Targeting nerve channels near the spine to treat long-lasting joint pain after inflammation
NEURAXIAL AAVS TARGETING DRG CHANNELS INVOLVED IN CHRONIC POST INFLAMMATORY PAIN
A gene-based approach aims to change activity of specific nerve channels near the spine to reduce persistent joint pain that can linger after arthritis inflammation.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Diego NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11266168 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are using viral delivery and gene-control tools to turn up or down specific pain-related channels in nerve cells that sit just outside the spinal cord (dorsal root ganglia). The team will work in preclinical models that mimic post-inflammatory joint pain to identify which channels drive ongoing pain and whether modifying them reduces nerve overactivity and pain behaviors. The approach uses CRISPR-dCas9 transcriptional activators or repressors packaged in AAV vectors to alter channel expression in targeted nerves and then measures changes in nerve signaling and pain. The goal is to create knowledge that could guide new targeted treatments for persistent joint pain after arthritis.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with arthritis who continue to have long-lasting joint pain after inflammation has cleared and who have not gotten full relief from standard anti-inflammatory treatments are the intended eventual beneficiaries.
Not a fit: Patients whose pain is driven only by ongoing active joint inflammation or by non-nerve causes (for example, purely structural joint damage) are less likely to benefit from this nerve-targeting approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could point to new targeted, longer-lasting therapies that reduce chronic post-inflammatory joint pain and decrease reliance on general pain medicines.
How similar studies have performed: Related gene- and nerve-targeting approaches have reduced pain in animal models, but translating these methods to human trials remains largely experimental.
Where this research is happening
La Jolla, United States
- University of California, San Diego — La Jolla, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yaksh, Tony L. — University of California, San Diego
- Study coordinator: Yaksh, Tony L.
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.