Title:The Epigenetic Mechanisms Involved in Chronic Pain in Rodents: A Mini-
Review
Volume: 20
Issue: 6
Author(s): Ting Xu, Cui-Cui Liu and Wen-Jun Xin*
Affiliation:
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Department of Physiology, Zhongshan School
of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
Keywords:
Chronic pain, DNA methylation, RNA N6-methyladenosine modification, histone acetylation, circular RNA, dorsal root ganglion, spinal cord.
Abstract: Chronic pain is a common distressing neurological disorder and about 30% of the global
population suffers from it. In addition to being highly prevalent, chronic pain causes a heavy economic
and social burden. Although substantial progress has been achieved to dissect the underlying
mechanism of chronic pain in the past few decades, the incidence and treatment of this neurological
illness is yet not properly managed in clinical practice. While nerve injury-, chemotherapy- or
inflammation-induced functional regulation of gene expression in the dorsal root ganglion and spinal
cord are extensively reported to be involved in the pathogenic process of chronic pain, the specific
mechanism of these altered transcriptional profile still remains unclear. Recent studies have
shown that epigenetic mechanisms, including DNA/RNA methylation, histone modification and circular
RNAs regulation, are involved in the occurrence and development of chronic pain. In this review,
we provide a description of research on the role of epigenetic mechanism in chronic pain,
summarize the latest clinical and preclinical advance in this field, and propose the potential directions
for further research to elucidate the molecular mechanism underlying the pathogenesis of
chronic pain.
