Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41387458›Full record

ArticleNature communications2025

Identification of a reactive astrocyte subpopulation during HIV-associated pain pathogenesis in mouse models.

Junying Zheng, Michael Spurgat, Mark Maurelli, Zachary Watson, Sakib Hossain, Adriana Dibua, Subo Yuan, Xin Liu, Benjamin B Gelman, Shao-Jun Tang

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing 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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Increased Amyloidogenic Neuronal Injury in HIV-1-infected APP-KI Alzheimer's disease mice.Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association · 2026
    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

10 authors.

Junying Zheng *Department of Neurobiology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA. jzheng51@jh.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0001-2631-8055
Michael Spurgat *Department of Neurobiology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8282-5396
Mark MaurelliStony Brook University Pain and Analgesia Research Center and Department of Anesthesiology, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA.
Zachary WatsonDepartment of Neurobiology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.
Sakib HossainStony Brook University Pain and Analgesia Research Center and Department of Anesthesiology, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0001-2044-7665
Adriana DibuaStony Brook University Pain and Analgesia Research Center and Department of Anesthesiology, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6369-9216
Subo YuanDepartment of Neurobiology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.
Xin LiuDepartment of Neurobiology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.
Benjamin B GelmanDepartment of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.
Shao-Jun TangDepartment of Neurobiology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA. shao.tang@stonybrookmedicine.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6076-5481

Funding

Wnt signaling in glial activation during HIV-associated chronic pain pathogenesisR01NS079166 · NINDS · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MED BR GALVESTON · PI TANG, SHAO-JUN · 2012 to 2021
$5.5M
Cooperative mechanisms of HIV and opiods in pain pathogenisisR01DA050530 · NIDA · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MED BR GALVESTON · PI CHUNG, JIN M, TANG, SHAO-JUN · 2019 to 2023
$3.2M
Antiretroviral Therapy and Neuroinflammation in the CNSR01NS095747 · NINDS · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MED BR GALVESTON · PI CHUNG, JIN M · 2016 to 2020
$2.6M
Cellular and circuitry mechanisms of NRTI-induced pain pathogenesis in the context of opioids and HIVR01DA057195 · NIDA · STATE UNIVERSITY NEW YORK STONY BROOK · PI SHAO-JUN TANG · 2022 to 2026
$2.5M
The spinal cell atlas of opioid-targeted inflammasomes in the HIV pain model: mechanism and pathogenic roleR01DA062257 · NIDA · STATE UNIVERSITY NEW YORK STONY BROOK · PI SHAO-JUN TANG · 2024 to 2026
$2.1M
Supplement to Pathogenesis of HIV-associated sensory neuropathyR01NS122571 · NINDS · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MED BR GALVESTON · PI YUAN, SUBO · 2021 to 2025
$2.1M
Interplay of HIV-1 gp120 and opioids in astrocyte activationR01DA036165 · NIDA · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MED BR GALVESTON · PI TANG, SHAO-JUN · 2013 to 2017
$1.9M
NIDA NIH HHS R01 DA036165NIDA NIH HHS R01 DA050530NIDA NIH HHS R01 DA057195NIDA NIH HHS R01 DA062257NINDS NIH HHS R01 NS079166NINDS NIH HHS R01 NS095747NINDS NIH HHS R01 NS122571U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) R01NS079166U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) R01NS095747U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) R01NS122571U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) R01DA036165U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) R01DA050530U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) R01DA057195U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) R01DA062257
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Pain is a common complication in individuals with HIV, yet the underlying pathogenic mechanisms remain poorly understood. Reactive astrocytes are selectively activated in the spinal dorsal horn of HIV patients experiencing pathological pain, implicating their potential role in pain pathogenesis. However, the specific pathogenic subtype of these reactive astrocytes has not been defined. Here, we identify a distinct subpopulation of pain-associated reactive astrocytes in the lumbar spinal cord of HIV-1 gp120 transgenic mice using single-nucleus RNA sequencing. This astrocyte subpopulation displays transcriptomic features associated with phagocytosis and inflammation and depends on galectin-3 for its formation. Both global and astrocyte-specific heterozygous knockout of Lgals3 (galectin-3) markedly reduce mechanical allodynia in gp120 transgenic mice. These findings reveal a subset of reactive astrocytes that play a role in remodeling the spinal pain circuitry underlying HIV-associated pain.

Indexed as

AstrocytesHIV InfectionsPainAnimalsDisease Models, AnimalFemaleGalectin 3HIV-1HIV Envelope Protein gp120HumansHyperalgesiaMaleMiceMice, Inbred C57BLMice, KnockoutMice, TransgenicGalectin 3HIV Envelope Protein gp120Lgals3 protein, mouse

Identifiers

PMID41387458
PMCPMC12816661

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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.