therapeutic paradigm by targeting gene networks that sustain or reverse persistent pain states. Our prior observations found that Sp1-like transcription factors drive the expression of TRPV1, a pain receptor, that is blocked in vitro by mithramycin A (MTM), an inhibitor of Sp1-like factors. Here, we investigate the ability of MTM to reverse in vivo models of inflammatory and chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) pain and explore MTM's underlying mechanisms. Mithramycin reversed inflammatory heat hyperalgesia induced by complete Freund adjuvant and cisplatin-induced heat and mechanical hypersensitivity. In addition, MTM reversed both short-term and long-term (1 month) oxaliplatin-induced mechanical and cold hypersensitivity, without the rescue of intraepidermal nerve fiber loss. Mithramycin reversed oxaliplatin-induced cold hypersensitivity and oxaliplatin-induced TRPM8 overexpression in dorsal root ganglion (DRG). Evidence across multiple transcriptomic profiling approaches suggest that MTM reverses inflammatory and neuropathic pain through broad transcriptional and alternative splicing regulatory actions. Mithramycin-dependent changes in gene expression following oxaliplatin treatment were largely opposite to and rarely overlapped with changes in gene expression induced by oxaliplatin alone. Notably, RNAseq analysis revealed MTM rescue of oxaliplatin-induced dysregulation of mitochondrial electron transport chain genes that correlated with in vivo reversal of excess reactive oxygen species in DRG neurons. This finding suggests that the mechanism(s) driving persistent pain states such as CIPN are not fixed but are sustained by ongoing modifiable transcription-dependent processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheyun Xu
- Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care and the UCSF Pain and Addiction Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Man-Cheung Lee
- Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care and the UCSF Pain and Addiction Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Kayla Sheehan
- Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care and the UCSF Pain and Addiction Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Keisuke Fujii
- Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care and the UCSF Pain and Addiction Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Department of Anesthesiology, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, Japan
| | - Katalin Rabl
- Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care and the UCSF Pain and Addiction Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Gabriella Rader
- Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care and the UCSF Pain and Addiction Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Scarlett Varney
- Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care and the UCSF Pain and Addiction Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Manohar Sharma
- Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care and the UCSF Pain and Addiction Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Helge Eilers
- Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care and the UCSF Pain and Addiction Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Kord Kober
- Department of Physiological Nursing, School of Nursing, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Christine Miaskowski
- Department of Physiological Nursing, School of Nursing, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Jon D. Levine
- Division of Neuroscience, Departments of Medicine and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Mark A. Schumacher
- Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care and the UCSF Pain and Addiction Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
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Shen BQ, Sankaranarayanan I, Price TJ, Tavares-Ferreira D. Sex-differences in prostaglandin signaling: a semi-systematic review and characterization of PTGDS expression in human sensory neurons. Sci Rep 2023; 13:4670. [PMID: 36949072 PMCID: PMC10033690 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-31603-x] [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: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2023] Open
Abstract
There is increasing evidence of sex differences in underlying mechanisms causing pain in preclinical models, and in clinical populations. There are also important disconnects between clinical pain populations and the way preclinical pain studies are conducted. For instance, osteoarthritis pain more frequently affects women, but most preclinical studies have been conducted using males in animal models. The most widely used painkillers, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), act on the prostaglandin pathway by inhibiting cyclooxygenase (COX) enzymes. The purpose of this study was to analyze the preclinical and clinical literature on the role of prostaglandins and COX in inflammation and pain. We aimed to specifically identify studies that used both sexes and investigate whether any sex-differences in the action of prostaglandins and COX inhibition had been reported, either in clinical or preclinical studies. We conducted a PubMed search and identified 369 preclinical studies and 100 clinical studies that matched our inclusion/exclusion criteria. Our analysis shows that only 17% of preclinical studies on prostaglandins used both sexes and, out of those, only 19% analyzed or reported data separated by sex. In contrast, 79% of the clinical studies analyzed used both sexes. However, only 6% of those reported data separated by sex. Interestingly, 14 out of 15 preclinical studies and 5 out of 6 clinical studies that analyzed data separated by sex have identified sex-differences. This builds on the increasing evidence of sex-differences in prostaglandin signaling and the importance of sex as a biological variable in data analysis. The preclinical literature identifies a sex difference in prostaglandin D2 synthase (PTGDS) expression where it is higher in female than in male rodents in the nervous system. We experimentally validated that PTGDS expression is higher in female human dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons recovered from organ donors. Our semi-systematic literature review reveals a need for continued inclusivity of both male and female animals in prostaglandins studies and data analysis separated by sex in preclinical and clinical studies. Our finding of sex-differences in neuronal PTGDS expression in humans exemplifies the need for a more comprehensive understanding of how the prostaglandin system functions in the DRG in rodents and humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Breanna Q Shen
- Department of Neuroscience and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W Campbell Rd, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
| | - Ishwarya Sankaranarayanan
- Department of Neuroscience and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W Campbell Rd, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
| | - Theodore J Price
- Department of Neuroscience and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W Campbell Rd, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA.
| | - Diana Tavares-Ferreira
- Department of Neuroscience and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W Campbell Rd, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA.
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5
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Segelcke D, van der Burgt M, Kappert C, Schmidt Garcia D, Sondermann JR, Bigalke S, Pradier B, Gomez-Varela D, Zahn PK, Schmidt M, Pogatzki-Zahn EM. Phenotype- and species-specific skin proteomic signatures for incision-induced pain in humans and mice. Br J Anaesth 2023; 130:331-342. [PMID: 36609060 DOI: 10.1016/j.bja.2022.10.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Acute pain after surgery is common and often leads to chronic post-surgical pain, but neither treatment nor prevention is currently sufficient. We hypothesised that specific protein networks (protein-protein interactions) are relevant for pain after surgery in humans and mice. METHODS Standardised surgical incisions were performed in male human volunteers and male mice. Quantitative and qualitative sensory phenotyping were combined with unbiased quantitative mass spectrometry-based proteomics and protein network theory. The primary outcomes were skin protein signature changes in humans and phenotype-specific protein-protein interaction analysis 24 h after incision. Secondary outcomes were interspecies comparison of protein regulation as well as protein-protein interactions after incision and validation of selected proteins in human skin by immunofluorescence. RESULTS Skin biopsies in 21 human volunteers revealed 119/1569 regulated proteins 24 h after incision. Protein-protein interaction analysis delineated remarkable differences between subjects with small (low responders, n=12) and large incision-related hyperalgesic areas (high responders, n=7), a phenotype most predictive of developing chronic post-surgical pain. Whereas low responders predominantly showed an anti-inflammatory protein signature, high responders exhibited signatures associated with a distinct proteolytic environment and persistent inflammation. Compared to humans, skin biopsies in mice habored even more regulated proteins (435/1871) 24 h after incision with limited overlap between species as assessed by proteome dynamics and PPI. Immunohistochemistry confirmed the expression of high priority candidates in human skin biopsies. CONCLUSIONS Proteome profiling of human skin after incision revealed protein-protein interactions correlated with pain and hyperalgesia, which may be of potential significance for preventing chronic post-surgical pain. Importantly, protein-protein interactions were differentially modulated in mice compared to humans opening new avenues for successful translational research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Segelcke
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, University Hospital Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Max van der Burgt
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, University Hospital Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Christin Kappert
- Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, City Campus, Goettingen, Germany
| | | | - Julia R Sondermann
- Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Stephan Bigalke
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, University Hospital Muenster, Muenster, Germany; Clinic for Anaesthesiology, Intensive and Pain Medicine, Ruhr-University Bochum, BG-University Hospital Bergmannsheil gGmbH, Bochum, Germany
| | - Bruno Pradier
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, University Hospital Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - David Gomez-Varela
- Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Peter K Zahn
- Clinic for Anaesthesiology, Intensive and Pain Medicine, Ruhr-University Bochum, BG-University Hospital Bergmannsheil gGmbH, Bochum, Germany
| | - Manuela Schmidt
- Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Esther M Pogatzki-Zahn
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, University Hospital Muenster, Muenster, Germany.
