Genetic modifications leading to pain insensitivity phenotypes, while rare, provide invaluable insights into the molecular biology of pain and reveal targets for analgesic drugs. Pain insensitivity typically results from Mendelian loss-of-function mutations in genes expressed in nociceptive (pain-sensing) dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons that connect the body to the spinal cord. We document a pain insensitivity mechanism arising from gene overexpression in individuals with the rare 7q11.23 duplication syndrome (Dup7), who have 3 copies of the approximately 1.5-megabase Williams syndrome (WS) critical region. Based on parental accounts and pain ratings, people with Dup7, mainly children in this study, are pain insensitive following serious injury to skin, bones, teeth, or viscera. In contrast, diploid siblings (2 copies of the WS critical region) and individuals with WS (1 copy) show standard reactions to painful events. A converging series of human assessments and cross-species cell biological and transcriptomic studies identified 1 likely candidate in the WS critical region, STX1A, as underlying the pain insensitivity phenotype. STX1A codes for the synaptic vesicle fusion protein syntaxin1A. Excess syntaxin1A was demonstrated to compromise neuropeptide exocytosis from nociceptive DRG neurons. Taken together, these data indicate a mechanism for producing “genetic analgesia” in Dup7 and offer previously untargeted routes to pain control.
Michael J. Iadarola, Matthew R. Sapio, Amelia J. Loydpierson, Carolyn B. Mervis, Jill C. Fehrenbacher, Michael R. Vasko, Dragan Maric, Daniel P. Eisenberg, Tiffany A. Nash, J. Shane Kippenhan, Madeline H. Garvey, Andrew J. Mannes, Michael D. Gregory, Karen F. Berman
Usage data is cumulative from January 2024 through May 2024.
Usage | JCI | PMC |
---|---|---|
Text version | 972 | 22 |
461 | 10 | |
Figure | 109 | 0 |
Table | 21 | 0 |
Supplemental data | 67 | 3 |
Citation downloads | 29 | 0 |
Totals | 1,659 | 35 |
Total Views | 1,694 |
Usage information is collected from two different sources: this site (JCI) and Pubmed Central (PMC). JCI information (compiled daily) shows human readership based on methods we employ to screen out robotic usage. PMC information (aggregated monthly) is also similarly screened of robotic usage.
Various methods are used to distinguish robotic usage. For example, Google automatically scans articles to add to its search index and identifies itself as robotic; other services might not clearly identify themselves as robotic, or they are new or unknown as robotic. Because this activity can be misinterpreted as human readership, data may be re-processed periodically to reflect an improved understanding of robotic activity. Because of these factors, readers should consider usage information illustrative but subject to change.