Blocking a spinal protein to ease long-term nerve-injury pain
Official title: RNA regulation of inflammatory mediators in glial cells: a novel therapeutic target for neuropathic pain after nerve injury
Funded at Birmingham VA Medical Center · NIH-11264871 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are trying a new small-molecule drug that stops a protein in spinal immune cells to lower chronic nerve pain after injury.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Birmingham VA Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Birmingham, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2024 |
| Project end | December 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| NIH project number | 5I01BX006244-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11264871 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with chronic neuropathic pain following peripheral nerve injury (for example after limb trauma or surgery) would be the most likely candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People whose pain is not caused by nerve injury or by spinal inflammatory processes (for example primarily musculoskeletal pain or central pain syndromes without peripheral nerve injury) may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project focuses on neuropathic pain that follows peripheral nerve injury and on spinal microglia (support immune cells) that release inflammatory signals. Scientists found that an RNA-binding protein called HuR helps increase many inflammatory molecules by stabilizing their mRNA messages in glial cells. They developed small molecules (such as SRI-42127) that block HuR’s action, reduce microglial activation, and lower production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in laboratory and animal work. The goal is to move these findings toward treatments that reduce chronic nerve pain by targeting RNA regulation in spinal cells.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could reduce spinal inflammation and offer a new non-opioid treatment for chronic neuropathic pain.
How similar studies have gone: Early lab and animal studies, including work with the prototype SRI-42127, showed reduced microglial activation and inflammatory signaling, but this approach has not yet been proven in human patients.
Where this research is happening
-
Birmingham VA Medical Center
Birmingham, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: King, Peter H — Birmingham VA Medical Center
- Study coordinator: King, Peter H
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.