Department of Anesthesiology, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Newark, NJ, 07103, USA.
The Office of Advanced Research Computing, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Newark, NJ, 07103, USA.
Adv Sci (Weinh). 2021 Jul;8(13):e2004515. doi: 10.1002/advs.202004515. Epub 2021 May 14.
Nerve injury-induced maladaptive changes of gene expression in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons contribute to neuropathic pain. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are emerging as key regulators of gene expression. Here, a conserved lncRNA is reported, named DRG-specifically enriched lncRNA (DS-lncRNA) for its high expression in DRG neurons. Peripheral nerve injury downregulates DS-lncRNA in injured DRG due, in part, to silencing of POU domain, class 4, transcription factor 3, a transcription factor that interacts with the DS-lncRNA gene promoter. Rescuing DS-lncRNA downregulation blocks nerve injury-induced increases in the transcriptional cofactor RALY-triggered DRG Ehmt2 mRNA and its encoding G9a protein, reverses the G9a-controlled downregulation of opioid receptors and Kcna2 in injured DRG, and attenuates nerve injury-induced pain hypersensitivities in male mice. Conversely, DS-lncRNA downregulation increases RALY-triggered Ehmt2/G9a expression and correspondingly decreases opioid receptor and Kcna2 expression in DRG, leading to neuropathic pain symptoms in male mice in the absence of nerve injury. Mechanistically, downregulated DS-lncRNA promotes more binding of increased RALY to RNA polymerase II and the Ehmt2 gene promoter and enhances Ehmt2 transcription in injured DRG. Thus, downregulation of DS-lncRNA likely contributes to neuropathic pain by negatively regulating the expression of RALY-triggered Ehmt2/G9a, a key neuropathic pain player, in DRG neurons.
神经损伤诱导背根神经节(DRG)神经元中基因表达的适应性改变导致神经病理性疼痛。长链非编码 RNA(lncRNA)作为基因表达的关键调节因子正在出现。本文报道了一种保守的 lncRNA,因其在 DRG 神经元中高表达而被命名为 DRG 特异性富集 lncRNA(DS-lncRNA)。外周神经损伤下调损伤 DRG 中的 DS-lncRNA,部分原因是 POU 结构域、第 4 类转录因子 3(一种与 DS-lncRNA 基因启动子相互作用的转录因子)的沉默。挽救 DS-lncRNA 的下调可阻断神经损伤诱导的转录共因子 RALY 触发的 DRG Ehmt2 mRNA 及其编码的 G9a 蛋白的增加,逆转损伤 DRG 中 G9a 控制的阿片受体和 Kcna2 的下调,并减轻雄性小鼠的神经损伤诱导的痛觉过敏。相反,DS-lncRNA 的下调增加了 RALY 触发的 Ehmt2/G9a 的表达,并相应地降低了 DRG 中的阿片受体和 Kcna2 的表达,导致雄性小鼠在没有神经损伤的情况下出现神经病理性疼痛症状。从机制上讲,下调的 DS-lncRNA 促进更多增加的 RALY 与 RNA 聚合酶 II 和 Ehmt2 基因启动子结合,并增强损伤 DRG 中的 Ehmt2 转录。因此,DS-lncRNA 的下调可能通过负调控 DRG 神经元中 RALY 触发的 Ehmt2/G9a 的表达而导致神经病理性疼痛,RALY 触发的 Ehmt2/G9a 是一种关键的神经病理性疼痛调节剂。
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