AUTHOR=Guo Xinying , Zhang Gaolong , Cai Weihua , Huang Fa , Qin Jingwen , Song Xingrong 

TITLE=Long non-coding RNA rhabdomyosarcoma 2-associated transcript contributes to neuropathic pain by recruiting HuR to stabilize DNA methyltransferase 3 alpha mRNA expression in dorsal root ganglion neuron

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience

VOLUME=Volume 15 - 2022

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/molecular-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnmol.2022.1027063

DOI=10.3389/fnmol.2022.1027063

ISSN=1662-5099

ABSTRACT=Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) act as key regulators in multiple human diseases. In particular, the dysfunction of lncRNAs in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) contributes to pathogenesis of neuropathic pain (NP). Nevertheless, the role and mechanism of most lncRNAs in NP remain unclear. Here, we discovered that Rmst as a lncRNA was specifically expressed in Atf3+ injured DRG neurons and significantly upregulated following peripheral nerve damage. Rmst overexpression by direct DRG injection of AAV5-Rmst causes neuropathic symptoms in the absence of nerve damage. Conversely, blocking Rmst expression in injured DRGs alleviated nerve injury-induced pain hypersensitivities and downregulated Dnmt3a expression. Furthermore, we found peripheral nerve damage induced Rmst increase could interact with RNA-binding protein HuR to stabilize Dnmt3a mRNA. Our findings reveal a crucial role of Rmst in damaged DRG neurons under NP condition and provide a novel target for drug development against NP.