How nerve injury changes gene activity to cause long-lasting nerve pain
Official title: Mechanisms of Epigenetic Plasticity in Neuropathic Pain
Funded at University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr · NIH-11300235 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work looks at how nerve damage changes gene control in people with long-lasting nerve pain to find better treatment targets.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2023 |
| Project end | March 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $487,743 |
| NIH project number | 5R01NS132398-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11300235 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with chronic neuropathic pain from traumatic nerve injury or chemotherapy-induced neuropathy who are interested in future clinical trials based on these findings would be most relevant.
✕Less likely to help
People whose pain is not caused by nerve damage (for example, purely inflammatory or musculoskeletal pain) or those seeking immediate relief are unlikely to benefit directly from this lab-focused research.
What this research studies
Researchers at MD Anderson will study how traumatic nerve injury and some chemotherapy drugs increase a pain-linked protein called α2δ-1 in sensory neurons and the spinal cord. They will examine chemical tags on histone proteins (acetylation) and test which class I histone deacetylase (HDAC) enzymes control those tags and gene activity. The team will use two neuropathic pain models and analyze nerve and spinal tissues to identify the specific HDACs that drive α2δ-1 and other genes involved in pain signaling. The aim is to reveal molecular switches that could be targeted to reduce chronic neuropathic pain.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could point to new drug targets that reduce chronic neuropathic pain by reversing the gene changes that keep pain circuits turned on.
How similar studies have gone: Existing drugs like gabapentin act on α2δ-1 and help some patients, but using epigenetic approaches to lower α2δ-1 by targeting specific HDAC subtypes is relatively new and less proven.
Where this research is happening
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University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr
Houston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Pan, Hui-Lin — University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr
- Study coordinator: Pan, Hui-Lin
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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.