Illustration of damaged spinal cord interwoven with glowing strands of RNA and minocycline molecules interacting with RNA.

Unlocking Spinal Cord Secrets: How LncRNAs Could Revolutionize Neuropathic Pain Treatment

Lena Kashyap in Health & Wellness December 2025 • 5 min read.

"New research unveils the role of long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs) in spinal cord nerve injury and the potential of minocycline to modulate these effects, opening doors to novel pain therapies."

Neuropathic pain is a persistent and often debilitating condition affecting millions worldwide. Current treatments frequently fall short, highlighting the urgent need for innovative therapeutic approaches. Recent research has begun to focus on the complex molecular mechanisms underlying neuropathic pain, including the potential involvement of long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs).

LncRNAs are a class of RNA molecules that, unlike messenger RNAs, do not code for proteins. Instead, they play crucial regulatory roles in various biological processes, including gene expression. Emerging evidence suggests LncRNAs may be key players in the development and maintenance of chronic pain states.

This article delves into a study investigating the expression of LncRNAs in the spinal cord of mice with spared nerve injury (SNI), a model of neuropathic pain. The research also examines the effects of minocycline, an antibiotic with anti-inflammatory properties, on LncRNA expression, offering new insights into potential therapeutic targets for neuropathic pain.

Decoding LncRNAs: Key Regulators in Spinal Cord Nerve Injury

Illustration of damaged spinal cord interwoven with glowing strands of RNA and minocycline molecules interacting with RNA.

The study, published in the Journal of Pain Research, employed microarray analysis to identify LncRNAs and messenger RNAs (mRNAs) that are differentially expressed in the spinal cord of mice following spared nerve injury (SNI). This comprehensive approach revealed a significant number of LncRNAs and mRNAs whose expression levels were altered in response to SNI.

Researchers identified 22,213 LncRNAs and 19,528 mRNAs in the spinal cord. Further analysis revealed that the abundance of 183 LncRNAs and 102 mRNAs were significantly modulated by both SNI and the administration of minocycline. This suggests that these molecules play a crucial role in the development of neuropathic pain and the response to treatment.

Differentially Expressed LncRNAs: The study pinpointed specific LncRNAs that exhibited altered expression patterns in response to nerve injury, suggesting their involvement in pain pathways.
Minocycline's Modulating Effect: The research showed that minocycline, known for its anti-inflammatory properties, could influence the expression of certain LncRNAs, potentially contributing to its pain-relieving effects.
Intergenic LncRNAs: The largest category of differentially expressed LncRNAs identified were intergenic LncRNAs, highlighting the importance of these regulatory molecules in nerve injury response.

To validate the microarray findings, the researchers performed quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis on three selected LncRNAs (NR_015491, ENSMUST00000174263, and ENSMUST00000146263). The qRT-PCR results confirmed the expression changes observed in the microarray, strengthening the reliability of the findings. The study also found that SNI-induced gene regulations might be involved in the activities of cytokines (IL17A and IL17F) and chemokines (CCL2, CCL5, and CCL7), whereas minocycline might exert a pain-alleviating effect on mice through actin binding, thereby regulating nociception by controlling the cytoskeleton.

The Future of Pain Relief: Targeting LncRNAs

This research provides compelling evidence for the involvement of LncRNAs in the development of neuropathic pain following spinal cord nerve injury. By identifying specific LncRNAs that are modulated by both nerve injury and minocycline treatment, the study opens new avenues for therapeutic intervention.

The findings suggest that targeting LncRNAs could offer a novel approach to pain management. Future research should focus on further elucidating the precise mechanisms by which these regulatory molecules contribute to neuropathic pain and on developing strategies to selectively modulate their expression.

Ultimately, this research could pave the way for the development of more effective and targeted therapies for neuropathic pain, improving the lives of millions suffering from this chronic condition. The potential to influence cytokine activities and actin-binding through LncRNAs represents a promising direction for future pain relief strategies.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.2147/jpr.s147055, Alternate LINK

Title: Lncrna Expression In The Spinal Cord Modulated By Minocycline In A Mouse Model Of Spared Nerve Injury

Subject: Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine

Journal: Journal of Pain Research

Publisher: Informa UK Limited

Authors: Zihao Liu, Ying Liang, Honghua Wang, Zhenhe Lu, Jinsheng Chen, Qiaodong Huang, Lei Sheng, Yinghong Ma, Huiying Du, Qingjuan Gong

Published: 2017-10-01

Everything You Need To Know

What exactly are LncRNAs, and why are they important in the context of neuropathic pain?

LncRNAs, or long non-coding RNAs, are RNA molecules that do not code for proteins. Instead, they regulate biological processes, notably gene expression. In the context of neuropathic pain, research indicates that LncRNAs play a key role in both the development and maintenance of chronic pain states, making them potential therapeutic targets.

How did the researchers study the role of LncRNAs in spinal cord nerve injury, and what methods did they use?

The research used spared nerve injury (SNI) in mice as a model for neuropathic pain. By analyzing the spinal cord tissue using microarray analysis, researchers identified that the expression of 183 LncRNAs and 102 mRNAs were significantly altered by both SNI and the administration of minocycline. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was then used to validate the microarray findings for selected LncRNAs, confirming their differential expression.

How does minocycline, an antibiotic, affect LncRNA expression in the spinal cord, and what does this mean for pain relief?

Minocycline is an antibiotic known for its anti-inflammatory properties. The research indicates that minocycline can modulate the expression of certain LncRNAs in the spinal cord after nerve injury. This suggests that minocycline's pain-relieving effects may be partly due to its influence on the activity of LncRNAs, potentially through actin binding which regulates nociception by controlling the cytoskeleton.

What are intergenic LncRNAs, and why are they significant in the study of nerve injury?

Intergenic LncRNAs are LncRNAs located between genes and were found to be the largest category of differentially expressed LncRNAs identified in the study following spared nerve injury (SNI). This highlights their significant role in the response to nerve injury. Further research into these specific intergenic LncRNAs could provide deeper insights into the mechanisms driving neuropathic pain and potential therapeutic targets.

Besides LncRNAs, what other molecular mechanisms involving cytokines, chemokines, and the cytoskeleton were identified, and how might they be relevant to treating neuropathic pain?

The research suggests that SNI-induced gene regulations might be involved in the activities of cytokines (IL17A and IL17F) and chemokines (CCL2, CCL5, and CCL7). These molecules are known to mediate inflammation and immune responses. The study also proposes that minocycline might alleviate pain by affecting actin binding, thereby regulating nociception via control of the cytoskeleton. These complex interactions between LncRNAs, inflammatory mediators, and cellular structures could pave the way for targeted therapies that disrupt the pain pathway at multiple levels.