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6
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Curatolo M. Pain relief after topical capsaicin: does it result from nociceptor degeneration or regeneration? Pain 2023; 164:461-462. [PMID: 35975879 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Michele Curatolo
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
- Clinical Learning, Evidence and Research (CLEAR) Center for Musculoskeletal Disorders, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
- Harborview Injury Preventions and Research Center (HIPRC), University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
- Center for Sensory-Motor Interaction, University of Aalborg, Aalborg, Denmark
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7
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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: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 47.0] [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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8
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García-Pérez R, Ramirez JM, Ripoll-Cladellas A, Chazarra-Gil R, Oliveros W, Soldatkina O, Bosio M, Rognon PJ, Capella-Gutierrez S, Calvo M, Reverter F, Guigó R, Aguet F, Ferreira PG, Ardlie KG, Melé M. The landscape of expression and alternative splicing variation across human traits. CELL GENOMICS 2023; 3:100244. [PMID: 36777183 PMCID: PMC9903719 DOI: 10.1016/j.xgen.2022.100244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the consequences of individual transcriptome variation is fundamental to deciphering human biology and disease. We implement a statistical framework to quantify the contributions of 21 individual traits as drivers of gene expression and alternative splicing variation across 46 human tissues and 781 individuals from the Genotype-Tissue Expression project. We demonstrate that ancestry, sex, age, and BMI make additive and tissue-specific contributions to expression variability, whereas interactions are rare. Variation in splicing is dominated by ancestry and is under genetic control in most tissues, with ribosomal proteins showing a strong enrichment of tissue-shared splicing events. Our analyses reveal a systemic contribution of types 1 and 2 diabetes to tissue transcriptome variation with the strongest signal in the nerve, where histopathology image analysis identifies novel genes related to diabetic neuropathy. Our multi-tissue and multi-trait approach provides an extensive characterization of the main drivers of human transcriptome variation in health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel García-Pérez
- Department of Life Sciences, Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BCN-CNS), Barcelona, Catalonia 08034, Spain
| | - Jose Miguel Ramirez
- Department of Life Sciences, Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BCN-CNS), Barcelona, Catalonia 08034, Spain
| | - Aida Ripoll-Cladellas
- Department of Life Sciences, Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BCN-CNS), Barcelona, Catalonia 08034, Spain
| | - Ruben Chazarra-Gil
- Department of Life Sciences, Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BCN-CNS), Barcelona, Catalonia 08034, Spain
| | - Winona Oliveros
- Department of Life Sciences, Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BCN-CNS), Barcelona, Catalonia 08034, Spain
| | - Oleksandra Soldatkina
- Department of Life Sciences, Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BCN-CNS), Barcelona, Catalonia 08034, Spain
| | - Mattia Bosio
- Department of Life Sciences, Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BCN-CNS), Barcelona, Catalonia 08034, Spain
| | - Paul Joris Rognon
- Department of Life Sciences, Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BCN-CNS), Barcelona, Catalonia 08034, Spain
- Department of Economics and Business, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Catalonia 08005, Spain
- Department of Statistics and Operations Research, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Barcelona, Catalonia 08034, Spain
| | - Salvador Capella-Gutierrez
- Department of Life Sciences, Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BCN-CNS), Barcelona, Catalonia 08034, Spain
| | - Miquel Calvo
- Statistics Section, Faculty of Biology, Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Barcelona, Catalonia 08028, Spain
| | - Ferran Reverter
- Statistics Section, Faculty of Biology, Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Barcelona, Catalonia 08028, Spain
| | - Roderic Guigó
- Bioinformatics and Genomics, Center for Genomic Regulation, Barcelona, Catalonia 08003, Spain
| | | | - Pedro G. Ferreira
- Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
- Laboratory of Artificial Intelligence and Decision Support, INESC TEC, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
- Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto, Institute for Research and Innovation in Health (i3s), R. Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | | | - Marta Melé
- Department of Life Sciences, Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BCN-CNS), Barcelona, Catalonia 08034, Spain
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Piñero G, Vence M, Aranda ML, Cercato MC, Soto PA, Usach V, Setton-Avruj PC. All the PNS is a Stage: Transplanted Bone Marrow Cells Play an Immunomodulatory Role in Peripheral Nerve Regeneration. ASN Neuro 2023; 15:17590914231167281. [PMID: 37654230 PMCID: PMC10475269 DOI: 10.1177/17590914231167281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Revised: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023] Open
Abstract
SUMMARY STATEMENT Bone marrow cell transplant has proven to be an effective therapeutic approach to treat peripheral nervous system injuries as it not only promoted regeneration and remyelination of the injured nerve but also had a potent effect on neuropathic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gonzalo Piñero
- Departamento de Química Biológica, Cátedra de Química Biológica Patalógica, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Universidad de Buenos Aires-CONICET, Instituto de Química y Fisicoquímica Biológicas (IQUIFIB), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Department of Pathology, Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, NY, USA
| | - Marianela Vence
- Universidad de Buenos Aires-CONICET, Instituto de Química y Fisicoquímica Biológicas (IQUIFIB), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Marcos L. Aranda
- Universidad de Buenos Aires-CONICET, Centro de Estudios Farmacológicos y Botánicos (CEFYBO), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Department of Neurobiology, Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Magalí C. Cercato
- Universidad de Buenos Aires-CONICET, Instituto de Química y Fisicoquímica Biológicas (IQUIFIB), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Paula A. Soto
- Departamento de Química Biológica, Cátedra de Química Biológica Patalógica, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Universidad de Buenos Aires-CONICET, Instituto de Química y Fisicoquímica Biológicas (IQUIFIB), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Vanina Usach
- Departamento de Química Biológica, Cátedra de Química Biológica Patalógica, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Universidad de Buenos Aires-CONICET, Instituto de Química y Fisicoquímica Biológicas (IQUIFIB), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Patricia C. Setton-Avruj
- Departamento de Química Biológica, Cátedra de Química Biológica Patalógica, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Universidad de Buenos Aires-CONICET, Instituto de Química y Fisicoquímica Biológicas (IQUIFIB), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
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10
