Non-Coding RNAs Regulate Spinal Cord Injury-Related Neuropathic Pain via Neuroinflammation

Spinal cord injury (SCI) can lead to chronic neuropathic pain (NP), which significantly reduces the quality of life. This review discusses how non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) play a role in regulating neuroinflammation after SCI, influencing the development of NP. Neuroinflammation, the immune system's response to injury after SCI, is linked to NP. Immune cells entering the spinal cord cause inflammation. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) regulate gene expression, affect inflammation, and influence the prognosis of NP. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), including microRNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), and circular RNAs (circRNAs), are important in regulating gene expression in the central nervous system. These ncRNAs can act as sponges of RNAs or miRNAs, regulating the expression of NP-related molecules.

• 1
  miRNAs regulate inflammation after SCI by influencing microglia-mediated inflammation, with some miRNAs like miR-137-3p reducing pro-inflammatory factors by targeting NeuroD1. NF-κB-dependent inflammation is also modulated by miRNAs, impacting neuropathic nociceptive hyperalgesia.
• 2
  lncRNAs are involved in SCI-related inflammation and NP, with lncRNA Neat1 being regulated by miR-124 and influencing neuronal differentiation and migration. SNHG family members also play important roles, with SNHG1 influencing the degree of NP via regulation of CDK4.
• 3
  circRNAs function as sponges for miRNAs and RNA-binding proteins, playing crucial roles in SCI-related NP. For example, circPrkcsh is upregulated in astrocytes and microglia and acts as a sponge to competitively inhibit expression of miR-488.