Integrated Analysis of Omics Data Reveal AP-1 as a Potential Regulation Hub in the Inflammation-Induced Hyperalgesia Rat Model.

Inflammation-associated chronic pain is a global clinical problem, affecting millions of people worldwide. However, the underlying mechanisms that mediate inflammation-associated chronic pain remain unclear. A rat model of cutaneous inflammation induced by Complete Freund's Adjuvant (CFA) has been widely used as an inflammation-induced pain hypersensitivity model. We present the transcriptomics profile of CFA-induced inflammation in the rat dorsal root ganglion (DRG) via an approach that targets gene expression, DNA methylation, and post-transcriptional regulation. We identified 418 differentially expressed mRNAs, 120 differentially expressed microRNAs (miRNAs), and 2,670 differentially methylated regions (DMRs), which were all highly associated with multiple inflammation-related pathways, including nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and interferon (IFN) signaling pathways. An integrated analysis further demonstrated that the activator protein 1 (AP-1) network, which may act as a regulator of the inflammatory response, is regulated at both the transcriptomic and epigenetic levels. We believe our data will not only provide drug screening targets for the treatment of chronic pain and inflammation but will also shed light on the molecular network associated with inflammation-induced hyperalgesia.

Pharmacological inhibition of CXCR2 alleviates neuropathic pain by inactivating microglia in a rat L5 spinal nerve ligation model.

Peripheral nerve injury (PNI)-induced neuropathic pain is a prevalent and severe clinical problem. It has been shown that microglia-mediated neuroinflammation plays a crucial role in neuropathic pain. The present study investigated the abnormal expression of C-X-C motif chemokine receptor type 2 (CXCR2) in a rat L5 spinal nerve ligation (SNL) model and evaluated the role of SB225002, a specific antagonist of CXCR2, in repressing neuroinflammation and neuropathic pain. It was found that CXCR2 expression was significantly upregulated in the dorsal horn of L5-SNL rats compared with sham control. Moreover, CXCR2 expression was increased in spinal microglia of rats after L5-SNL. Based on these results, the present study further examined whether pharmacological inhibition of CXCR2 suppressed microglial activation and neuropathic pain. It was demonstrated that SB225002 treatment inhibited L5-SNL-induced microglia proliferation and activation. Furthermore, SB225002 also significantly suppressed the L5-SNL-induced pro-inflammatory response, as indicated by decreased production of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-1ß and IL-6 in spinal cord tissues. The results indicated that SB225002 also significantly inhibited microglial cell viability and lipopolysaccharide-induced production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in cultured microglia. Functionally, SB225002 treatment effectively repressed mechanical and cold hypersensitivity after peripheral nerve injury. Collectively, the present results suggested that pharmacological inhibition of CXCR2 by SB225002 suppressed L5-SNL-induced neuroinflammation and neuropathic pain, thus offering a potential therapeutic strategy for neuropathic pain treatment.