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Li E, Yan R, Qiao H, Sun J, Zou P, Chang J, Li S, Ma Q, Zhang R, Liao B. Combined transcriptomics and proteomics studies on the effect of electrical stimulation on spinal cord injury in rats. Heliyon 2024; 10:e23960. [PMID: 38226269 PMCID: PMC10788535 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e23960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Electrical stimulation (ES) of the spinal cord is a promising therapy for functional rehabilitation after spinal cord injury (SCI). However, the specific mechanism of action is poorly understood. We designed and applied an implanted ES device in the SCI area in rats and determined the effect of ES on the treatment of motor dysfunction after SCI using behavioral scores. Additionally, we examined the molecular characteristics of the samples using proteomic and transcriptomic sequencing. The differential molecules between groups were identified using statistical analyses. Molecular, network, and pathway-based analyses were used to identify group-specific biological features. ES (0.5 mA, 0.1 ms, 50 Hz) had a positive effect on motor dysfunction and neuronal regeneration in rats after SCI. Six samples (three independent replicates in each group) were used for transcriptome sequencing; we obtained 1026 differential genes, comprising 274 upregulated genes and 752 downregulated genes. A total of 10 samples were obtained: four samples in the ES group and six samples in the SCI group; for the proteome sequencing, 48 differential proteins were identified, including 45 up-regulated and three down-regulated proteins. Combined transcriptomic and proteomic studies have shown that the main enrichment pathway is the hedgehog signaling pathway. Western blot results showed that the expression levels of Sonic hedgehog (SHH) (P < 0.001), Smoothened (SMO) (P = 0.0338), and GLI-1 (P < 0.01) proteins in the ES treatment group were significantly higher than those in the SCI group. The immunofluorescence results showed significantly increased expression of SHH (P = 0.0181), SMO (P = 0.021), and GLI-1 (P = 0.0126) in the ES group compared with that in the SCI group. In conclusion, ES after SCI had a positive effect on motor dysfunction and anti-inflammatory effects in rats. Moreover, transcriptomic and proteomic sequencing also provided unique perspectives on the complex relationships between ES on SCI, where the SHH signaling pathway plays a critical role. Our study provides a significant theoretical foundation for the clinical implementation of ES therapy in patients with SCI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erliang Li
- Department of Joint Surgery, Honghui Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Rongbao Yan
- Department of Orthopaedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Huanhuan Qiao
- Department of Orthopaedics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Jin Sun
- Department of Orthopaedics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Peng Zou
- Department of Spine Surgery, Honghui Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Jiaqi Chang
- School of Automation Science and Electrical Engineering, Beihang University, 37th Xueyuan Road, Beijing, China
| | - Shuang Li
- Department of Orthopaedics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Qiong Ma
- Department of Orthopaedics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Rui Zhang
- Department of Spine Surgery, Honghui Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Bo Liao
- Department of Orthopaedics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
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Chambel SS, Cruz CD. Axonal growth inhibitors and their receptors in spinal cord injury: from biology to clinical translation. Neural Regen Res 2023; 18:2573-2581. [PMID: 37449592 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.373674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Axonal growth inhibitors are released during traumatic injuries to the adult mammalian central nervous system, including after spinal cord injury. These molecules accumulate at the injury site and form a highly inhibitory environment for axonal regeneration. Among these inhibitory molecules, myelin-associated inhibitors, including neurite outgrowth inhibitor A, oligodendrocyte myelin glycoprotein, myelin-associated glycoprotein, chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans and repulsive guidance molecule A are of particular importance. Due to their inhibitory nature, they represent exciting molecular targets to study axonal inhibition and regeneration after central injuries. These molecules are mainly produced by neurons, oligodendrocytes, and astrocytes within the scar and in its immediate vicinity. They exert their effects by binding to specific receptors, localized in the membranes of neurons. Receptors for these inhibitory cues include Nogo receptor 1, leucine-rich repeat, and Ig domain containing 1 and p75 neurotrophin receptor/tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily member 19 (that form a receptor complex that binds all myelin-associated inhibitors), and also paired immunoglobulin-like receptor B. Chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans and repulsive guidance molecule A bind to Nogo receptor 1, Nogo receptor 3, receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase σ and leucocyte common antigen related phosphatase, and neogenin, respectively. Once activated, these receptors initiate downstream signaling pathways, the most common amongst them being the RhoA/ROCK signaling pathway. These signaling cascades result in actin depolymerization, neurite outgrowth inhibition, and failure to regenerate after spinal cord injury. Currently, there are no approved pharmacological treatments to overcome spinal cord injuries other than physical rehabilitation and management of the array of symptoms brought on by spinal cord injuries. However, several novel therapies aiming to modulate these inhibitory proteins and/or their receptors are under investigation in ongoing clinical trials. Investigation has also been demonstrating that combinatorial therapies of growth inhibitors with other therapies, such as growth factors or stem-cell therapies, produce stronger results and their potential application in the clinics opens new venues in spinal cord injury treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sílvia Sousa Chambel
- Experimental Biology Unit, Department of Biomedicine, Faculty of Medicine of Porto; Translational NeuroUrology, Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde-i3S and IBMC, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Célia Duarte Cruz
- Experimental Biology Unit, Department of Biomedicine, Faculty of Medicine of Porto; Translational NeuroUrology, Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde-i3S and IBMC, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
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Wu Z, Li C, Zhu R, Cao Y, Chen TC, Cheng L. Reduced non-CpG methylation is a potential epigenetic target after spinal cord injury. Neural Regen Res 2023; 18:2489-2496. [PMID: 37282481 PMCID: PMC10360082 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.371399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023] Open
