The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center received a $664,772 Project Grant award from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) under the Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders (CFDA 93.853) program. The grant supports research to dissect the signaling mechanisms underlying the non-opioid spinal analgesic effects of the neurotensin receptor 2 (NTSR2) and its inhibition of calcium channels Cav2.3 and Cav2.2. This research aims to unravel the potential for a novel, opioid-independent mechanism for treating high-impact chronic pain conditions, such as spinal cord injury pain, without the side effects associated with current treatments like opioids and local anesthetics. The project will evaluate the detailed signaling and anatomical correlates of the NTSR2-calcium channel pathway in mouse and human sensory neurons and spinal cord, as well as validate its in vivo significance in preclinical models of high-impact chronic pain. Successful findings could inform the development of novel, non-opioid analgesics targeting this NTSR2-mediated signaling pathway.
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