Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41677592›Full record

ArticleCells2026

Human DRG Glucocorticoid Receptor Profiling Reveals Targets for Regionally Delivered Steroid Analgesia.

Shaaban A Mousa, Elsayed Y Metwally, Xiongjuan Li, Sascha Tafelski, Oscar Andrés Retana Romero, Jörg Piontek, Sascha Treskatsch, Michael Schäfer, Mohammed Shaqura

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Cells, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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.

Shaaban A MousaDepartment of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Berlin Institute of Health, Charité Campus Benjamin Franklin, Hindenburgdamm 30, 12203 Berlin, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-2584-7422
Elsayed Y MetwallyDepartment of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Berlin Institute of Health, Charité Campus Benjamin Franklin, Hindenburgdamm 30, 12203 Berlin, Germany.ORCID 0009-0006-6793-7895
Xiongjuan LiDepartment of Anesthesiology, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Health Science Center, Shenzhen 518035, China.
Sascha TafelskiDepartment of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Berlin Institute of Health, Charité Campus Mitte and Campus Virchow Clinic, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-5623-8400
Oscar Andrés Retana RomeroDepartment of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Berlin Institute of Health, Charité Campus Mitte and Campus Virchow Clinic, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany.ORCID 0000-0001-9223-7280
Jörg PiontekClinical Physiology/Nutritional Medicine, Department of Gastroenterology, Rheumatology and Infectious Diseases, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 12203 Berlin, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-0880-8915
Sascha TreskatschDepartment of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Berlin Institute of Health, Charité Campus Benjamin Franklin, Hindenburgdamm 30, 12203 Berlin, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-0549-7680
Michael SchäferDepartment of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Berlin Institute of Health, Charité Campus Benjamin Franklin, Hindenburgdamm 30, 12203 Berlin, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-1581-706X
Mohammed ShaquraDepartment of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Berlin Institute of Health, Charité Campus Benjamin Franklin, Hindenburgdamm 30, 12203 Berlin, Germany.

Funding

the KH René Koczorek Stiftung, Neuried, Germany the KH René Koczorek Stiftung, Neuried, Germany
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Corticosteroid receptor signaling in primary afferent neurons of the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) has emerged as a potential target to modulate nociception via genomic and nongenomic mechanisms shown in animal pain models. However, the expression landscape of glucocorticoid receptors (GRs) relative to mineralocorticoid receptors (MRs) in human DRG, their association with pain-related markers, and their functional relevance remain incompletely defined. We analyzed human and rat DRG by mRNA profiling and immunofluorescence confocal microscopy to assess GR/MR expression and complemented these studies with a clinical evaluation of neuraxial corticosteroid delivery. Here, GR transcripts in human DRG were the most abundant among corticosteroid receptor-related genes examined (including MR) and were observed alongside transcripts of pain-signaling molecules. Human DRG immunofluorescence analysis revealed substantial colocalization of GR with calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), a marker of nociceptive unmyelinated C-fibers and thinly myelinated Aδ-fibers, as well as with gial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), a marker of satellite glial cells (SGCs), but minimal expression in myelinated neurofilament 200 (RT-200) immunoreactive (IR) human DRG neurons. In addition, GR immunoreactivity was primarily distributed to medium-diameter neurons (40-65 µm). Functionally, preclinical experiments showed that GR activation and MR blockade attenuate inflammatory pain via rapid, nongenomic neuronal mechanisms that counter an intrinsic mineralocorticoid receptor-mediated pronociceptive drive. Consistently, clinical analgesia over at least 3 months after transforaminal plus caudal epidural delivery of GR agonists in chronic radicular pain supports a functional role for neuronal GR signaling within spinal cord and DRG circuits. Together, these molecular, functional, and clinical findings identify GR as a key modulator of sensory neuron excitability and pain, highlight MR as a pronociceptive counterpart, and suggest that selectively enhancing GR signaling or inhibiting MR signaling may offer a potential strategy for improving corticosteroid-based analgesic therapies.

Indexed as

AnalgesiaGanglia, SpinalReceptors, GlucocorticoidSteroidsAnimalsCalcitonin Gene-Related PeptideFemaleHumansMalePainRatsReceptors, MineralocorticoidCalcitonin Gene-Related PeptideReceptors, GlucocorticoidReceptors, MineralocorticoidSteroidsglucocorticoidshumanmineralocorticoidspainperipheral sensory neuronsratsreceptors

Identifiers

PMID41677592
PMCPMC12896501

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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.