Neuroimmune Interactions and Novel Therapeutic Targets in Neuropathic Pain

Session Title: Neuroimmune Interactions and Novel Therapeutic Targets in Neuropathic Pain

Topic: BASIC SCIENCE

Description: Neuropathic pain remains a formidable clinical challenge. Current treatments often provide inadequate relief, largely due to our incomplete understanding of its underlying mechanisms. Accumulating evidence underscores the indispensable role of dynamic, bidirectional communication between neurons and non-neuronal cells in the initiation and chronicity of neuropathic pain. In the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and trigeminal ganglia (TG), critical crosstalk between sensory neurons and non-neuronal cells (including satellite glial cells, macrophages, and other immune cells) lowers neuronal activation thresholds, enhances excitability, and increases spontaneous activity, leading to peripheral sensitization. In the spinal cord, this amplified peripheral input triggers the activation of astrocytes and microglia, prompting the release of glial mediators. These glial-derived signals enhance synaptic strength by increasing presynaptic neurotransmitter release and postsynaptic NMDA receptor efficacy, resulting in the hyperexcitability of spinal pain-projection neurons. Despite significant progress, critical questions regarding these neuron-non-neuronal interactions remain unresolved. This IASP Topical Workshop, "Neuroimmune Interactions and Novel Therapeutic Targets in Neuropathic Pain," aims to dissect these complex cellular dialogues and illuminate novel, translationally relevant signaling pathways.

This workshop brings together four leading experts to present cutting-edge research on neuroimmune signaling pathways and their therapeutic implications.

Prof. Ru-Rong Ji (Duke University, USA) will present recent findings demonstrating that GPR37L1 in astrocytes functions as a critical negative regulator of astrogliosis and neuropathic pain. Using single-cell transcriptomics, astrocyte morphological analysis, patch-clamp recordings, and genetic manipulations, he will highlight a protective role of GPR37L1 in suppressing astrocyte reactivity and mitigating neuropathic pain.

Prof. Marc R Suter (University of Lausanne, Switzerland) will detail how extracellular vesicles (EVs) and their miRNAs mediate bidirectional communication between nerve and immune cells in pain. He will present evidence that, after nerve injury, macrophages from the DRG release EVs that sensitize sensory neurons. Conversely, injured neurons release signals and EVs that influence microglia in the spinal cord, highlighting a differential effect based on injury status. This EV-mediated exchange is a central pain mechanism, and their miRNA content is a promising therapeutic target.

Prof. Yun Wang (Peking University, China) will delve into a self-amplifying circuit within the trigeminal system. Her talk will elucidate how NPY-Y2R signaling in trigeminal ganglia neurons drives a feedforward loop by recruiting and activating macrophages, which in turn exacerbate neuronal hyperexcitability. This mechanism underpins the persistence of severe conditions such as trigeminal neuralgia.

Finally, Prof. Yong-Jing Gao (Nantong University, China) will introduce a multi-component signaling pathway central to trigeminal neuropathic pain: UCN1-CRFR1-HSP-TLRs axis. Her research reveals how the stress peptide Urocortin 1 (UCN1) induces the production of the small heat shock protein, which is released via exosomes to activate Toll-like receptors on non-neuronal cells. This pathway creates a potent pro-inflammatory and pro-nociceptive cascade unique to orofacial pain.

Collectively, this workshop will provide a comprehensive and integrative view of novel neuroimmune and neuroglial regulations, spanning from GPCR signaling and EV-mediated intercellular communication to self-sustaining neuronal-immune circuits. By highlighting these novel pathways, our goal is to stimulate interdisciplinary discussion, foster collaborations, and accelerate the development of next-generation therapies for neuropathic pain.

Speakers

Yun Wang Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Neurobiology, Peking University
China

