Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40029530›Full record

ArticleMolecular neurobiology2025

Genetic Evidence Indicates that Serum Micronutrient Levels Mediate the Causal Relationships Between Immune Cells and Neuropathic Pain: A Mediation Mendelian Randomization Study.

Shaopeng Shi, Shaier Yang, Peng Ma, Yi Wang, Chunxiang Ma, Wan Ma

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Molecular neurobiology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–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 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
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

6 authors.

Shaopeng ShiDepartment of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, No. 804 Shengli South Street, Yinchuan, 750000, Ningxia, China.
Shaier YangDepartment of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, No. 804 Shengli South Street, Yinchuan, 750000, Ningxia, China.
Peng MaDepartment of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, No. 804 Shengli South Street, Yinchuan, 750000, Ningxia, China.
Yi WangDepartment of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, No. 804 Shengli South Street, Yinchuan, 750000, Ningxia, China.
Chunxiang MaDepartment of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, No. 804 Shengli South Street, Yinchuan, 750000, Ningxia, China.
Wan MaDepartment of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, No. 804 Shengli South Street, Yinchuan, 750000, Ningxia, China. 787886730@qq.com.

Funding

Natural Science Foundation of Ningxia 2020AAC03414Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region science and technology benefit people project 2022CMG03046
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

A growing body of evidence suggests a correlation among immune cells, serum micronutrient levels, and neuropathic pain. However, previous studies have been limited in scope, hindering the establishment of conclusive findings. Therefore, this study employs mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to investigate the genetic perspectives on the causal relationships among these factors. Initially, the relationship between five serum micronutrient levels (specifically, four vitamin levels and zinc levels) and neuropathic pain was examined using a bidirectional MR design. Subsequently, positive results identified through the inverse variance weighted (IVW) method prompted further analysis, using immune cells as exposures to explore their causal links with neuropathic pain. As a result, a two-step MR analysis demonstrated that serum vitamin levels mediate the relationship between immune cells and neuropathic pain, quantifying both direct impacts and mediation effects. This study revealed that low serum levels of vitamin D and 25-hydroxyvitamin D increased the risk of postherpetic neuralgia and thoracic spine pain. Reverse MR analysis suggested that neuropathic pain does not contribute to a reduction in the serum levels of vitamin D and 25-hydroxyvitamin D. Furthermore, significant associations were observed between 27 immune cells and postherpetic neuralgia, as well as between 22 immune cells and thoracic spine pain. Additionally, the mediation analysis identified causal relationships between immune cells and serum micronutrient levels, confirming the "immune cells-serum micronutrient levels-neuropathic pain" pathway. This study provides valuable insights into the potential mechanisms by which vitamin D and 25-hydroxyvitamin D regulate the interaction between the immune system and neuropathic pain. These findings are crucial for the timely detection, treatment, and management of neuropathic pain, offering new perspectives on how vitamin levels influence immune cell behavior and neuropathic pain susceptibility.

Indexed as

Mendelian Randomization AnalysisMicronutrientsNeuralgiaHumansVitamin DMicronutrientsVitamin DImmunityMendelian randomizationNeuropathic painSingle nucleotide polymorphismVitamin D

Identifiers

PMID40029530
PMCPMC12209011

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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.