Identification of genetic and protein modifications linked with neuropathic and inflammatory pain

这项研究将使用谢菲尔德大学提供的人类神经瘤和牙髓来鉴定细胞和细胞外成分的修饰，包括细胞外囊泡，这些修饰与神经性和炎症性疼痛的发展有关。该项目将扩展我们以前的工作，即利用这些组织来识别蛋白质和miRNAs，其表达与人类疼痛的存在和强度明确相关。该研究最初将集中于研究一系列分子的表达，这些分子被预测为我们最近发现的神经性疼痛相关miRNAs的下游靶点。实例包括白细胞介素受体、离子通道、跨膜转运蛋白和消退素受体。将对患者组织（包括神经瘤、牙髓、血液和唾液）进行进一步分析，以通过研究编码和非编码RNA、蛋白质、DNA和细胞外囊泡来建立与慢性疼痛相关的分子通路。

This study will use human neuromas and tooth pulps available at the University of Sheffield to identify modifications of cellular and extracellular components, including extracellular vesicles, that are linked with the development of neuropathic and inflammatory pain. The project will extend our previous work that has utilised these tissues to identify proteins and miRNAs whose expression is explicitly linked with the presence and intensity of pain in man. The study will initially focus on investigating expression of a range of molecules predicted to be downstream targets of the neuropathic pain-associated miRNAs we have recently identified. Examples include interleukin receptors, ion channels, transmembrane transporters and resolvin receptors. Further analysis of patient tissues (including neuromas, tooth pulps, blood and saliva) will be carried out to establish molecular pathways relevant to chronic pain via investigation of coding and non-coding RNA, proteins, DNA and extracellular vesicles.