RGS4 and long-term nerve pain
Studies on RGS4-Regulated Pathways in Models of Neuropathic Pain
This project looks at how a protein called RGS4 affects long-lasting nerve pain to help identify new non-opioid treatment targets for people with chronic neuropathic pain.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Boston University Medical Campus NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11306646 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will use well-established nerve-injury and chemotherapy-induced nerve pain models in mice to see how RGS4 controls signals in sensory neurons and the thalamus. They will compare animals lacking RGS4 or with reduced RGS4 to normal animals to find which RGS4-linked pathways keep pain going. The team will measure changes in gene expression, neuronal signaling, and synaptic adaptations that relate to persistent sensitivity after nerve damage. Findings will be used to point toward molecular targets that could eventually be tested in therapies for chronic neuropathic pain.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with persistent neuropathic pain—for example from nerve injury or chemotherapy-induced neuropathy—would be the likely group to benefit from any therapies that emerge.
Not a fit: Patients with only acute pain or with pain driven primarily by non-neuropathic causes (for example purely inflammatory or structural pain) are less likely to benefit directly from this line of work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could point to new drug targets that reduce chronic neuropathic pain without relying on opioids.
How similar studies have performed: Prior preclinical studies in animals show that changing RGS4 levels can alter maintenance of long-term pain, but this approach remains at the preclinical stage and has not yet been tested in people.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Boston University Medical Campus — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zachariou, Venetia — Boston University Medical Campus
- Study coordinator: Zachariou, Venetia
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 below.