Figure 1

Nerve injury-induced Kv1.2 downregulation triggered by myeloid zinc finger protein 1 (MZF1)-mediated Kv1.2 antisense (AS) RNA expression in the injured dorsal root ganglion (DRG). (A) Under normal conditions, Kv1.2 mRNA that is transcribed from the genome is translated into Kv1.2 protein, resulting in normal expression of Kv1.2 channel at DRG neuronal membrane. (B) Under neuropathic pain conditions, peripheral nerve injury promotes the expression of the transcription factor MZF1 in DRG. The increased MZF1 binds to the promoter region of Kv1.2 AS RNA gene and triggers its expression. The latter specifically and selectively inhibits the expression of Kv1.2 mRNA via extensive overlap of their complementary regions, leading to a reduction in the membrane expression of Kv1.2 only, not other Kv subunits (e.g., Kv1.1), in the DRG neurons.