MiR-34a affects dexmedetomidine-inhibited chronic inflammatory visceral pain by targeting to HDAC2

Dexmedetomidine (DEX) has been used as an anesthetic for decades. The present investigation aimed to elucidate the analgesic impact of DEX on 2,4,6-Trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced chronic inflammatory visceral pain (CIVP) in rats.

TNBS with or without DEX to Male Sprague-Dawley SD rats were randomly divided into four groups: normal, CIVP, DEX, and vehicle. Pain behaviors were assessed and the abdominal withdrawal reflex, mechanical withdrawal threshold, and thermal withdrawal latency were recorded. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction data showed increased expressions of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-1β and TNF-α) in the spinal cord tissues of rats.

RNA microarray and quantitative polymerase chain reaction results indicated that miR-34a was downregulated by TNBS induction, but it was upregulated by DEX administration. Further studies showed that transfection of adenovirus-miR-34a inhibitor reversed the effect of DEX on the pain behaviors and spinal-cord pro-inflammatory-cytokine generation in CIVP rats. Additionally, we found that miR-34a targeted the 3'-UTR of the HDAC2 gene, as evinced by the increased HDAC2 expression in the CIVP and DEX + miR-34a inhibitor groups, and decreased HDAC2 signaling in the DEX group. Moreover, knock-down of HDAC2 restored DEX-attenuated pain behaviors and reduced pro-inflammatory cytokine production.

DEX thus exhibited an analgesic effect on CIVP rats through the miR-34a-mediated HDAC2 pathway and suppressed visceral hypersensitivity.