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DNA Methylation and Non-Coding RNAs during Tissue-Injury Associated Pain

Jahanzaib Irfan1, Muhammad Rizki Febrianto1, Anju Sharma1

  • 1Nociception Group, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Division of Anaesthetics, Pain Medicine and Intensive Care, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital Campus, Imperial College London, 369 Fulham Road, London SW10 9FJ, UK.

International Journal of Molecular Sciences
|January 21, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Persistent pain affects many, but current treatments are insufficient. This review explores epigenetic mechanisms like DNA methylation and non-coding RNA in pain pathways, offering potential new analgesic targets.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Pharmacology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Persistent pain, often linked to tissue damage, affects a significant portion of the population.
  • Current pain management strategies primarily focus on symptoms and often yield suboptimal patient outcomes.
  • Understanding the underlying mechanisms of persistent pain is crucial for developing effective, mechanism-based analgesics.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review and critically evaluate the role of epigenetic mechanisms in persistent pain.
  • To explore DNA methylation and non-coding RNA expression in modulating nociceptive pathways.
  • To assess the translational implications of these epigenetic mechanisms for novel pain therapies.

Main Methods:

  • Comprehensive literature review of pre-clinical data on epigenetic modifications in pain.
  • Analysis of transcriptional modulation in nociceptive pathways.
  • Evaluation of the potential of targeting epigenetic mechanisms for pain management.

Main Results:

  • Epigenetic events, including DNA methylation and non-coding RNA expression, significantly influence gene transcription in the nervous system.
  • These epigenetic modifications are pivotal in the maintenance and persistence of tissue injury-associated pain.
  • Pre-clinical evidence suggests these mechanisms are conserved and hold translational potential.

Conclusions:

  • Epigenetic mechanisms are key drivers in the development and persistence of chronic pain.
  • Modulating DNA methylation and non-coding RNA expression presents promising avenues for novel analgesic strategies.
  • These epigenetic factors may also serve as valuable biomarkers for persistent pain conditions.
Keywords:
CpG islandsdorsal root ganglionepigeneticgene transcriptionlncRNAmiRNAneuropathic painnociceptionsiRNAspinal dorsal horn

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