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Xian F, Sondermann JR, Gomez Varela D, Schmidt M. Deep proteome profiling reveals signatures of age and sex differences in paw skin and sciatic nerve of naïve mice. eLife 2022; 11:e81431. [PMID: 36448997 PMCID: PMC9711526 DOI: 10.7554/elife.81431] [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: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The age and sex of studied animals profoundly impact experimental outcomes in biomedical research. However, most preclinical studies in mice use a wide-spanning age range from 4 to 20 weeks and do not assess male and female mice in parallel. This raises concerns regarding reproducibility and neglects potentially relevant age and sex differences, which are largely unknown at the molecular level in naïve mice. Here, we employed an optimized quantitative proteomics workflow in order to deeply profile mouse paw skin and sciatic nerves (SCN) - two tissues implicated in nociception and pain as well as diseases linked to inflammation, injury, and demyelination. Remarkably, we uncovered significant differences when comparing male and female mice at adolescent (4 weeks) and adult (14 weeks) age. Our analysis deciphered protein subsets and networks that were correlated with the age and/or sex of mice. Notably, among these were proteins/biological pathways with known (patho)physiological relevance, e.g., homeostasis and epidermal signaling in skin, and, in SCN, multiple myelin proteins and regulators of neuronal development. Extensive comparisons with available databases revealed that various proteins associated with distinct skin diseases and pain exhibited significant abundance changes in dependence on age and/or sex. Taken together, our study uncovers hitherto unknown sex and age differences at the level of proteins and protein networks. Overall, we provide a unique proteome resource that facilitates mechanistic insights into somatosensory and skin biology, and integrates age and sex as biological variables - a prerequisite for successful preclinical studies in mouse disease models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Xian
- Systems Biology of Pain, Division of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of ViennaViennaAustria
| | - Julia Regina Sondermann
- Systems Biology of Pain, Division of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of ViennaViennaAustria
| | - David Gomez Varela
- Systems Biology of Pain, Division of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of ViennaViennaAustria
| | - Manuela Schmidt
- Systems Biology of Pain, Division of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of ViennaViennaAustria
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11
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Chernov AV, Shubayev VI. Sexual dimorphism of early transcriptional reprogramming in degenerating peripheral nerves. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:1029278. [DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.1029278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexual dimorphism is a powerful yet understudied factor that influences the timing and efficiency of gene regulation in axonal injury and repair processes in the peripheral nervous system. Here, we identified common and distinct biological processes in female and male degenerating (distal) nerve stumps based on a snapshot of transcriptional reprogramming 24 h after axotomy reflecting the onset of early phase Wallerian degeneration (WD). Females exhibited transcriptional downregulation of a larger number of genes than males. RhoGDI, ERBB, and ERK5 signaling pathways increased activity in both sexes. Males upregulated genes and canonical pathways that exhibited robust baseline expression in females in both axotomized and sham nerves, including signaling pathways controlled by neuregulin and nerve growth factors. Cholesterol biosynthesis, reelin signaling, and synaptogenesis signaling pathways were downregulated in females. Signaling by Rho Family GTPases, cAMP-mediated signaling, and sulfated glycosaminoglycan biosynthesis were downregulated in both sexes. Estrogens potentially influenced sex-dependent injury response due to distinct regulation of estrogen receptor expression. A crosstalk of cytokines and growth hormones could promote sexually dimorphic transcriptional responses. We highlighted prospective regulatory activities due to protein phosphorylation, extracellular proteolysis, sex chromosome-specific expression, major urinary proteins (MUPs), and genes involved in thyroid hormone metabolism. Combined with our earlier findings in the corresponding dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and regenerating (proximal) nerve stumps, sex-specific and universal early phase molecular triggers of WD enrich our knowledge of transcriptional regulation in peripheral nerve injury and repair.
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12
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Chernov AV, Shubayev VI. Sexually dimorphic transcriptional programs of early-phase response in regenerating peripheral nerves. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:958568. [PMID: 35983069 PMCID: PMC9378824 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.958568] [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: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The convergence of transcriptional and epigenetic changes in the peripheral nervous system (PNS) reshapes the spatiotemporal gene expression landscape in response to nerve transection. The control of these molecular programs exhibits sexually dimorphic characteristics that remain not sufficiently characterized. In the present study, we recorded genome-wide and sex-dependent early-phase transcriptional changes in regenerating (proximal) sciatic nerve 24 h after axotomy. Male nerves exhibited more extensive transcriptional changes with male-dominant upregulation of cytoskeletal binding and structural protein genes. Regulation of mRNAs encoding ion and ionotropic neurotransmitter channels displayed prominent sexual dimorphism consistent with sex-specific mRNA axonal transport in an early-phase regenerative response. Protein kinases and axonal transport genes showed sexually dimorphic regulation. Genes encoding components of synaptic vesicles were at high baseline expression in females and showed post-injury induction selectively in males. Predictive bioinformatic analyses established patterns of sexually dimorphic regulation of neurotrophic and immune genes, including activation of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor Gfra1 receptor and immune checkpoint cyclin D1 (Ccnd1) potentially linked to X-chromosome encoded tissue inhibitor of matrix metallo proteinases 1 (Timp1). Regulatory networks involving Olig1, Pou3f3/Oct6, Myrf, and Myt1l transcription factors were linked to sex-dependent reprogramming in regenerating nerves. Differential expression patterns of non-coding RNAs motivate a model of sexually dimorphic nerve regenerative responses to injury determined by epigenetic factors. Combined with our findings in the corresponding dorsal root ganglia (DRG), unique early-phase sex-specific molecular triggers could enrich the mechanistic understanding of peripheral neuropathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrei V. Chernov
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
- VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, United States
- *Correspondence: Andrei V. Chernov,
| | - Veronica I. Shubayev
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
- VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, United States
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13
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Eller OC, Stair RN, Neal C, Rowe PS, Nelson-Brantley J, Young EE, Baumbauer KM. Comprehensive phenotyping of cutaneous afferents reveals early-onset alterations in nociceptor response properties, release of CGRP, and hindpaw edema following spinal cord injury. NEUROBIOLOGY OF PAIN (CAMBRIDGE, MASS.) 2022; 12:100097. [PMID: 35756343 PMCID: PMC9218836 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynpai.2022.100097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Revised: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a complex syndrome that has profound effects on patient well-being, including the development of medically-resistant chronic pain. The mechanisms underlying SCI pain have been the subject of thorough investigation but remain poorly understood. While the majority of the research has focused on changes occurring within and surrounding the site of injury in the spinal cord, there is now a consensus that alterations within the peripheral nervous system, namely sensitization of nociceptors, contribute to the development and maintenance of chronic SCI pain. Using an ex vivo skin/nerve/DRG/spinal cord preparation to characterize afferent response properties following SCI, we found that SCI increased mechanical and thermal responding, as well as the incidence of spontaneous activity (SA) and afterdischarge (AD), in below-level C-fiber nociceptors 24 hr following injury relative to naïve controls. Interestingly, the distribution of nociceptors that exhibit SA and AD are not identical, and the development of SA was observed more frequently in nociceptors with low heat thresholds, while AD was found more frequently in nociceptors with high heat thresholds. We also found that SCI resulted in hindpaw edema and elevated cutaneous calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) concentration that were not observed in naïve mice. These results suggest that SCI causes a rapidly developing nociceptor sensitization and peripheral inflammation that may contribute to the early emergence and persistence of chronic SCI pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia C. Eller
