Background and aims: Proteomics has been proven to support in-depth insight into the function of thousands of proteins and their variation in health and disease. Obtaining nerve tissue from humans is challenging. Therefore, there is a high need to identify pain relevant proteins in surrogate tissue like blood which is easy to obtain from humans. We have identified such proteins in a rat model of neuropathic pain. Method: The data set has been obtained using an unbiased deep proteome analysis by advanced mass spectrometry. Samples from, Naïve, Sham and CCI animals from sciatic nerve, plasma and CSF have been collected. To identify the regulation between the treatment groups, significant proteins have been analyzed post-hoc using a t-test with the Bonferroni method for multiple-testing correction. Results: Of the several regulated proteins found in sciatic nerve, plasma and CSF, 178 overlapping proteins have been identified to be regulated in nerve and plasma in the CCI vs. naïve group. In the CCI vs. sham group 256 overlapping proteins have been identified and in the sham vs. naïve group 18 overlapping proteins have been found. Conclusions: The present study shows several regulated proteins in three different compartments and conditions. The observed protein alterations might be driven by induction of neuropathic pain. Interestingly, a remarkable overlapping panel has been found between sciatic nerve and plasma. Preliminary pathway analysis showed involvement of the complement pathway. The data set represents the basis for further evaluation of pain pathways and identification of new biomarkers and targets for pain.

PRELIMINARY RESULTS OF COMPARATIVE PROTEOMIC PROFILING OF SCIATIC NERVE, PLASMA AND CSF IN A RAT MODEL OF NEUROPATHIC PAIN