Abstract
DNA methylation is a critical epigenetic regulator in the occurrence and development of diseases and is closely related to various functional responses in relation to spinal cord injury. To investigate the role of DNA methylation in spinal cord injury, we constructed a library with reduced-representation bisulfite sequencing data obtained at various time points (day 0-42) after spinal cord injury in mice. Global DNA methylation levels, specifically non-CpG (CHG and CHH) methylation levels, decreased modestly following spinal cord injury. Stages post-spinal cord injury were classified as early (day 0-3), intermediate (day 7-14), and late (day 28-42) based on similarity and hierarchical clustering of global DNA methylation patterns. The non-CpG methylation level, which included CHG and CHH methylation levels, was markedly reduced despite accounting for a minor proportion of total methylation abundance. At multiple genomic sites, including the 5' untranslated regions, promoter, exon, intron, and 3' untranslated regions, the non-CpG methylation level was markedly decreased following spinal cord injury, whereas the CpG methylation level remained unchanged at these locations. Approximately one-half of the differentially methylated regions were located in intergenic areas; the other differentially methylated regions in both CpG and non-CpG regions were clustered in intron regions, where the DNA methylation level was highest. The function of genes associated with differentially methylated regions in promoter regions was also investigated. From Gene Ontology analysis results, DNA methylation was implicated in a number of essential functional responses to spinal cord injury, including neuronal synaptic connection creation and axon regeneration. Notably, neither CpG methylation nor non-CpG methylation was implicated in the functional response of glial or inflammatory cells. In summary, our work elucidated the dynamic pattern of DNA methylation in the spinal cord following injury and identified reduced non-CpG methylation as an epigenetic target after spinal cord injury in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhourui Wu
- Key Laboratory of Spine and Spinal cord Injury Repair and Regeneration (Tongji University), Ministry of Education; Division of Spine, Department of Orthopedics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine; Institute of Spinal and Spinal Cord Injury, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Chen Li
- Key Laboratory of Spine and Spinal cord Injury Repair and Regeneration (Tongji University), Ministry of Education; Division of Spine, Department of Orthopedics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine; Institute of Spinal and Spinal Cord Injury, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Ran Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Spine and Spinal cord Injury Repair and Regeneration (Tongji University), Ministry of Education; Institute of Spinal and Spinal Cord Injury, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yiqiu Cao
- Key Laboratory of Spine and Spinal cord Injury Repair and Regeneration (Tongji University), Ministry of Education; Institute of Spinal and Spinal Cord Injury, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Thomas C Chen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Keck School of Medical, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Liming Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Spine and Spinal cord Injury Repair and Regeneration (Tongji University), Ministry of Education; Division of Spine, Department of Orthopedics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine; Institute of Spinal and Spinal Cord Injury, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
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Huang B, Huang Z, Wang H, Zhu G, Liao H, Wang Z, Yang B, Ran J. High urea induces anxiety disorders associated with chronic kidney disease by promoting abnormal proliferation of OPC in amygdala. Eur J Pharmacol 2023; 957:175905. [PMID: 37640220 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2023.175905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Revised: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) with anxiety disorder is of a great concern due to its high morbidity and mortality. Urea, as an important toxin in CKD, is not only a pathological factor for complications in patients with CKD, but also is accumulated in the brain of aging and neurodegenerative diseases. However, the pathological role and underlying regulatory mechanism of urea in CKD related mood disorders have not been well established. We previously reported a depression phenotype in mice with abnormal urea metabolism. Since patients with depression are more likely to suffer from anxiety, we speculate that high urea may be an important factor causing anxiety in CKD patients. In adenine-induced CKD mouse model and UT-B-/- mouse model, multiple behavioral studies confirmed that high urea induces anxiety-like behavior. Single-cell transcriptome revealed that down-regulation of Egr1 induced compensatory proliferation of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPC). Myelin-related signaling pathways of oligodendrocytes (OL) were change significant in the urea accumulation amygdala. The study showed that high urea downregulated Egr1 with subsequent upregulation of ERK pathways in OPCs. These data indicate that the pathological role and molecular mechanism of high urea in CKD-related anxiety, and provide objective serological indicator and a potential new drug target for the prevention and treatment of anxiety in CKD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boyue Huang
- Department of Anatomy and Laboratory of Neuroscience and Tissue Engineering, Basic Medical College, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China; Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, And State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhizhen Huang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, And State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Hongkai Wang
- Laboratory of Regenerative Rehabilitation, Shirley Ryan Ability Lab, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine 2 Northwestern University Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, USA
| | - Guoqi Zhu
- Department of Anatomy and Laboratory of Neuroscience and Tissue Engineering, Basic Medical College, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Hui Liao
- Department of Anatomy and Laboratory of Neuroscience and Tissue Engineering, Basic Medical College, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Zhiwen Wang
- Department of Anatomy and Laboratory of Neuroscience and Tissue Engineering, Basic Medical College, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Baoxue Yang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, And State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, Peking University, Beijing, China.