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States
| | - Rena N. Stair
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States
| | - Christopher Neal
- Kansas Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States
| | - Peter S.N. Rowe
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States
- The Kidney Institute & Division of Nephrology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States
| | - Jennifer Nelson-Brantley
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States
| | - Erin E. Young
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States
- Center for Advancement in Managing Pain, School of Nursing, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, United States
- Department of Neuroscience, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, United States
| | - Kyle M. Baumbauer
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States
- Center for Advancement in Managing Pain, School of Nursing, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States
- Department of Neuroscience, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, United States
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14
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Presto P, Mazzitelli M, Junell R, Griffin Z, Neugebauer V. Sex differences in pain along the neuraxis. Neuropharmacology 2022; 210:109030. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2022.109030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Revised: 02/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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15
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Velichkova AN, Coleman SE, Torsney C. Postoperative pain facilitates rat C-fibre activity-dependent slowing and induces thermal hypersensitivity in a sex-dependent manner. Br J Anaesth 2022; 128:718-733. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bja.2021.10.053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/02/2022] Open
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16
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Chernov AV, Shubayev VI. Sexual Dimorphism of Early Transcriptional Reprogramming in Dorsal Root Ganglia After Peripheral Nerve Injury. Front Mol Neurosci 2021; 14:779024. [PMID: 34966260 PMCID: PMC8710713 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2021.779024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Peripheral nerve injury induces genome-wide transcriptional reprogramming of first-order neurons and auxiliary cells of dorsal root ganglia (DRG). Accumulating experimental evidence suggests that onset and mechanistic principles of post-nerve injury processes are sexually dimorphic. We examined largely understudied aspects of early transcriptional events in DRG within 24 h after sciatic nerve axotomy in mice of both sexes. Using high-depth RNA sequencing (>50 million reads/sample) to pinpoint sexually dimorphic changes related to regeneration, immune response, bioenergy, and sensory functions, we identified a higher number of transcriptional changes in male relative to female DRG. In males, the decline in ion channel transcripts was accompanied by the induction of innate immune cascades via TLR, chemokine, and Csf1-receptor axis and robust regenerative programs driven by Sox, Twist1/2, and Pax5/9 transcription factors. Females demonstrated nerve injury-specific transcriptional co-activation of the actinin 2 network. The predicted upstream regulators and interactive networks highlighted the role of novel epigenetic factors and genetic linkage to sex chromosomes as hallmarks of gene regulation post-axotomy. We implicated epigenetic X chromosome inactivation in the regulation of immune response activity uniquely in females. Sexually dimorphic regulation of MMP/ADAMTS metalloproteinases and their intrinsic X-linked regulator Timp1 contributes to extracellular matrix remodeling integrated with pro-regenerative and immune functions. Lexis1 non-coding RNA involved in LXR-mediated lipid metabolism was identified as a novel nerve injury marker. Together, our data identified unique early response triggers of sex-specific peripheral nerve injury regulation to gain mechanistic insights into the origin of female- and male-prevalent sensory neuropathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrei V Chernov
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States.,VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Veronica I Shubayev
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States.,VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, United States
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17
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Abstract
Pain is an immense clinical and societal challenge, and the key to understanding and treating it is variability. Robust interindividual differences are consistently observed in pain sensitivity, susceptibility to developing painful disorders, and response to analgesic manipulations. This review examines the causes of this variability, including both organismic and environmental sources. Chronic pain development is a textbook example of a gene-environment interaction, requiring both chance initiating events (e.g., trauma, infection) and more immutable risk factors. The focus is on genetic factors, since twin studies have determined that a plurality of the variance likely derives from inherited genetic variants, but sex, age, ethnicity, personality variables, and environmental factors are also considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey S Mogil
- Departments of Psychology and Anesthesia, Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 1B1, Canada;
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18
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Wangzhou A, Paige C, Neerukonda SV, Naik DK, Kume M, David ET, Dussor G, Ray PR, Price TJ. A ligand-receptor interactome platform for discovery of pain mechanisms and therapeutic targets. Sci Signal 2021; 14:14/674/eabe1648. [PMID: 33727337 DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.abe1648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
In the peripheral nervous system, ligand-receptor interactions between cells and neurons shape sensory experience, including pain. We set out to identify the potential interactions between sensory neurons and peripheral cell types implicated in disease-associated pain. Using mouse and human RNA sequencing datasets and computational analysis, we created interactome maps between dorsal root ganglion (DRG) sensory neurons and an array of normal cell types, as well as colitis-associated glial cells, rheumatoid arthritis-associated synovial macrophages, and pancreatic tumor tissue. These maps revealed a common correlation between the abundance of heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor (HBEGF) in peripheral cells with that of its receptor EGFR (a member of the ErbB family of receptors) in DRG neurons. Subsequently, we confirmed that increased abundance of HBEGF enhanced nociception in mice, likely acting on DRG neurons through ErbB family receptors. Collectively, these interactomes highlight ligand-receptor interactions that may lead to treatments for disease-associated pain and, furthermore, reflect the complexity of cell-to-neuron signaling in chronic pain states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andi Wangzhou
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W Campbell Rd., Richardson, TX 75080, USA
| | - Candler Paige
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W Campbell Rd., Richardson, TX 75080, USA
| | - Sanjay V Neerukonda
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W Campbell Rd., Richardson, TX 75080, USA
| | - Dhananjay K Naik
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W Campbell Rd., Richardson, TX 75080, USA
| | - Moeno Kume
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W Campbell Rd., Richardson, TX 75080, USA
| | - Eric T David
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W Campbell Rd., Richardson, TX 75080, USA
| | - Gregory Dussor
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W Campbell Rd., Richardson, TX 75080, USA
| | - Pradipta R Ray
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W Campbell Rd., Richardson, TX 75080, USA.
| | - Theodore J Price
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W Campbell Rd., Richardson, TX 75080, USA.
