Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40367946›Full record

ArticleCell reports methods2025

Profiling human iPSC-derived sensory neurons for analgesic drug screening using a multi-electrode array.

Christian Kuete Fofie, Rafael Granja-Vazquez, Vincent Truong, Patrick Walsh, Theodore Price, Swati Biswas, Gregory Dussor, Joseph Pancrazio, Benedict Kolber

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Cell reports methods, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Shaping the Action Potential in Dorsal Root and Trigeminal Ganglia Neurons: Relevance to Pain Mechanisms.The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience · 2026
    Review
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Christian Kuete FofieDepartment of Neuroscience and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX 75080, USA.
Rafael Granja-VazquezDepartment of Neuroscience and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX 75080, USA.
Vincent TruongAnatomic Incorporated, Minneapolis, MN 55413, USA.
Patrick WalshAnatomic Incorporated, Minneapolis, MN 55413, USA.
Theodore PriceDepartment of Neuroscience and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX 75080, USA.
Swati BiswasDepartment of Mathematical Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX 75080, USA.
Gregory DussorDepartment of Neuroscience and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX 75080, USA.
Joseph PancrazioDepartment of Bioengineering, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX 75080, USA.
Benedict KolberDepartment of Neuroscience and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX 75080, USA. Electronic address: benedict.kolber@utdallas.edu.

Funding

High content analgesic screening from human nociceptorsR61AT011938 · NCCIH · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS DALLAS · PI DUSSOR, GREGORY O, KOLBER, BENEDICT J · 2023 to 2024
$540k
High content analgesic screening from human nociceptorsR33AT011938 · NCCIH · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS DALLAS · PI DUSSOR, GREGORY O, KOLBER, BENEDICT J · 2024 to 2025
$534k
NCCIH NIH HHS R33 AT011938NCCIH NIH HHS R61 AT011938
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Chronic pain is a global health issue, yet effective treatments remain limited due to poor preclinical-to-human translation. To address this, we developed a high-content screening (HCS) platform using hiPSC-derived nociceptors to identify analgesics targeting the peripheral nervous system. These cells, cultured on multi-well microelectrode arrays, achieved nearly 100% active electrodes by week 2, maintaining stable activity for at least 2 weeks. After 28 days, we assessed drug effects on neuronal activity, achieving strong assay performance (robust Z' > 0.5). Pharmacological tests confirmed responses to key analgesic targets, including ion channels (Nav, Cav, Kv, and TRPV1), neurotransmitter receptors (AMPAR and GABA-R), and kinase inhibitors (tyrosine and JAK1/2). Transcriptomic analysis validated target expression, though levels differed from primary human DRG cells. The platform was used to screen over 700 natural compounds, demonstrating its potential for analgesic discovery. This HCS platform facilitates the rapid discovery of uncharacterized analgesics, reducing preclinical-to-human translation failure.

Indexed as

AnalgesicsInduced Pluripotent Stem CellsSensory Receptor CellsCells, CulturedDrug Evaluation, PreclinicalHigh-Throughput Screening AssaysHumansMicroelectrodesAnalgesicsanalgesic discoverychronic painCP: Stem cellDRGhigh-content screeninghiPSChuman induced pluripotent stem cellnociceptor

Identifiers

PMID40367946
PMCPMC12146644

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.