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Updated: Jan 4, 2026
Cell Subtype-specific Analysis of Neuronal Membrane Proteasome in Somatosensory Neurons
Published on: October 10, 2025
Migraine-associated gene expression in cell types of the central and peripheral nervous system
Angeliki Vgontzas1, William Renthal1
1Department of Neurology, John R. Graham Headache Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Background:
Genome-wide association studies have implicated dozens of genes with migraine susceptibility, but it remains unclear in which nervous system cell types these genes are expressed.
Methods:
Using single-cell RNA sequencing data from the central and peripheral nervous system, including the trigeminal ganglion, the expression of putative migraine-associated genes was compared across neuronal, glial and neurovascular cell types within these tissues.
Results:
Fifty-four putative migraine-associated genes were expressed in the central nervous system, peripheral nervous system or neurovascular cell types analyzed. Six genes (11.1%) were selectively enriched in central nervous system cell types, three (5.5%) in neurovascular cell types, and two (3.7%) in peripheral nervous system cell types. The remaining genes were expressed in multiple cell types.
Conclusions:
Single-cell RNA sequencing of the brain and peripheral nervous system localizes each migraine-associated gene to its respective nervous system tissue and the cell types in which it is expressed. While the majority of migraine-associated genes are broadly expressed, we identified several cell-type-specific migraine-associated genes in the central nervous system, peripheral nervous system, and neurovasculature. Trial registration: not applicable.
