Therapeutic Potential of Downregulated Interleukin-6 Signaling for the Treatment of Chronic Pain: A Mendelian Randomization Study

Abstract

While numerous studies have emphasized the pivotal involvement of the Interleukin 6 (IL-6) pathway in the development of chronic pain, the causal nature of this relationship remains uncertain. Methods: In this study, we opted to include genetic variants situated within the locus of the IL-6 receptor (IL-6R) that exhibited associations with C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. CRP serves as a downstream effector in the IL-6 pathway. Utilizing these variants as genetic proxies, we aimed to modulate IL-6 signaling. Employing a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) approach, we investigated the potential link between the genetic proxy and seven distinct subtypes of chronic pain, categorized based on their corresponding body locations. Moreover, we examined the relationship between chronic pain and an alternative instrument of IL-6 signaling that was weighted based on s-IL-6R levels. Furthermore, we conducted exploratory analyses to estimate the plausible causal association between CRP, gp130, and the subtypes of chronic pain. Results: Our analysis showed that genetic proxied downregulation of IL-6 signaling, weighted on CRP levels, was linked to a reduced risk of chronic back and knee pain. The sensitivity analyses across various MR methods confirmed the consistency of the findings and showed no evidence of horizontal pleiotropy or heterogeneity. Moreover, the results remained robust with different sets of instrument variables. A genetically increased level of s-IL-6R was also negatively associated with chronic back and knee pain. However, there was no causal relationship between CRP and gp130 with chronic pain. Conclusion: Based on our findings, there is evidence to suggest a potential causal relationship between IL-6 signaling and chronic back and knee pain. Consequently, the downregulation of IL-6 signaling holds promise as a potential therapeutic target for addressing chronic back and knee pain.