Transcriptome Analysis of Trigeminal Ganglion and Medullary Dorsal Horn in Mice to Identify Potential Targets for Pulpitis-Induced Pain

Pulpitis is a common oral disease associated with severe pain, which is often accompanied by sleep disturbances and anxiety-like symptoms. There is currently no specific analgesic medication available to alleviate pulpitis-induced pain. In the current study, we applied transcriptomics to conduct a bioinformatics screening of the trigeminal ganglion (TG) and the medullary dorsal horn (MDH) over a 7-day period of pulp exposure, aiming to identify key differentially expressed genes (DEGs). We identified three key DEGs in the TG and three in the MDH, which are primarily involved in pathways related to immune responses, inflammatory responses, and neuroactive ligand–receptor interactions. Potential drug candidates were pinpointed through virtual screening of key DEGs, followed by molecular docking and molecular dynamics analysis. Notably, Oprm1, which encodes the mu-opioid receptor, exhibited significant expression differences in both the TG and MDH. Further virtual screening and molecular dynamics analysis identified C13H10Cl3N7O3S2 as the most promising lead compound, suggesting that it may be an effective drug molecule targeting Oprm1, thus laying the foundation for subsequent experimental validation. This finding offers a new strategy for pain management targeting Oprm1 and opens up a pathway for the development of novel therapeutic drugs.