Targeting Oat1 and Lrg1 in chronic pain (A08)

• Subject Area: Molecular Biology and Physiology of Neurons and Glial Cells ; Human Genetics ; Clinical Neurology; Neurosurgery and Neuroradiology
• Term: since 2015
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 255156212

While neurons are the key units of the central nervous system (CNS), their functions are not only regulated by synaptic activity but also by neuromodulatory metabolites and other CNS cells. In the previous funding periods, we delineated a chronic pain- and epigenetic-mediated transcriptional program and identified two novel proteins key for spinal sensitization: Organic Anion Transporter 1 (Oat1) and Leucine-rich α-2 glycoprotein 1 (Lrg1). Project A08 will study how are Oat1 and Lrg1 mediating sensitization at the molecular and cellular levels and develop strategies to interfere with their signaling. The project will use transgenic mouse lines, animal models of inflammatory and neuropathic pain, pain behaviour, metabolomics, molecular and cellular biology and techniques to assess the function of the blood-spinal-cord-barrier, with the aim of exploring novel strategies to treat chronic pain.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 1158: From nociception to chronic pain: Structure-function properties of neural pathways and their reorganisation
• Applicant Institution: Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg
• Project Heads: Professor Dr. Hilmar Bading, until 6/2019; Professorin Dr. Daniela Mauceri; Professorin Dr. Carmen Ruiz de Almodovar Egea, Ph.D., since 7/2019; Dr. Anke Tappe-Theodor, since 7/2023