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Updated: Jun 2, 2025

Rapid Isolation of Dorsal Root Ganglion Macrophages
Published on: September 7, 2019
Macrophage to neuron communication via extracellular vesicles in neuropathic pain conditions
Francesca Picco1, Lynda Zeboudj1, Silvia Oggero1
1Wolfson Sensory, Pain and Regeneration Centre, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.
Abstract:
Neuropathic pain following peripheral nerve injury results from maladaptive changes in neurons and immune cells contribution to mechanisms underlying chronic pain. Specifically, in dorsal root ganglia (DRG), sensory neuron cell bodies release extracellular vesicles (EVs) which promote pro-inflammatory macrophage accumulation that facilitates nociceptive signalling. Here, we show that macrophages shuttle EVs to neurons. Indeed, bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) release EVs containing microRNA-155 (miR-155) which are taken up by cultured sensory neurons. EV-mediated transfer of miR-155 suppresses phosphatase Ship1 expression and increases cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6) contents. Intrathecal-injected BMDM-derived EVs accumulate in lumbar DRG and EVs containing miR-155 antagomir result in Ship1 upregulation, Il6 downregulation in neurons in concomitance to attenuation of neuropathic mechanical hypersensitivity. These data suggest that, under neuropathic conditions, pro-inflammatory macrophages shuttle EV-containing miR-155 to neurons and contribute to the expression of pronociceptive IL-6 in DRG.
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