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19
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Yousuf MS, Shiers SI, Sahn JJ, Price TJ. Pharmacological Manipulation of Translation as a Therapeutic Target for Chronic Pain. Pharmacol Rev 2021; 73:59-88. [PMID: 33203717 PMCID: PMC7736833 DOI: 10.1124/pharmrev.120.000030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Dysfunction in regulation of mRNA translation is an increasingly recognized characteristic of many diseases and disorders, including cancer, diabetes, autoimmunity, neurodegeneration, and chronic pain. Approximately 50 million adults in the United States experience chronic pain. This economic burden is greater than annual costs associated with heart disease, cancer, and diabetes combined. Treatment options for chronic pain are inadequately efficacious and riddled with adverse side effects. There is thus an urgent unmet need for novel approaches to treating chronic pain. Sensitization of neurons along the nociceptive pathway causes chronic pain states driving symptoms that include spontaneous pain and mechanical and thermal hypersensitivity. More than a decade of preclinical research demonstrates that translational mechanisms regulate the changes in gene expression that are required for ongoing sensitization of nociceptive sensory neurons. This review will describe how key translation regulation signaling pathways, including the integrated stress response, mammalian target of rapamycin, AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), and mitogen-activated protein kinase-interacting kinases, impact the translation of different subsets of mRNAs. We then place these mechanisms of translation regulation in the context of chronic pain states, evaluate currently available therapies, and examine the potential for developing novel drugs. Considering the large body of evidence now published in this area, we propose that pharmacologically manipulating specific aspects of the translational machinery may reverse key neuronal phenotypic changes causing different chronic pain conditions. Therapeutics targeting these pathways could eventually be first-line drugs used to treat chronic pain disorders. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Translational mechanisms regulating protein synthesis underlie phenotypic changes in the sensory nervous system that drive chronic pain states. This review highlights regulatory mechanisms that control translation initiation and how to exploit them in treating persistent pain conditions. We explore the role of mammalian/mechanistic target of rapamycin and mitogen-activated protein kinase-interacting kinase inhibitors and AMPK activators in alleviating pain hypersensitivity. Modulation of eukaryotic initiation factor 2α phosphorylation is also discussed as a potential therapy. Targeting specific translation regulation mechanisms may reverse changes in neuronal hyperexcitability associated with painful conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Saad Yousuf
- Center for Advanced Pain Studies, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas (M.S.Y., S.I.S., T.J.P.) and 4E Therapeutics Inc, Austin, Texas (J.J.S.)
| | - Stephanie I Shiers
- Center for Advanced Pain Studies, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas (M.S.Y., S.I.S., T.J.P.) and 4E Therapeutics Inc, Austin, Texas (J.J.S.)
| | - James J Sahn
- Center for Advanced Pain Studies, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas (M.S.Y., S.I.S., T.J.P.) and 4E Therapeutics Inc, Austin, Texas (J.J.S.)
| | - Theodore J Price
- Center for Advanced Pain Studies, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas (M.S.Y., S.I.S., T.J.P.) and 4E Therapeutics Inc, Austin, Texas (J.J.S.)
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20
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Alexander JF, Seua AV, Arroyo LD, Ray PR, Wangzhou A, Heiβ-Lückemann L, Schedlowski M, Price TJ, Kavelaars A, Heijnen CJ. Nasal administration of mitochondria reverses chemotherapy-induced cognitive deficits. Theranostics 2021; 11:3109-3130. [PMID: 33537077 PMCID: PMC7847685 DOI: 10.7150/thno.53474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2020] [Accepted: 12/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Up to seventy-five percent of patients treated for cancer suffer from cognitive deficits which can persist for months to decades, severely impairing quality of life. Although the number of cancer survivors is increasing tremendously, no efficacious interventions exist. Cisplatin, most commonly employed for solid tumors, leads to cognitive impairment including deficits in memory and executive functioning. We recently proposed deficient neuronal mitochondrial function as its underlying mechanism. We hypothesized nasal administration of mitochondria isolated from human mesenchymal stem cells to mice, can reverse cisplatin-induced cognitive deficits. Methods: Puzzle box, novel object place recognition and Y-maze tests were used to assess the cognitive function of mice. Immunofluorescence and high-resolution confocal microscopy were employed to trace the nasally delivered mitochondria and evaluate their effect on synaptic loss. Black Gold II immunostaining was used to determine myelin integrity. Transmission electron microscopy helped determine mitochondrial and membrane integrity of brain synaptosomes. RNA-sequencing was performed to analyse the hippocampal transcriptome. Results: Two nasal administrations of mitochondria isolated from human mesenchymal stem cells to mice, restored executive functioning, working and spatial memory. Confocal imaging revealed nasally delivered mitochondria rapidly arrived in the meninges where they were readily internalized by macrophages. The administered mitochondria also accessed the rostral migratory stream and various other brain regions including the hippocampus where they colocalized with GFAP+ cells. The restoration of cognitive function was associated with structural repair of myelin in the cingulate cortex and synaptic loss in the hippocampus. Nasal mitochondrial donation also reversed the underlying synaptosomal mitochondrial defects. Moreover, transcriptome analysis by RNA-sequencing showed reversal of cisplatin-induced changes in the expression of about seven hundred genes in the hippocampus. Pathway analysis identified Nrf2-mediated response as the top canonical pathway. Conclusion: Our results provide key evidence on the therapeutic potential of isolated mitochondria - restoring both brain structure and function, their capability to enter brain meninges and parenchyma upon nasal delivery and undergo rapid cellular internalization and alter the hippocampal transcriptome. Our data identify nasal administration of mitochondria as an effective strategy for reversing chemotherapy-induced cognitive deficits and restoring brain health, providing promise for the growing population of both adult and pediatric cancer survivors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenolyn F. Alexander
- Laboratories of Neuroimmunology, Department of Symptom Research, Division of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, United States
| | - Alexandre V. Seua
- Laboratories of Neuroimmunology, Department of Symptom Research, Division of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, United States
| | - Luis D. Arroyo
- Laboratories of Neuroimmunology, Department of Symptom Research, Division of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, United States
| | - Pradipta R. Ray
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas, United States
| | - Andi Wangzhou
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas, United States
| | - Laura Heiβ-Lückemann
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioral Immunobiology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Manfred Schedlowski
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioral Immunobiology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Theodore J. Price
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas, United States
| | - Annemieke Kavelaars
- Laboratories of Neuroimmunology, Department of Symptom Research, Division of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, United States
| | - Cobi J. Heijnen
- Laboratories of Neuroimmunology, Department of Symptom Research, Division of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, United States
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21
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Shiers S, Ray PR, Wangzhou A, Sankaranarayanan I, Tatsui CE, Rhines LD, Li Y, Uhelski ML, Dougherty PM, Price TJ. ACE2 and SCARF expression in human dorsal root ganglion nociceptors: implications for SARS-CoV-2 virus neurological effects. Pain 2020; 161:2494-2501. [PMID: 32826754 PMCID: PMC7572821 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 has created a global crisis. COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, is characterized by pneumonia, respiratory distress, and hypercoagulation and can be fatal. An early sign of infection is loss of smell, taste, and chemesthesis-loss of chemical sensation. Other neurological effects of the disease have been described, but not explained. It is now apparent that many of these neurological effects (for instance joint pain and headache) can persist for at least months after infection, suggesting a sensory neuronal involvement in persistent disease. We show that human dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons express the SARS-CoV-2 receptor, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 at the RNA and protein level. We also demonstrate that SARS-CoV-2 and coronavirus-associated factors and receptors are broadly expressed in human DRG at the lumbar and thoracic level as assessed by bulk RNA sequencing. ACE2 mRNA is expressed by a subset of nociceptors that express MRGPRD mRNA, suggesting that SARS-CoV-2 may gain access to the nervous system through entry into neurons that form free nerve endings at the outermost layers of skin and luminal organs. Therefore, DRG sensory neurons are a potential target for SARS-CoV-2 invasion of the peripheral nervous system, and viral infection of human nociceptors may cause some of the persistent neurological effects seen in COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Shiers
- University of Texas at Dallas, Department of Neuroscience and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, Richardson, TX
| | - Pradipta R. Ray
