Abstract

Chronic pain is associated with midbrain dopamine levels. The molecules and mechanisms modulating this association remain to be elucidated. By using conditional knockout mice, we report that JMJD3 deficiency in midbrain dopamine neurons causes prolonged mechanical hyperalgesia regardless of sex and age. Both genetic defect and pharmaceutical inhibition of JMJD3 decrease dopamine level in midbrain and striatum, resulting from reduced tyrosine hydroxylase expression in midbrain dopamine neurons. Furthermore, epigenetic experiments reveal that JMJD3 is indispensable for the transcription of tyrosine hydroxylase through direct and indirect manners. These findings suggest JMJD3 and midbrain dopamine neurons as novel players and pharmaceutical targets for chronic pain regulation.