Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39297754›Full record

ArticlePain2025

The conotoxin Contulakin-G reverses hypersensitivity observed in rodent models of cancer-induced bone pain without inducing tolerance or motor disturbance.

Laurent F Martin, Moyad Almuslim, Khaled A Ismail, Mohab M Ibrahim, Aubin Moutal, Kevin Cheng, Harrison J Stratton, Theodore J Price, Todd W Vanderah, Baldomero M Olivera and 2 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Pain, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Toxins in disguise: Neuropeptide mimicry across animal venoms.General and comparative endocrinology · 2026
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Laurent F MartinDepartments of Pharmacology.ORCID 0000-0001-7358-5335
Moyad AlmuslimDepartments of Pharmacology.
Khaled A IsmailAnesthesiology, and.
Mohab M IbrahimDepartments of Pharmacology.
Aubin MoutalDepartment of Pharmacology and Physiology, School of Medicine, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO, United States.
Kevin ChengDepartments of Pharmacology.
Harrison J StrattonDepartments of Pharmacology.
Theodore J PriceDepartment of Neuroscience and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, United States.ORCID 0000-0002-6971-6221
Todd W VanderahDepartments of Pharmacology.
Baldomero M OliveraDepartment of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States.
Rajesh KhannaDepartment of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States.
Amol PatwardhanDepartment of Anesthesiology and Pain Management, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States.ORCID 0000-0003-0914-0408

Funding

Green Light Therapy for Chronic PainR01AT009716 · NCCIH · UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA · PI IBRAHIM, MOHAB M · 2018 to 2022
$2.1M
Validation of Spinal Neurotensin Receptor 2 as an Analgesic TargetR01NS116694 · NINDS · UT SOUTHWESTERN MEDICAL CENTER · PI PATWARDHAN, AMOL M · 2020 to 2025
$2.0M
Mechanism of intrathecal Contulakin-G induced analgesia without motor blockK08NS104272 · NINDS · UT SOUTHWESTERN MEDICAL CENTER · PI PATWARDHAN, AMOL M · 2018 to 2022
$987k
NCCIH NIH HHS R01 AT009716NCCIH NIH HHS R01AT009716NINDS NIH HHS K08 NS104272NINDS NIH HHS R01 NS116694
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

abstractAs the incidence and survival rates of patients with cancer continues to grow, an increasing number of people are living with comorbidities, which often manifests as cancer-induced bone pain (CIBP). The majority of patients with CIBP report poor pain control from currently available analgesics. A conotoxin, Contulakin-G (CGX), has been demonstrated to be an antinociceptive agent in postsurgical and neuropathic pain states via a neurotensin receptor 2 (NTSR2)-mediated pathway. However, the efficacy and side effect profile of CGX have never been assessed in CIBP. Here, we evaluated CGX's antinociceptive potential in a rodent model of CIBP. We hypothesized that CGX engages the NTSR2 pathway, providing pain relief with minimal tolerance and motor side effects. Our results demonstrated that CGX intrathecal injection in mice with CIBP attenuated both spontaneous pain behaviors and evoked mechanical hypersensitivity, regardless of their sex. Furthermore, the antinociceptive effect of CGX was dependent upon expression of NTSR2 and the R-type voltage-gated calcium channel (Cav2.3); gene editing of these targets abolished CGX antinociception without affecting morphine antinociception. Examination of the side effect profile of CGX demonstrated that, unlike morphine, chronic intrathecal infusion maintained antinociception with reduced tolerance in rats with CIBP. Moreover, at antinociceptive doses, CGX had no impact on motor behavior in rodents with CIBP. Finally, RNAScope and immunoblotting analysis revealed expression of NTSR2 in both dorsal and ventral horns, while Cav2.3 was minimally expressed in the ventral horn, possibly explaining the sensory selectivity of CGX. Together, these findings support advancing CGX as a potential therapeutic for cancer pain.

Indexed as

AnalgesicsCancer PainConotoxinsDisease Models, AnimalHyperalgesiaAnimalsBone NeoplasmsFemaleMaleMiceMice, Inbred C57BLRatsAnalgesicsConotoxins

Identifiers

PMID39297754
PMCPMC11723812

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.