Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2020 Aug 14;369(6505):842-846.
doi: 10.1126/science.aaz5875.

Importin α3 regulates chronic pain pathways in peripheral sensory neurons

Affiliations

Importin α3 regulates chronic pain pathways in peripheral sensory neurons

Letizia Marvaldi et al. Science. .

Abstract

How is neuropathic pain regulated in peripheral sensory neurons? Importins are key regulators of nucleocytoplasmic transport. In this study, we found that importin α3 (also known as karyopherin subunit alpha 4) can control pain responsiveness in peripheral sensory neurons in mice. Importin α3 knockout or sensory neuron-specific knockdown in mice reduced responsiveness to diverse noxious stimuli and increased tolerance to neuropathic pain. Importin α3-bound c-Fos and importin α3-deficient neurons were impaired in c-Fos nuclear import. Knockdown or dominant-negative inhibition of c-Fos or c-Jun in sensory neurons reduced neuropathic pain. In silico screens identified drugs that mimic importin α3 deficiency. These drugs attenuated neuropathic pain and reduced c-Fos nuclear localization. Thus, perturbing c-Fos nuclear import by importin α3 in peripheral neurons can promote analgesia.

PubMed Disclaimer

Comment in

  • The importins of pain.
    Yousuf MS, Price TJ. Yousuf MS, et al. Science. 2020 Aug 14;369(6505):774-775. doi: 10.1126/science.abd4196. Science. 2020. PMID: 32792385 No abstract available.

Publication types

MeSH terms

Substances