| | - Jianhua Ran
- Department of Anatomy and Laboratory of Neuroscience and Tissue Engineering, Basic Medical College, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China; Key Laboratory of Major Brain Disease and Aging Research (Ministry of Education), Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China; Institute for Brain Science and Disease, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
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Zhiguo F, Ji W, Shenyuan C, Guoyou Z, Chen K, Hui Q, Wenrong X, Zhai X. A swift expanding trend of extracellular vesicles in spinal cord injury research: a bibliometric analysis. J Nanobiotechnology 2023; 21:289. [PMID: 37612689 PMCID: PMC10463993 DOI: 10.1186/s12951-023-02051-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) in the field of spinal cord injury (SCI) have garnered significant attention for their potential applications in diagnosis and therapy. However, no bibliometric assessment has been conducted to evaluate the scientific progress in this area. A search of articles in Web of Science (WoS) from January 1, 1991, to May 1, 2023, yielded 359 papers that were analyzed using various online analysis tools. These articles have been cited 10,842 times with 30.2 times per paper. The number of publications experienced explosive growth starting in 2015. China and the United States led this research initiative. Keywords were divided into 3 clusters, including "Pathophysiology of SCI", "Bioactive components of EVs", and "Therapeutic effects of EVs in SCI". By integrating the average appearing year (AAY) of keywords in VoSviewer with the time zone map of the Citation Explosion in CiteSpace, the focal point of research has undergone a transformative shift. The emphasis has moved away from pathophysiological factors such as "axon", "vesicle", and "glial cell" to more mechanistic and applied domains such as "activation", "pathways", "hydrogels" and "therapy". In conclusions, institutions are expected to allocate more resources towards EVs-loaded hydrogel therapy and the utilization of innovative materials for injury mitigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fan Zhiguo
- Department of Orthopedics, Shanghai Changhai Hospital, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Wu Ji
- Department of Orthopedics, Shanghai Changhai Hospital, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Chen Shenyuan
- Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine of Jiangsu Province, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Zhang Guoyou
- Department of Orthopedics, Shanghai Changhai Hospital, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Kai Chen
- Department of Orthopedics, Shanghai Changhai Hospital, Shanghai, 200433, China.
| | - Qian Hui
- Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine of Jiangsu Province, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China.
| | - Xu Wenrong
- Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine of Jiangsu Province, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China.
| | - Xiao Zhai
- Department of Orthopedics, Shanghai Changhai Hospital, Shanghai, 200433, China.
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Zheng Y, Zhao D, Xue DD, Mao YR, Cao LY, Zhang Y, Zhu GY, Yang Q, Xu DS. Nerve root magnetic stimulation improves locomotor function following spinal cord injury with electrophysiological improvements and cortical synaptic reconstruction. Neural Regen Res 2022; 17:2036-2042. [PMID: 35142694 PMCID: PMC8848603 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.335161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Following a spinal cord injury, there are usually a number of neural pathways that remain intact in the spinal cord. These residual nerve fibers are important, as they could be used to reconstruct the neural circuits that enable motor function. Our group previously designed a novel magnetic stimulation protocol, targeting the motor cortex and the spinal nerve roots, that led to significant improvements in locomotor function in patients with a chronic incomplete spinal cord injury. Here, we investigated how nerve root magnetic stimulation contributes to improved locomotor function using a rat model of spinal cord injury. Rats underwent surgery to clamp the spinal cord at T10; three days later, the rats were treated with repetitive magnetic stimulation (5 Hz, 25 pulses/train, 20 pulse trains) targeting the nerve roots at the L5–L6 vertebrae. The treatment was repeated five times a week over a period of three weeks. We found that the nerve root magnetic stimulation improved the locomotor function and enhanced nerve conduction in the injured spinal cord. In addition, the nerve root magnetic stimulation promoted the recovery of synaptic ultrastructure in the sensorimotor cortex. Overall, the results suggest that nerve root magnetic stimulation may be an effective, noninvasive method for mobilizing the residual spinal cord pathways to promote the recovery of locomotor function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya Zheng
- Department of Rehabilitation, Tongji Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Dan Zhao
- Department of Rehabilitation, Tongji Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Dong-Dong Xue
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Hebei General Hospital, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, China
| | - Ye-Ran Mao
- Department of Rehabilitation, Baoshan Branch, Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Ling-Yun Cao
- School of Rehabilitation Science, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Ye Zhang
- Department of Rehabilitation, The Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Guang-Yue Zhu
- Department of Rehabilitation, Tongji Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qi Yang
- Department of Rehabilitation, Tongji Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Dong-Sheng Xu
- School of Rehabilitation Science, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine; Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine; Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center for Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China
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