# Disruption of Homeostatic Neuroimmune Interactions in Descending Circuitry in the Development of Pain Chronicity

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND BALTIMORE · 2022 · $599,961

## Abstract

Millions of people suffer from chronic or persistent pain, which is a major medical problem. The current
treatment for chronic pain conditions is unsatisfactory. In recent years, ample evidence has documented the
role of glia and their interactions with neurons in the development of persistent pain. Despite overwhelming
evidence from preclinical studies, clinical trials for the treatment of chronic pain with glial modulators have not
been successful, which is related to our incomplete understanding of the mechanisms. While a majority of
studies show the pain-facilitating aspect of the injury-related glial activity, a potential inhibitory/protective role of
neuron-glial interactions in the development of persistent pain has been largely overlooked. The central
nervous system (CNS) homeostasis is supported by multiple inhibitory signaling pathways, among which the
CD200-CD200R signaling tandem has attracted attention. Immunoglobulin CD200 from neurons signals via its
receptor CD200R on microglia to maintain microglia at the surveillance state. Loss of or reduced CD200-
CD200R signaling after injury facilitates microglial activation.
 Descending pathways provide balanced modulation to maintain normal pain sensitivity. Facilitation or
disinhibition from the rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM), a pivot structure in descending pathways, to the
spinal/ trigeminal dorsal horn contributes to the development of chronic pain. Our preliminary results point to a
new descending pathway from the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) that directly projects to the RVM and is
involved in the 5-HT3 receptor (5-HT3R)-dependent pain facilitation. The cellular mechanisms underlying the
function of this direct ACC-RVM connection is unclear.
 We propose to analyze inhibitory/beneficial neuroglial interactions in the novel ACC-RVM descending pain
modulatory circuitry and test the hypothesis that disrupted inhibitory glial activity contributes to the emergence
of chronic pain. Our working hypothesis is that the CNS CD200-CD200R signaling axis is necessary for
homeostasis and insufficient/disrupted signaling of which disturbs the balance and contributes to chronic pain
conditions.
 Aim 1 will test the hypothesis that pain facilitation from the novel ACC-RVM pathway involves insufficient
homeostatic CD200-CD200R signaling and hyperexcitability of 5-HT-containing neurons. Aim 2 will test the
hypothesis that disrupted inhibitory CD200-CD200R signaling in the RVM contributes to the emergence of
chronic pain. Aim 3 will test the hypothesis that the CD200/CD200R signaling is important for the anti-
inflammatory phenotype of microglia in the RVM and involves downstream forkhead box P3 (Foxp3) and signal
transducer and activator of transcription 6 (STAT6) activity.
 Exploring the beneficial effect of glial activity will fill the gap in our understanding and lead to a transformative
shift in the search for improved management for chronic pain.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10440400
- **Project number:** 5R01DE029946-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND BALTIMORE
- **Principal Investigator:** KE REN
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $599,961
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-07-01 → 2025-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10440400

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10440400, Disruption of Homeostatic Neuroimmune Interactions in Descending Circuitry in the Development of Pain Chronicity (5R01DE029946-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10440400. Licensed CC0.

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