TY - JOUR AB - Central poststroke pain (CPSP) is a central neuropathic pain syndrome that occurs following a stroke and mainly manifests as pain and paresthesia in the body region corresponding to the brain injury area. At present, due to the lack of clinical attention given to CPSP, patients suffer from long‑term pain that seriously affects their quality of life. Current literature indicates that microRNA (miR)‑223 can impede inflammation and prevent collateral damage. The NLR family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome induces IL‑18 and IL‑1β secretion and maturation and participates in the inflammatory response. Previous evidence has confirmed that miR‑223 can negatively regulate NLRP3 in the development of inflammatory responses. However, whether the miR‑223 targeting of NLRP3 is involved in CPSP remains unclear. In the present study, the expression of miR‑223 was detected by reverse transcription‑quantitative PCR analysis. The expression levels of NLRP3, caspase‑1, ASC, IL‑18, IL‑1β, ERK1/2, p‑ERK1/2 and GFAP were detected by western blot analysis. The results demonstrated that thalamic hemorrhagic stroke triggered by microinjection of collagenase Ⅳ (Coll IV) into the ventral posterior lateral (VPL) nucleus results in pain hypersensitivity. miR‑223 expression level were significantly reduced in the CPSP model. The expression levels of NLRP3, caspase‑1, ASC, IL‑18 and IL‑1β were significantly increased in the CPSP model. The expression level of GFAP was detected to determine astrocyte activation. The results demonstrated that astrocyte activation induced by Coll IV produced a CPSP model. The p‑ERK1/2 expression level was demonstrated to be significantly increased in the CPSP model. The introduction of an miR‑223 agomir significantly attenuated thalamic pain and significantly decreased the levels of NLRP3, caspase‑1, ASC and proinflammatory cytokines (IL‑18 and IL‑1β). Furthermore, introducing a miR‑223 antagomir into the VPL nucleus of naïve mice mimicked thalamic pain and significantly increased the levels of NLRP3, caspase‑1, ASC and proinflammatory cytokine levels (IL‑18 and IL‑1β). These results indicated that miR‑223 inhibited NLRP3 inflammasome activity (caspase‑1, NLRP3 and ASC), which ameliorated thalamus hemorrhage‑induced CPSP in mice via NLRP3 downregulation. In conclusion, these results may determine the mechanisms underlying CPSP and facilitate development of targeted therapy for CPSP. AD - Department of Anesthesiology, Clinical Medical College of Yangzhou University, Northern Jiangsu People's Hospital, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225001, P.R. China Department of Anesthesiology, Clinical Medical College of Yangzhou University, Northern Jiangsu People's Hospital, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225001, P.R. China AU - Huang,Tianfeng AU - Xiao,Yinggang AU - Zhang,Yang AU - Wang,Cunjin AU - Chen,Xiaoping AU - Li,Yong AU - Ge,Yali AU - Gao,Ju DA - 2022/05/01 DO - 10.3892/etm.2022.11280 IS - 5 JO - Exp Ther Med KW - microRNA‑223 NLR family pyrin domain containing 3 thalamic hemorrhage central poststroke pain mouse model PY - 2022 SN - 1792-0981 1792-1015 SP - 353 ST - miR‑223 ameliorates thalamus hemorrhage‑induced central poststroke pain via targeting NLRP3 in a mouse model T2 - Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine TI - miR‑223 ameliorates thalamus hemorrhage‑induced central poststroke pain via targeting NLRP3 in a mouse model UR - https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2022.11280 VL - 23 ER -