Downregulation of lysine-specific histone demethylase 1A (KDM1A/LSD1) in medial prefrontal cortex facilitates chronic stress–induced pain and emotional dysfunction in female mice

Abstract

Chronic primary pain, characterized by overlapping symptoms of chronic pain, anxiety, and depression, is strongly associated with stress and is particularly prevalent among females. Recent research has convincingly linked epigenetic modifications in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) to chronic pain and chronic stress. However, our understanding of the role of histone demethylation in the mPFC in chronic stress-induced pain remains limited. In this study, we investigated the function of lysine-specific histone demethylase 1A (KDM1A/LSD1) in the context of chronic overlapping pain comorbid with anxiety and depression in female mice. We employed a chronic variable stress model to induce pain hypersensitivity in the face and hindpaws, as well as anxiety-like and depression-like behaviors, in female mice. Our findings revealed that chronic stress led to a downregulation of KDM1A mRNA and protein expression in the mPFC. Notably, overexpressing KDM1A in the mPFC alleviated the pain hypersensitivity, anxiety-like behaviors, and depression-like behaviors in female mice, without affecting basal pain responses or inducing emotional distress. Conversely, conditional knockout of KDM1A in the mPFC exacerbated pain sensitivity and emotional distress specifically in females. In summary, this study highlights the crucial role of KDM1A in the mPFC in modulating chronic stress-induced overlapping pain, anxiety, and depression in females. Our findings suggest that KDM1A may serve as a potential therapeutic target for treating chronic stress-related overlap pain and associated negative emotional disorders.