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MicroRNAs in the Spinal Microglia Serve Critical Roles in Neuropathic Pain

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Abstract

Neuropathic pain (NP) can occur after peripheral nerve injury (PNI), and it can be converted into a maladaptive, detrimental phenotype that causes a long-term state of pain hypersensitivity. In the last decade, the discovery that dysfunctional microglia evoke pain, called “microgliopathic pain,” has challenged traditional neuronal views of “pain” and has been extensively explored. Recent studies have shown that microRNAs (miRNAs) can act as activators or inhibitors of spinal microglia in NP conditions. We first briefly review spinal microglial activation in NP. We then comprehensively describe miRNA expression changes and their potential mechanisms in the response of microglia to nerve injury. We summarize the roles of the following two representative miRNAs: miR-124, which reverses NP by keeping microglia quiescent, and miR-155, which promotes NP following microglial activation. Finally, we focused on the therapeutic potential of microglial miRNAs in NP. The findings we summarized may be essential tools for basic research and clinical treatment of NP.

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Abbreviations

NP:

Neuropathic pain

PNI:

Peripheral nerve injury

MiRNAs:

MicroRNAs

DRG:

Dorsal root ganglion

CNS:

Central nervous system

3′-UTRs:

3′-Untranslated regions

CR3:

Complement receptor 3

CD11b:

Cluster of differentiation 11b

Iba-1:

Ionized calcium-binding adaptor molecule 1

POD:

Postoperative day

SNL:

Spinal nerve ligation

SNT:

Sciatic nerve transection

SCI:

Spinal cord injury

CCI:

Chronic constriction injury

TLR:

Toll-like recepto

HDLs:

High-density lipoprotein

SOCS1:

Suppressor of cytokine signaling 1

NOX2:

NADPH oxidase

TNF:

Tumor necrosis factor

p38 MAPKs:

Phosphotyrosine 38 mitogen-activated protein kinases

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Funding

This work was supported by the grant from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81870879) and the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province(2017A030313534).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anesthesiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510000, Guangdong Province, People’s Republic of China

    Fuhu Song, Haicheng Huang, Wenjun Li, Guiling Xie & Jun Zhou

  2. Department of Anesthesiology, The First People’s Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, 528000, Guangdong Province, People’s Republic of China

    Simin Tang & Huan Jing

  3. Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510000, Guangdong Province, People’s Republic of China

    Simin Tang

  4. ZunYi Medical University, ZunYi, 563100, Guizhou Province, People’s Republic of China

    Huan Jing

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  1. Simin Tang
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Jun Zhou conceptualized the review. Simin Tang was a major contributor in writing the manuscript with the help of Huan Jing and Fuhu Song. Haicheng Huang, Wenjun Li, and Guiling Xie drew the figures. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Jun Zhou.

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Tang, S., Jing, H., Song, F. et al. MicroRNAs in the Spinal Microglia Serve Critical Roles in Neuropathic Pain. Mol Neurobiol 58, 132–142 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12035-020-02102-1

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