2. Academic Validation
  3. MicroRNA-15b promotes myofascial pain syndrome by targeting NFS1 to regulate mitophagy

MicroRNA-15b promotes myofascial pain syndrome by targeting NFS1 to regulate mitophagy

  • Free Radic Biol Med. 2025 Aug 27:240:626-640. doi: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2025.08.054.
Dawei Han 1,  Molei Liu 2,  Mingwei Sheng 3,  Lili Jia 4,  Yunxia Liu 3,  Ling Liu 1,  Hongxia Li 3,  Yiqi Weng 3,  Xiaofei Song 5,  Yinghui Ren 6,  Wenli Yu 7
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China; Department of College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China.
  • 2 Department of School of Medicine, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China.
  • 3 Department of Anesthesiology, Tianjin First Central Hospital, Tianjin, 300380, China.
  • 4 Department of Anesthesiology, Tianjin First Central Hospital, Tianjin, 300380, China. Electronic address: jialili19880801@163.com.
  • 5 Key Laboratory of Mechanism Theory and Equipment Design of Ministry of Education, School of Mechanical Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300354, China.
  • 6 Department of Anesthesiology, Tianjin First Central Hospital, Tianjin, 300380, China. Electronic address: yinghuiren0129@163.com.
  • 7 Department of School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China; Department of Anesthesiology, Tianjin First Central Hospital, Tianjin, 300380, China. Electronic address: yzxwenliyu@163.com.
PMID: 40882770 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2025.08.054
Abstract

Background and aims: Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS), driven by dysfunction in myofascial trigger points (MTrPs), remains mechanistically unclear. This study aimed to explore miR-15 b's function in MTrP pathogenesis, focusing on its regulation of iron-sulfur (Fe-S) cluster synthesis and Mitophagy.

Methods: A rat MTrP model was established using repetitive mechanical injury and eccentric exercise. Skeletal muscle tissues and primary satellite cells were analysed for miR-15b expression, Fe-S cluster-related proteins (NFS1, NDUFS3, and SDH B), and Mitophagy markers (FUN14 structural domain-containing protein 1 (FUNDC1) and LC3-II/I). In vitro, tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α)-induced inflammation and miR-15b modulation (mimics/sponges) and NFS1 modulation (overexpression/knockdown) were used to assess mitochondrial functions. In vivo, the therapeutic effect on normal and MTrP model rats was evaluated by intramuscular injection of transiently transfected complexes of NFS1 plasmid, miR-15b plasmid or Sponge constructs.

Results: MTrP rats exhibited miR-15b, suppressed NFS1, and impaired Fe-S-dependent complexes. Dual luciferase assays verified miR-15b targeting NFS1. Rescue experiments further validated that miR-15b directly inhibits NFS1, increase Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), lowering mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), triggering FUNDC1-mediated Mitophagy. TNF-α stimulation elevated miR-15b levels, exacerbating mitochondrial dysfunction, whereas miR-15b inhibition restored NFS1 and normalised Mitophagy. In normal rats, miR-15b overexpression recapitulated MTrP-like pathology in healthy rats. Moreover, in the MTrP model rats, miR-15b overexpression exacerbated these manifestations, Sponge and NFS1 treatment attenuated or even reversed certain pathological changes.

Conclusions: miR-15b drives MTrP progression by suppressing NFS1, disrupting Fe-S homeostasis, and activating FUNDC1-dependent Mitophagy. Targeting miR-15b mitigates mitochondrial dysfunction and pain hypersensitivity, underscoring its therapeutic potential in MPS.

Keywords

Iron-sulfur clusters; Mitophagy; Myofascial pain syndrome; NFS1; miR-15b.

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