Journal Article Review Epublish
PubMed: 40700093 DOI: 10.3390/ncrna11040051
Role of ncRNAs in the Development of Chronic Pain.
Noncoding RNA 11(4)
Authors: Mario García-Domínguez
Affiliations
- Program of Immunology and Immunotherapy, CIMA-Universidad de Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain.
- Department of Immunology and Immunotherapy, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain.
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), 28029 Madrid, Spain.
Abstract
Chronic pain is a multifactorial and complex condition that significantly affects individuals' quality of life. The underlying mechanisms of chronic pain involve complex alterations in neural circuits, gene expression, and cellular signaling pathways. Recently, ncRNAs, such as miRNAs, lncRNAs, circRNAs, and siRNAs, have been identified as crucial regulators in the pathophysiology of chronic pain. These ncRNAs modulate gene expression at both the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels, affecting pain-related pathways like inflammation, neuronal plasticity, and sensory processing. miRNAs have been shown to control genes involved in pain perception and nociceptive signaling, while lncRNAs interact with chromatin remodeling factors and transcription factors to modify pain-related gene expression. CircRNAs act as sponges for miRNAs, thereby influencing pain mechanisms. siRNAs, recognized for their gene-silencing capabilities, also participate in regulating the expression of pain-related genes. This review examines the diverse roles of ncRNAs in chronic pain, emphasizing their potential as biomarkers for pain assessment and as targets for novel therapeutic strategies. A profound understanding of the ncRNA-mediated regulatory networks involved in chronic pain could result in more effective and personalized pain management solutions.
MeSH
Genes, Chronic Pain, Pain, Perception, Gene Expression