Molecular architecture of human dermal sleeping nociceptors.

Human dermal sleeping nociceptors display ongoing activity in neuropathic pain, affecting 10% of the population. Despite advances in rodents, a molecular marker for these mechano-insensitive C-fibers (CMis) in human skin remains elusive, preventing targeted therapy. Using a Patch-seq approach, we combined single-cell transcriptomics, following electrophysiological characterization, with single-nucleus and spatial transcriptomics from pigs and integrated our findings with cross-species and human transcriptomic data. We functionally identified CMis in pig sensory neurons with patch clamp, using adapted protocols from human microneurography. We identified oncostatin M receptor (OSMR) and somatostatin (SST) as marker genes for CMis. Following dermal injection in healthy human volunteers, oncostatin M, the ligand of OSMR, exclusively modulates CMis. Our findings characterize the molecular architecture of human dermal sleeping nociceptors, providing a framework for mechanistic insight into neuropathic pain and potential therapeutic strategies.
Mental Health
Care/Management

Authors

Körner Körner, Howard Howard, Solinski Solinski, Mancilla Moreno Mancilla Moreno, Haag Haag, Fiebig Fiebig, Maxion Maxion, Bhuiyan Bhuiyan, Toklucu Toklucu, Bott Bott, Sankaranarayanan Sankaranarayanan, Tavares-Ferreira Tavares-Ferreira, Shiers Shiers, Inturi Inturi, Eberhardt Eberhardt, Ernst Ernst, Bonaguro Bonaguro, Schulte-Schrepping Schulte-Schrepping, Beyer Beyer, Stiehl Stiehl, Renthal Renthal, Kurth Kurth, Tigerholm Tigerholm, Serra Serra, Price Price, Schmelz Schmelz, Namer Namer, Tripathy Tripathy, Lampert Lampert
View on Pubmed
Share
Facebook
X (Twitter)
Bluesky
Linkedin
Copy to clipboard