Identification of therapeutic targets from transcriptomic analysis of the sensory system cells after peripheral nerve injury

• Grant number: 21/01213-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: March 01, 2021
• End date: February 28, 2022
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Pharmacology - Biochemical and Molecular Pharmacology
• Principal Investigator: Fernando de Queiroz Cunha
• Grantee: Bruno Rossi Carmo
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto (FMRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 13/08216-2 - CRID - Center for Research in Inflammatory Diseases, AP.CEPID

Abstract

Injuries caused by diseases, infections or mechanical trauma to the somatosensory nervous system can precipitate neuropathic pain. Such changes reflect the transcriptional profile of these cells, which can be characterized by the use of high-throughput sequencing technologies. The NCBI's public database called Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) is a rich source of transcriptome data, which includes microarray data and RNA sequencing. Currently, the instruments used to apply the new sequencing techniques allow the massive identification of transcripts from a single cell and are capable of producing large amounts of data. Therefore, sequencing of the transcriptome of cells present in many tissues of the sensory apparatus may present a great opportunity for the identification of potentially relevant therapeutic targets for the treatment of neuropathic pain. Thus, the objective of this project is, through bioinformatics tools, analyze the transcriptome of cells isolated from peripheral nerves, sensitive dorsal root ganglion and spinal cord of animals submitted to the neuropathic pain model induced by peripheral nerve damage, using sequences deposited in public databases. We intend to identify differentially expressed transcripts that can be configured as potential therapeutic targets for the treatment of neuropathic pain.