- University of Texas at Dallas, Department of Neuroscience and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, Richardson, TX
| | - Andi Wangzhou
- University of Texas at Dallas, Department of Neuroscience and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, Richardson, TX
| | - Ishwarya Sankaranarayanan
- University of Texas at Dallas, Department of Neuroscience and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, Richardson, TX
| | | | - Laurence D. Rhines
- University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Department of Neurosurgery, Houston, TX
| | - Yan Li
- University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Department of Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Megan L Uhelski
- University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Department of Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Patrick M. Dougherty
- University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Department of Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Theodore J Price
- University of Texas at Dallas, Department of Neuroscience and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, Richardson, TX
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22
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Mecklenburg J, Zou Y, Wangzhou A, Garcia D, Lai Z, Tumanov AV, Dussor G, Price TJ, Akopian AN. Transcriptomic sex differences in sensory neuronal populations of mice. Sci Rep 2020; 10:15278. [PMID: 32943709 PMCID: PMC7499251 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-72285-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2019] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Many chronic pain conditions show sex differences in their epidemiology. This could be attributed to sex-dependent differential expression of genes (DEGs) involved in nociceptive pathways, including sensory neurons. This study aimed to identify sex-dependent DEGs in estrous female versus male sensory neurons, which were prepared by using different approaches and ganglion types. RNA-seq on non-purified sensory neuronal preparations, such as whole dorsal root ganglion (DRG) and hindpaw tissues, revealed only a few sex-dependent DEGs. Sensory neuron purification increased numbers of sex-dependent DEGs. These DEG sets were substantially influenced by preparation approaches and ganglion types [DRG vs trigeminal ganglia (TG)]. Percoll-gradient enriched DRG and TG neuronal fractions produced distinct sex-dependent DEG groups. We next isolated a subset of sensory neurons by sorting DRG neurons back-labeled from paw and thigh muscle. These neurons have a unique sex-dependent DEG set, yet there is similarity in biological processes linked to these different groups of sex-dependent DEGs. Female-predominant DEGs in sensory neurons relate to inflammatory, synaptic transmission and extracellular matrix reorganization processes that could exacerbate neuro-inflammation severity, especially in TG. Male-selective DEGs were linked to oxidative phosphorylation and protein/molecule metabolism and production. Our findings catalog preparation-dependent sex differences in neuronal gene expressions in sensory ganglia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Mecklenburg
- Department of Endodontics, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA), San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
| | - Yi Zou
- Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute, UTHSCSA, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Andi Wangzhou
- Department of Neuroscience and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, University of Texas at Dallas School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
| | - Dawn Garcia
- Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute, UTHSCSA, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Zhao Lai
- Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute, UTHSCSA, San Antonio, TX, USA
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA), San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
| | - Alexei V Tumanov
- Departments of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA), San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
| | - Gregory Dussor
- Department of Neuroscience and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, University of Texas at Dallas School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
| | - Theodore J Price
- Department of Neuroscience and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, University of Texas at Dallas School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
| | - Armen N Akopian
- Department of Endodontics, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA), San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA.
- Department of Pharmacology, The School of Dentistry, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA), 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX, 78229-3900, USA.
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Duffy Á, Verbanck M, Dobbyn A, Won HH, Rein JL, Forrest IS, Nadkarni G, Rocheleau G, Do R. Tissue-specific genetic features inform prediction of drug side effects in clinical trials. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:eabb6242. [PMID: 32917698 PMCID: PMC11206454 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abb6242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2020] [Accepted: 08/03/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Adverse side effects often account for the failure of drug clinical trials. We evaluated whether a phenome-wide association study (PheWAS) of 1167 phenotypes in >360,000 U.K. Biobank individuals, in combination with gene expression and expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) in 48 tissues, can inform prediction of drug side effects in clinical trials. We determined that drug target genes with five genetic features-tissue specificity of gene expression, Mendelian associations, phenotype- and tissue-level effects of genome-wide association (GWA) loci driven by eQTL, and genetic constraint-confer a 2.6-fold greater risk of side effects, compared to genes without such features. The presence of eQTL in multiple tissues resulted in more unique phenotypes driven by GWA loci, suggesting that drugs delivered to multiple tissues can induce several side effects. We demonstrate the utility of PheWAS and eQTL data from multiple tissues for informing drug side effect prediction and highlight the need for tissue-specific drug delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Áine Duffy
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Charles Bronfman Institute for Personalized Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Marie Verbanck
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Charles Bronfman Institute for Personalized Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Université de Paris, UR 7537 BioSTM, Paris, France
| | - Amanda Dobbyn
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Charles Bronfman Institute for Personalized Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Pamela Sklar Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Hong-Hee Won
- Samsung Advanced Institute for Health Sciences and Technology (SAIHST), Sungkyunkwan University, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Joshua L Rein
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Iain S Forrest
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Charles Bronfman Institute for Personalized Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Girish Nadkarni
- Charles Bronfman Institute for Personalized Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ghislain Rocheleau
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Charles Bronfman Institute for Personalized Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ron Do
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
- Charles Bronfman Institute for Personalized Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
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Neuroendocrine Mechanisms Governing Sex Differences in Hyperalgesic Priming Involve Prolactin Receptor Sensory Neuron Signaling. J Neurosci 2020; 40:7080-7090. [PMID: 32801151 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1499-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2020] [Revised: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 07/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Many clinical and preclinical studies report higher prevalence and severity of chronic pain in females. We used hyperalgesic priming with interleukin 6 (IL-6) priming and PGE2 as a second stimulus as a model for pain chronicity. Intraplantar IL-6 induced hypersensitivity was similar in magnitude and duration in both males and females, while both paw and intrathecal PGE2 hypersensitivity was more persistent in females. This difference in PGE2 response was dependent on both circulating estrogen and translation regulation signaling in the spinal cord. In males, the duration of hypersensitivity was regulated by testosterone. Since the prolactin receptor (Prlr) is regulated by reproductive hormones and is female-selectively activated in sensory neurons, we evaluated whether Prlr signaling contributes to hyperalgesic priming. Using ΔPRL, a competitive Prlr antagonist, and a mouse line with ablated Prlr in the Nav1.8 sensory neuronal population, we show that Prlr in sensory neurons is necessary for the development of hyperalgesic priming in female, but not male, mice. Overall, sex-specific mechanisms in the initiation and maintenance of chronic pain are regulated by the neuroendocrine system and, specifically, sensory neuronal Prlr signaling.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Females are more likely to experience chronic pain than males, but the mechanisms that underlie this sex difference are not completely understood. Here, we demonstrate that the duration of mechanical hypersensitivity is dependent on circulating sex hormones in mice, where estrogen caused an extension of sensitivity and testosterone was responsible for a decrease in the duration of the hyperalgesic priming model of chronic pain. Additionally, we demonstrated that prolactin receptor expression in Nav1.8+ neurons was necessary for hyperalgesic priming in female, but not male, mice. Our work demonstrates a female-specific mechanism for the promotion of chronic pain involving the neuroendrocrine system and mediated by sensory neuronal prolactin receptor.
