The involvement of spinal lncRNA RT1-CE10 in chronic functional visceral pain

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is characterized by chronic visceral pain, but its molecular mechanisms remain controversial, hindering effective treatment. This research is to investigate the role of lncRNA RT1-CE10 in chronic visceral pain associated with IBS and to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms. An IBS rat model was developed in rats, and RNA-Seq analysis was conducted to assess lncRNA RT1-CE10 expression. The subcellular localization of lncRNA RT1-CE10 and its co-localization with ATP1a3 in spinal cord neurons were examined. AAV was used to over-express lncRNA RT1-CE10 in the spinal cord to study its effects on ATP1a3 levels and pain response, with knockdown experiments to evaluate the impact of reduced lncRNA RT1-CE10. The RNA-Seq analysis revealed a significant down-regulation of lncRNA RT1-CE10 in IBS rats. The lncRNA was found to be expressed in both the cytoplasm and the nucleus and to co-localize with ATP1a3 in spinal cord neurons. Over- expression of lncRNA RT1-CE10 via AAV-lncRT1-CE10 increased ATP1a3 levels and alleviated visceral pain response, while knockdown of lncRNA RT1-CE10 decreased ATP1a3 levels and enhanced visceral pain response. Additionally, a marked decrease in ATP1a3 expression was observed in the spinal cords of IBS rats. Modulating ATP1a3 expression either through over-expression or knockdown could alleviate or aggravate chronic visceral pain, respectively. LncRNA RT1-CE10, which is lowly expressed in the spinal cord of IBS rats, interacts with ATP1a3 and influences chronic visceral pain. These findings could lead to the development of targeted therapeutic interventions for IBS.