Profiling Human iPSC-Derived Sensory Neurons for Analgesic Drug Screening Using a Multi-Electrode Array

Abstract

Chronic pain is a major global health issue, yet effective treatments are limited by poor translation from preclinical studies to humans. To address this, we developed a high-content screening (HCS) platform for analgesic discovery using hiPSC-derived nociceptors. These cells were cultured on multi-well micro-electrode arrays to monitor activity, achieving nearly 100% active electrodes by week two, maintaining stable activity for at least two weeks. After maturation (28 days), we exposed the nociceptors to various drugs, assessing their effects on neuronal activity, with excellent assay performance (Z’ values >0.5). Pharmacological tests showed responses to analgesic targets, including ion channels (Nav, Cav, Kv, TRPV1), neurotransmitter receptors (AMPAR, GABA-R), and kinase inhibitors (tyrosine, JAK1/2). Transcriptomic analysis confirmed the presence of these drug targets, although expression levels varied compared to primary human dorsal root ganglion cells. This HCS platform facilitates the rapid discovery of novel analgesics, reducing the risk of preclinical-to-human translation failure.MotivationChronic pain affects approximately 1.5 billion people worldwide, yet effective treatments remain elusive. A significant barrier to progress in analgesic drug discovery is the limited translation of preclinical findings to human clinical outcomes. Traditional rodent models, although widely used, often fail to accurately predict human responses, while human primary tissues are limited by scarcity, technical difficulties, and ethical concerns. Recent advancements have identified human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived nociceptors as promising alternatives; however, current differentiation protocols produce cells with inconsistent and physiologically questionable phenotypes.To address these challenges, our study introduces a novel high-content screening (HCS) platform using hiPSC-derived nociceptors cultured on multi-well micro-electrode arrays (MEAs). The “Anatomic” protocol, used to generate these nociceptors, ensures cells with transcriptomic profiles closely matching human primary sensory neurons. Our platform achieves nearly 100% active electrode yield within two weeks and demonstrates sustained, stable activity over time. Additionally, robust Z’ factor analysis (exceeding 0.5) confirms the platform’s reliability, while pharmacological validation establishes the functional expression of critical analgesic targets. This innovative approach improves both the efficiency and clinical relevance of analgesic drug screening, potentially bridging the translational gap between preclinical studies and human clinical trials, and offering new hope for effective pain management.