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Chen Y, Navratilova E, Dodick DW, Porreca F. An Emerging Role for Prolactin in Female-Selective Pain. Trends Neurosci 2020; 43:635-648. [PMID: 32620290 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2020.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2020] [Revised: 05/20/2020] [Accepted: 06/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Women experience many pain conditions more frequently when compared with men, but the biological mechanisms underlying sex differences in pain remain poorly understood. In particular, little is known about possible sex differences in peripheral nociceptors, the fundamental building blocks of pain transmission. Emerging evidence reveals that prolactin (PRL) signaling at its cognate prolactin receptor (PRLR) in primary afferents promotes nociceptor sensitization and pain in a female-selective fashion. In this review, we summarize recent progress in understanding the female-selective role of PRL/PRLR in nociceptor sensitization and in pathological pain conditions, including postoperative, inflammatory, neuropathic, and migraine pain, as well as opioid-induced hyperalgesia. The clinical implications of the peripheral PRL/PRLR system for the discovery of new therapies for pain control in women are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanxia Chen
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Edita Navratilova
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA; Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ, USA
| | | | - Frank Porreca
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA; Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ, USA.
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26
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Qualitative sex differences in pain processing: emerging evidence of a biased literature. Nat Rev Neurosci 2020; 21:353-365. [PMID: 32440016 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-020-0310-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 326] [Impact Index Per Article: 81.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Although most patients with chronic pain are women, the preclinical literature regarding pain processing and the pathophysiology of chronic pain has historically been derived overwhelmingly from the study of male rodents. This Review describes how the recent adoption by a number of funding agencies of policies mandating the incorporation of sex as a biological variable into preclinical research has correlated with an increase in the number of studies investigating sex differences in pain and analgesia. Trends in the field are analysed, with a focus on newly published findings of qualitative sex differences: that is, those findings that are suggestive of differential processing mechanisms in each sex. It is becoming increasingly clear that robust differences exist in the genetic, molecular, cellular and systems-level mechanisms of acute and chronic pain processing in male and female rodents and humans.
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27
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Reliable approaches to extract high-integrity RNA from skin and other pertinent tissues used in pain research. Pain Rep 2020; 5:e818. [PMID: 32440611 PMCID: PMC7209822 DOI: 10.1097/pr9.0000000000000818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2019] [Revised: 01/22/2020] [Accepted: 01/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Comprehensive mRNA sequencing is a powerful tool for conducting unbiased, quantitative differential gene expression analysis. However, the reliability of these data is contingent on the extraction of high-quality RNA from samples. Preserving RNA integrity during extraction can be problematic, especially in tissues such as skin with dense, connective matrices and elevated ribonuclease expression. This is a major barrier to understanding the influences of altered gene expression in many preclinical pain models and clinical pain disorders where skin is the site of tissue injury. Objective This study developed and evaluated extraction protocols for skin and other tissues to maximize recovery of high-integrity RNA needed for quantitative mRNA sequencing. Methods Rodent and human tissue samples underwent one of the several different protocols that combined either RNA-stabilizing solution or snap-freezing with bead milling or cryosectioning. Indices of RNA integrity and purity were assessed for all samples. Results Extraction of high-integrity RNA is highly dependent on the methods used. Bead-milling skin collected in RNA-stabilizing solution resulted in extensive RNA degradation. Snap-freezing in liquid nitrogen was required for skin and highly preferable for other tissues. Skin also required cryosectioning to achieve effective penetration of RNA-stabilizing solution to preserve RNA integrity, whereas bead milling could be used instead with other tissues. Each method was reproducible across multiple experimenters. Electrophoretic anomalies that skewed RNA integrity value assignment required manual correction and often resulted in score reduction. Conclusion To achieve the potential of quantitative differential gene expression analysis requires verification of tissue-dependent extraction methods that yield high-integrity RNA.
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Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony Stimulating Factor As an Indirect Mediator of Nociceptor Activation and Pain. J Neurosci 2020; 40:2189-2199. [PMID: 32019828 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2268-19.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2019] [Revised: 01/07/2020] [Accepted: 01/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The interaction between the immune system and the nervous system has been at the center of multiple research studies in recent years. Whereas the role played by cytokines as neuronal mediators is no longer contested, the mechanisms by which cytokines modulate pain processing remain to be elucidated. In this study, we have analyzed the involvement of granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) in nociceptor activation in male and female mice. Previous studies have suggested GM-CSF might directly activate neurons. However, here we established the absence of a functional GM-CSF receptor in murine nociceptors, and suggest an indirect mechanism of action, via immune cells. We report that GM-CSF applied directly to magnetically purified nociceptors does not induce any transcriptional changes in nociceptive genes. In contrast, conditioned medium from GM-CSF-treated murine macrophages was able to drive nociceptor transcription. We also found that conditioned medium from nociceptors treated with the well established pain mediator, nerve growth factor, could also modify macrophage gene transcription, providing further evidence for a bidirectional crosstalk.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The interaction of the immune system and the nervous system is known to play an important role in the development and maintenance of chronic pain disorders. Elucidating the mechanisms of these interactions is an important step toward understanding, and therefore treating, chronic pain disorders. This study provides evidence for a two-way crosstalk between macrophages and nociceptors in the peripheral nervous system, which may contribute to the sensitization of nociceptors by cytokines in pain development.
