已发表论文

脊髓中长链非编码 RNA 相关的 ceRNA 网络揭示了慢性炎症性内脏痛的中枢机制

 

Authors Li X, Wang X, Dong X, Li Z, Lu Y, Liu L, Yang G, Hong J , Yang Y , Zhang C, Wu H , Zhang D , Ma X

Received 29 May 2025

Accepted for publication 8 December 2025

Published 17 December 2025 Volume 2025:18 Pages 6853—6868

DOI https://doi.org/10.2147/JPR.S543556

Checked for plagiarism Yes

Review by Single anonymous peer review

Peer reviewer comments 2

Editor who approved publication: Dr Wendy Imlach

Xiaoying Li,1,2,* Xuejun Wang,3,* Xiaoqing Dong,4,* Zhiyuan Li,5,* Yunqiong Lu,1 Li Liu,1 Guang Yang,2 Jue Hong,2 Yanting Yang,2 Cuihong Zhang,2 Huangan Wu,1,2 Dan Zhang,2 Xiaopeng Ma1,2 

1Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 2Laboratory of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Immunology, Shanghai Research Institute of Acupuncture and Meridian, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 3Eye Institute and Department of Ophthalmology, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Xi’an Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Encephalopathy, Xi’an, People’s Republic of China; 5Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Shenzhen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Shenzhen, People’s Republic of China

*These authors contributed equally to this work

Correspondence: Xiaopeng Ma; Dan Zhang, Email pengpengma@163.com; zhangdan_982@163.com

Objective: To study and analyze the varieties across long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), microRNAs (miRNAs), and mRNAs in spinal cord, construct the competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) network, and discuss the possible central mechanism in the development of chronic inflammatory visceral pain (CIVP).
Methods: The colitis-associated CIVP rat model was prepared using 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) enema. The abdominal withdrawal reflex (AWR), mechanical withdrawal threshold (MWT), and thermal withdrawal latency (TWL) were used to evaluate the rat’s pain behaviors. The whole transcriptome sequencing technique was adopted to analyze the differentially expressed lncRNAs, miRNAs, and mRNAs in the spinal cord. LncRNA-associated ceRNA network was constructed and identified using the ceRNA MuTATE method and the hypergeometric distribution algorithm. The sequencing result was then verified using the quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR).
Results: Compared to the normal group, CIVP rat models had significantly increased AWR and decreased MWT and TWL (all P< 0.05), suggesting hyperalgesia. In the spinal cord of CIVP rats, 158 lncRNAs, 24 miRNAs, and 1216 mRNAs were found to be differentially expressed. 3 top-scored lncRNAs, 1 pain-related lncRNA, 3 downstream miRNAs, and 2 mRNAs were selected for RT-qPCR verification, and 2 lncRNAs, 3 miRNAs, and 2 mRNAs were verified (all P< 0.05).
Conclusion: LncRNA TCONS_00001477 and TCONS_00019815 may regulate Col2a1 and Hoxd10 mRNAs by competitively binding to miR-3120, miR-542-5p, and miR-450b-3p, thereby participating in colitis associated CIVP.

Keywords: colitis, visceral pain, lncRNA, ceRNA network, central mechanism