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  3. Proteomics profiling reveals mitochondrial damage in the thalamus in a mouse model of chronic migraine

Proteomics profiling reveals mitochondrial damage in the thalamus in a mouse model of chronic migraine

  • J Headache Pain. 2023 Sep 5;24(1):122. doi: 10.1186/s10194-023-01646-6.
Wei Xie # 1 2,  Ruibing Li # 3,  Wenjing Tang 1,  Zhenjie Ma 1 2,  Shuai Miao 1,  Chenhao Li 1 2,  Chunxiao Yang 1 4,  Bozhi Li 1,  Tao Wang 1 2,  Zihua Gong 1 2,  Yue Zhou 5,  Shengyuan Yu 6
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Neurology, the First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.
  • 2 Medical School of Chinese PLA, Beijing, China.
  • 3 Department of Laboratory Medicine, the First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.
  • 4 School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, China.
  • 5 College of Life Science, Northwest University, Xi'an, Shanxi, China. yue.zhou@nwu.edu.cn.
  • 6 Department of Neurology, the First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China. yusy1963@126.com.
  • # Contributed equally.
PMID: 37667199 DOI: 10.1186/s10194-023-01646-6
Abstract

Background: Migraine, a complex brain disorder, is regarded as a possible clinical manifestation of brain energy dysfunction. The trigeminovascular system is considered the basis for the pathogenesis of migraine, hence we depicted the proteomics profiling of key regions in this system, then focusing on protein alterations related to mitochondrial function. The aim of this study is to illustrate the role of mitochondria in migraine.

Methods: A mouse model of chronic migraine (CM) was established by repeated nitroglycerin (NTG) stimulation and evaluated by von-Frey filaments, a hot plate and a light-dark box. Differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) in some subcortical brain regions of the trigeminovascular system were screened through liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC‒MS/MS) to analyse the specificity of key signaling pathways in different brain regions. And then mitochondrial function, structure and dynamics were determined by qPCR, ELISA, and transmission electron microscope (TEM). Finally, the effect of mitochondrial intervention-Urolithin A (UA) on CM was investigated.

Results: Repeated NTG injection triggered photophobia, periorbital and hind paw allodynia in mice. The proteomics profiling of CM model showed that 529, 109, 163, 152 and 419 DEPs were identified in the thalamus, hypothalamus, periaqueductal grey (PAG), trigeminal ganglion (TG) and trigeminocervical complex (TCC), respectively. The most significant changes in the brain region-specific pathways pointed to thalamic mitochondrial impairment. NTG induced mitochondrial structural disruption, dysfunction and homeostatic dysregulation, which could be partially attenuated by UA intervention.

Conclusion: Our findings highlight the involvement of mitochondrial damage in the thalamus in central sensitization of CM, which provides evidence of possible metabolic mechanisms in migraine pathophysiology.

Keywords

Chronic migraine; Mitochondrial damage; Proteomics; Thalamus.

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