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29
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Patil M, Belugin S, Mecklenburg J, Wangzhou A, Paige C, Barba-Escobedo PA, Boyd JT, Goffin V, Grattan D, Boehm U, Dussor G, Price TJ, Akopian AN. Prolactin Regulates Pain Responses via a Female-Selective Nociceptor-Specific Mechanism. iScience 2019; 20:449-465. [PMID: 31627131 PMCID: PMC6818331 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2019.09.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2019] [Revised: 08/26/2019] [Accepted: 09/26/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Many clinical and preclinical studies report an increased prevalence and severity of chronic pain among females. Here, we identify a sex-hormone-controlled target and mechanism that regulates dimorphic pain responses. Prolactin (PRL), which is involved in many physiologic functions, induces female-specific hyperalgesia. A PRL receptor (Prlr) antagonist in the hind paw or spinal cord substantially reduced hyperalgesia in inflammatory models. This effect was mimicked by sensory neuronal ablation of Prlr. Although Prlr mRNA is expressed equally in female and male peptidergic nociceptors and central terminals, Prlr protein was found only in females and PRL-induced excitability was detected only in female DRG neurons. PRL-induced excitability was reproduced in male Prlr+ neurons after prolonged treatment with estradiol but was prevented with addition of a translation inhibitor. We propose a novel mechanism for female-selective regulation of pain responses, which is mediated by Prlr signaling in sensory neurons via sex-dependent control of Prlr mRNA translation. Local or spinal PRL injection induces hyperalgesia in a female-selective manner Sensory neuron Prlr regulates tissue injury-induced pain only in females PRL regulates excitability in Prlr+ neurons depending on sex and estrogen Regulation of Prlr translation defines female-selective neuronal excitability
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayur Patil
- Department of Endodontics, The School of Dentistry, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229-3900, USA; Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology, University South Florida (USF), Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Sergei Belugin
- Department of Endodontics, The School of Dentistry, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229-3900, USA
| | - Jennifer Mecklenburg
- Department of Endodontics, The School of Dentistry, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229-3900, USA
| | - Andi Wangzhou
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W Campbell Road, Richardson, TX 75080, USA
| | - Candler Paige
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W Campbell Road, Richardson, TX 75080, USA
| | - Priscilla A Barba-Escobedo
- Department of Endodontics, The School of Dentistry, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229-3900, USA
| | - Jacob T Boyd
- Department of Endodontics, The School of Dentistry, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229-3900, USA; Department of Physiology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | | | - David Grattan
- Centre for Neuroendocrinology and Department of Anatomy, University of Otago School of Biomedical Sciences, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Ulrich Boehm
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Center for Molecular Signaling (PZMS), Saarland University School of Medicine, Homburg, Germany
| | - Gregory Dussor
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W Campbell Road, Richardson, TX 75080, USA
| | - Theodore J Price
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W Campbell Road, Richardson, TX 75080, USA.
| | - Armen N Akopian
- Department of Endodontics, The School of Dentistry, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229-3900, USA; Department of Physiology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA.
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30
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Caylor J, Reddy R, Yin S, Cui C, Huang M, Huang C, Rao R, Baker DG, Simmons A, Souza D, Narouze S, Vallejo R, Lerman I. Spinal cord stimulation in chronic pain: evidence and theory for mechanisms of action. Bioelectron Med 2019; 5:12. [PMID: 31435499 PMCID: PMC6703564 DOI: 10.1186/s42234-019-0023-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2019] [Accepted: 05/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Well-established in the field of bioelectronic medicine, Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS) offers an implantable, non-pharmacologic treatment for patients with intractable chronic pain conditions. Chronic pain is a widely heterogenous syndrome with regard to both pathophysiology and the resultant phenotype. Despite advances in our understanding of SCS-mediated antinociception, there still exists limited evidence clarifying the pathways recruited when patterned electric pulses are applied to the epidural space. The rapid clinical implementation of novel SCS methods including burst, high frequency and dorsal root ganglion SCS has provided the clinician with multiple options to treat refractory chronic pain. While compelling evidence for safety and efficacy exists in support of these novel paradigms, our understanding of their mechanisms of action (MOA) dramatically lags behind clinical data. In this review, we reconstruct the available basic science and clinical literature that offers support for mechanisms of both paresthesia spinal cord stimulation (P-SCS) and paresthesia-free spinal cord stimulation (PF-SCS). While P-SCS has been heavily examined since its inception, PF-SCS paradigms have recently been clinically approved with the support of limited preclinical research. Thus, wide knowledge gaps exist between their clinical efficacy and MOA. To close this gap, many rich investigative avenues for both P-SCS and PF-SCS are underway, which will further open the door for paradigm optimization, adjunctive therapies and new indications for SCS. As our understanding of these mechanisms evolves, clinicians will be empowered with the possibility of improving patient care using SCS to selectively target specific pathophysiological processes in chronic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob Caylor
- Department of Anesthesiology, Center for Pain Medicine, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA USA
| | - Rajiv Reddy
- Department of Anesthesiology, Center for Pain Medicine, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA USA
| | - Sopyda Yin
- Department of Anesthesiology, Center for Pain Medicine, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA USA
| | - Christina Cui
- Department of Anesthesiology, Center for Pain Medicine, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA USA
| | - Mingxiong Huang
- Department of Radiology, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA USA
- Department of Radiology, VA San Diego Healthcare System, La Jolla, CA USA
| | - Charles Huang
- Department of Radiology, VA San Diego Healthcare System, La Jolla, CA USA
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA USA
| | - Ramesh Rao
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA
| | - Dewleen G. Baker
- VA Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health, VA San Diego Healthcare System, La Jolla, CA USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA USA
| | - Alan Simmons
- VA Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health, VA San Diego Healthcare System, La Jolla, CA USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA USA
| | - Dmitri Souza
- Center for Pain Medicine, Western Reserve Hospital. Department of Surgery, Northeast Ohio Medical School (NEOMED), Athens, OH USA
| | - Samer Narouze
- Center for Pain Medicine, Western Reserve Hospital. Department of Surgery, Northeast Ohio Medical School (NEOMED), Athens, OH USA
| | - Ricardo Vallejo
- Basic Science Research, Millennium Pain Center, Bloomington, IL USA
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL USA
- Department of Psychology, Illinois Wesleyan University, Bloomington, IL USA
| | - Imanuel Lerman
- Department of Anesthesiology, Center for Pain Medicine, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA USA
- VA Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health, VA San Diego Healthcare System, La Jolla, CA USA
- Department of Radiology, VA San Diego Healthcare System, La Jolla, CA USA
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA
- Present Address: VA San Diego, 3350 La Jolla Village Dr, (MC116A), San Diego, CA 92161 USA
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31
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Price TJ, Ray PR. Recent advances toward understanding the mysteries of the acute to chronic pain transition. CURRENT OPINION IN PHYSIOLOGY 2019; 11:42-50. [PMID: 32322780 DOI: 10.1016/j.cophys.2019.05.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Chronic pain affects up to a third of the population. Ongoing epidemiology studies suggest that the impact of chronic pain on the population is accelerating [1]. While advances have been made in understanding how chronic pain develops, there are still many important mysteries about how acute pain transitions to a chronic state. In this review, I summarize recent developments in the field with a focus on several areas of emerging research that are likely to have an important impact on the field. These include mechanisms of cellular plasticity that drive chronic pain, evidence of pervasive sex differential mechanisms in chronic pain and the profound impact that next generation sequencing technologies are having on this area of research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theodore J Price
- University of Texas at Dallas, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences and Center for Advanced Pain Studies
| | - Pradipta R Ray
- University of Texas at Dallas, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences and Center for Advanced Pain Studies
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