SIGNATURE WORK
CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION 2023

My SW project is about exploring the connection between adipose tissues and chronic pain conditions. To be specific, I investigated the glia activation and Adrb3 expression using a novel mouse model of complex persistent pain conditions (CPPCs). CPPCs are persistent and physiologically and psychologically harmful. Yet, the pathobiology of CPPCs is still largely unclear, which constrains the development of effective treatments. The purpose of this project is to contribute to the collective effort to clarify the pathobiology of chronic pain conditions. Using immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining, this study investigates the biological connections between obesity and CPPCs based on prior findings that β3-adrenergic receptors (β_3Ars), which mediate mechanical and thermal pain, are located mainly in the adipose tissues. The expression of the Adrb3 gene on inguinal white adipose tissues (iWAT) was measured together with glial activation as an indicator of neuroinflammation using a novel mouse model of CPPCs. Current results show an elevation in the expression of iWAT Adrb3 as well as glial activation in CPPC female mice 7 days post swim stress and molar extraction compared to control groups, indicating that iWAT Adrb3 expression contributes to the mediation of pain pathway under chronic pain conditions.