Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40785673›Full record

ArticleZhong nan da xue xue bao. Yi xue ban = Journal of Central South University. Medical sciences2025

EGR2 maintains neuropathic pain by promoting microglial phagocytosis.

Caiyun Xi, Jianxi Zhang, Zhifeng Huang, Liqiong He, Kailu Zou, Xiaoping Xu, Qulian Guo, Bei Sun, Changsheng Huang

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Zhong nan da xue xue bao. Yi xue ban = Journal of Central South University. Medical sciences, 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

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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
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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

9 authors.

Caiyun XiDepartment of Anesthesiology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008. 218111145@csu.edu.cn.
Jianxi ZhangDepartment of Anesthesiology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008. 218112366@csu.edu.cn.
Zhifeng HuangDepartment of Anesthesiology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008.
Liqiong HeDepartment of Anesthesiology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008.
Kailu ZouDepartment of Anesthesiology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008.
Xiaoping XuDepartment of Anesthesiology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008.
Qulian GuoDepartment of Anesthesiology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008.
Bei SunDepartment of Anesthesiology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008. sunbei2017@sina.com.
Changsheng HuangDepartment of Anesthesiology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008. changsheng.huang@csu.edu.cn.

Funding

the National Natural Science Foundation of China 82071249 and 81771207This is an open access article under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 and //creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesNeuropathic pain (NP) is one of the most common forms of chronic pain, yet current treatment options are limited in effectiveness. Peripheral nerve injury activates spinal microglia, altering their inflammatory response and phagocytic functions, which contributes to the progression of NP. Most current research on NP focuses on microglial inflammation, with relatively little attention to their phagocytic function. Early growth response factor 2 (EGR2) has been shown to regulate microglial phagocytosis, but its specific role in NP remains unclear. This study aims to investigate how EGR2 modulates microglial phagocytosis and its involvement in NP, with the goal of identifying potential therapeutic targets.

methodsAdult male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were used to establish a chronic constriction injury (CCI) model of the sciatic nerve. Pain behaviors were assessed on days 1, 3, 7, 10, and 14 post-surgery to confirm successful model induction. The temporal and spatial expression of EGR2 in the spinal cord was examined using real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), Western blotting, and immunofluorescence staining. Adeno-associated virus (AAV) was used to overexpress

resultsThe CCI model successfully induced NP. Following CCI, EGR2 expression in the spinal cord was upregulated in parallel with NP development. Overexpression of EGR2 via spinal AAV injection enhanced microglial phagocytic activity and increased pain hypersensitivity in rats. Both animal and cellular models showed that CCI or LPS stimulation enhanced microglial phagocytosis, which was further amplified by

conclusionsEGR2 contributes to the maintenance of NP by enhancing microglial phagocytosis in the spinal dorsal horn.

Indexed as

Early Growth Response Protein 2MicrogliaNeuralgiaPhagocytosisAnimalsMaleRatsRats, Sprague-DawleySciatic NerveSpinal CordEarly Growth Response Protein 2early growth response factor 2microglianeuropathic painphagocytosisspinal dorsal horn

Identifiers

PMID40785673
PMCPMC12329747

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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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.