Systems genetics analysis reveals the common genetic basis for pain sensitivity and cognitive function

• Published in: CNS neuroscience & therapeutics 2024-02, Vol.30 (2), p.e14557-n/a
• Main Authors: Xu, Fuyi, Chen, Anran, Pan, Shuijing, Wu, Yingying, He, Hongjie, Han, Zhe, Lu, Lu, Orgil, Buyan‐Ochir, Chi, XiaoDong, Yang, Cunhua, Jia, Shushan, Yu, Cuicui, Mi, Jia
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 1-Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase; AKT protein; Animal cognition; Animals; Bayes Theorem; Bayesian analysis; Brain; BXD mice; Chromosome 4; Cognition; Cognitive ability; Collagen (type IX); Correlation analysis; Gene expression; Gene mapping; Genetics; Genomes; Genotype & phenotype; Glutamatergic transmission; hippocampus; Inbreeding; Memory; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Molecular modelling; Original; Pain; pain sensitivity; Pain Threshold; Peptide mapping; Phenotypes; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; Quantitative trait loci; RING finger proteins; Rnf20; Signal transduction; Synapses; Transcriptomes
• ISSN: 1755-5930; 1755-5949; 1755-5949
• DOI: 10.1111/cns.14557

Background There is growing evidence of a strong correlation between pain sensitivity and cognitive function under both physiological and pathological conditions. However, the detailed mechanisms remain largely unknown. In the current study, we sought to explore candidate genes and common molecular mechanisms underlying pain sensitivity and cognitive function with a transcriptome‐wide association study using recombinant inbred mice from the BXD family. Methods The pain sensitivity determined by Hargreaves' paw withdrawal test and cognition‐related phenotypes were systematically analyzed in 60 strains of BXD mice and correlated with hippocampus transcriptomes, followed by quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping and systems genetics analysis. Results The pain sensitivity showed significant variability across the BXD strains and co‐varies with cognitive traits. Pain sensitivity correlated hippocampual genes showed a significant involvement in cognition‐related pathways, including glutamatergic synapse, and PI3K‐Akt signaling pathway. Moreover, QTL mapping identified a genomic region on chromosome 4, potentially regulating the variation of pain sensitivity. Integrative analysis of expression QTL mapping, correlation analysis, and Bayesian network modeling identified Ring finger protein 20 (Rnf20) as the best candidate. Further pathway analysis indicated that Rnf20 may regulate the expression of pain sensitivity and cognitive function through the PI3K‐Akt signaling pathway, particularly through interactions with genes Ppp2r2b, Ppp2r5c, Col9a3, Met, Rps6, Tnc, and Kras. Conclusions Our study demonstrated that pain sensitivity is associated with genetic background and Rnf20‐mediated PI3K‐Akt signaling may involve in the regulation of pain sensitivity and cognitive functions. Pain sensitivity is associated with genetic background and Rnf20‐mediated PI3K‐Akt signaling may involve in the regulation of pain sensitivity and cognitive functions.