MMP24 Contributes to Neuropathic Pain in an FTO-Dependent Manner in the Spinal Cord Neurons

Nerve injury-induced gene expression change in the spinal cord is critical for neuropathic pain genesis. RNA N(6)-methyladenosine (m(6)A) modification represents an additional layer of gene regulation. We showed that spinal nerve ligation (SNL) upregulated the expression of matrix metallopeptidase 24 (MMP24) protein, but not Mmp24 mRNA, in the spinal cord neurons. Blocking the SNL-induced upregulation of spinal MMP24 attenuated local neuron sensitization, neuropathic pain development and maintenance. Conversely, mimicking MMP24 increase promoted the spinal ERK activation and produced evoked nociceptive hypersensitivity. Methylated RNA Immunoprecipitation Sequencing (MeRIP-seq) and RNA Immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay indicated the decreased m(6)A enrichment in the Mmp24 mRNA under neuropathic pain condition. Moreover, fat-mass and obesity-associated protein (FTO) was colocalized with MMP24 in spinal neurons and shown increased binding to the Mmp24 mRNA in the spinal cord after SNL. Overexpression or suppression of FTO correlates with promotion or inhibition of MMP24 expression in cultured spinal cord neurons. In conclusion, SNL promoted the m(6)A eraser FTO binding to the Mmp24 mRNA, which subsequently facilitated the translation of MMP24 in the spinal cord, and ultimately contributed to neuropathic pain genesis.