Professor Wang is a Boya Distinguished Professor at Peking University, Deputy Dean of the Institute of Advanced Clinical Medicine, and Vice Director of the Neuroscience Research Institute. She currently serves as President of the Chinese Association for Physiological Sciences (CAPS) and First Vice President of the Federation of the Asian and Oceanian Physiological Societies (FAOPS).
Her research focuses on cellular signal transduction in the nervous system, integrating multidisciplinary approaches including molecular biology, biochemistry, genetics, electrophysiology, morphology, and behavioral analysis. Her work centers on two major areas: (1) mechanisms of pain and its modulation, using chronic pain models to investigate plasticity in peripheral and central pathways and kinase-mediated signaling underlying pain, emotion, and memory; (2) neurodevelopment, neural injury and repair, and neuropsychiatric disorders, exploring key molecular mechanisms of neuronal polarity, migration, synapse formation, and regeneration. Her studies aim to identify therapeutic targets for neurological and psychiatric diseases.
Professor Wang has published more than 80 peer-reviewed articles and holds 10 patents in China. She has received several honors, including the Program for Outstanding Young Teachers in Higher Education Institutions (Ministry of Education), the Hsiang-Tung Chang Young Scientist Award in Neuroscience, and the Wuzhou Women Science & Technology Award from the China Medical Women’s Association.

Yong-Jing Gao Insitute of Pain Medicine, Nantong University
China

Yong-Jing Gao, professor, Dean of the Institute of Special Environmental Medicine and Pain Medicine. Her research focuses on the neural mechanisms underlying chronic pain and chronic itch. She has authored over 100 papers published in SCI-indexed journals including Science Translational Medicine, Journal of Clinical Investigation, and Journal of Experimental Medicine. Since 2014, she has been consecutively ranked among the Highly Cited Chinese Researchers by Elsevier for more than ten years. She has led several projects funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China and was awarded the Second Prize for Natural Science Achievements by the Ministry of Education. Currently, she serves as the director of the Sensory and Motor Branch of the Chinese Society for Neuroscience, the Deputy Editor of Neuroscience Bulletin, and an Executive Editorial Board Member of the Chinese Journal of Pain Medicine.

Ru-Rong Ji Duke University Medical Center
United States

Dr. Ji is the William Maixner Distinguished Professor of Anesthesiology and Director of the Center for Translational Pain Medicine at Duke University Medical Center. He is also Professor of Neurobiology, Cell Biology, and Immunology. He received his PhD from the Shanghai Institute of Physiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and completed postdoctoral training at Peking University, the Karolinska Institute, and Johns Hopkins University. Prior to joining Duke University, Dr. Ji served on the faculty of Harvard Medical School for more than a decade.

Dr. Ji has authored over 270 publications in leading scientific journals. Over the past eight years, he has been recognized by Clarivate as a Highly Cited Researcher, with an H-index of 127 on Google Scholar. He has mentored more than 100 scientists, many of whom now lead independent research laboratories worldwide.

A globally recognized leader in pain and anesthesiology research, Professor Ji has been engaged in neuroscience and pain research for more than three decades. His pioneering work established the critical role of MAP kinase signaling pathways in key mechanisms of chronic pain, including central sensitization, peripheral sensitization, and glial activation. He is also a pioneer in elucidating neuroglial and neuroimmune regulation of pain. His research has identified numerous therapeutic targets, paving the way for the development of novel pain treatments. In the past three years, he has published papers in Nature, Cell, Neuron, and JCI. He currently serves as at Editorial Boards of “Anesthesiology”, “Pain”, “Journal of Neuroscience”, “Journal of Clinical Investigation”, and “Physiological Reviews”.

Dr. Ji has received many honors and awards throughout his career, including the NIH Transformative Award (2009), the Founder’s Award from the American Academy of Pain Medicine (AAPM, 2020), the Excellence in Research Award from the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA, 2020), and elected as a Fellow of the U.S. Association for the Study of Pain (USASP, 2025).

Marc Suter Pain Center, Dpt of Anesthesiology, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and Dpt of Fundamental Neurosciences, University of Lausanne
Switzerland

Head of the Pain Center at Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and appointed Associate Professor at the University of Lausanne . I dedicated more than 20 years to the study and treatment of chronic pain, combining neuroscience research with specialized clinical care.
As an MD and anesthesiologist, I trained for my clinical career Lausanne (CH), Zurich (CH), and Hyderabad (India), and lead the Pain Center since 2025. The center provides multidisciplinary care for complex chronic pain and serves as a major referral center in Western Switzerland.
As a researcher, I lead since 2023 the Pain Research Laboratory, founded by Prof Isabelle Decosterd. My work focuses on neuroimmune mechanisms of chronic pain, particularly the role of microglia, macrophages, and neuro-glial interactions. Following research training at Harvard Medical School (Brigham and Women’s Hospital, 2007–2008, Prof Ru-Rong-Ji).
I am currently President of the Swiss Pain Society, National chapter of the IASP.

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