Abstract
The increased prevalence of GluA2-lacking, Ca2+-permeable AMPA receptors (CP-AMPARs) at spinal cord sensory synapses amplifies nociceptive transmission and maintains chronic neuropathic pain. Nerve injury–induced upregulation of α2δ-1 disrupts the assembly of GluA1/GluA2 heteromers, favoring the synaptic incorporation of GluA1 homotetramers in the spinal dorsal horn. Although GluA1-GluA3 subunits are broadly expressed, whether α2δ-1 regulates GluA3-containing AMPARs remains unknown. Here, we unexpectedly found that coexpression with α2δ-1 — but not α2δ-2 or α2δ-3 — diminished GluA3 AMPAR currents and protein levels, an effect blocked by pregabalin, an α2δ-1 C-terminus peptide, or proteasome inhibition. Both nerve injury and α2δ-1 overexpression reduced protein levels of GluA3 and GluA2/GluA3 heteromers in the spinal cord. Furthermore, α2δ-1 coexpression or nerve injury increased GluA3 ubiquitination, with K861 at the C-terminus of GluA3 identified as a key ubiquitination site mediating α2δ-1–induced GluA3 degradation. Additionally, intrathecal delivery of the Gria3 gene reversed nerve injury–induced nociceptive hypersensitivity and synaptic CP-AMPARs by restoring protein levels of GluA3 and GluA2/GluA3 heteromers in the spinal cord. These findings reveal that α2δ-1 promotes GluA1 homotetramer assembly and synaptic CP-AMPAR expression by driving ubiquitin-proteasome–mediated degradation of GluA3, providing insights into the molecular mechanisms of neuropathic pain and the therapeutic actions of gabapentinoids.
Authors
Meng-Hua Zhou, Shao-Rui Chen, Daozhong Jin, Yuying Huang, Hong Chen, Guanxing Chen, Jiusheng Yan, Hui-Lin Pan
Figure 8
Proteasome inhibition reverses nerve injury–induced reductions in nociceptive thresholds and GluA3 protein levels in the spinal cord.
Copyright © 2026 American Society for Clinical Investigation
ISSN: 0021-9738 (print), 1558-8238 (online)