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Hu BY, Xin M, Chen M, Yu P, Zeng LZ. Mesenchymal stem cells for repairing glaucomatous optic nerve. Int J Ophthalmol 2024; 17:748-760. [PMID: 38638254 PMCID: PMC10988077 DOI: 10.18240/ijo.2024.04.20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Glaucoma is a common and complex neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive loss of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and axons. Currently, there is no effective method to address the cause of RGCs degeneration. However, studies on neuroprotective strategies for optic neuropathy have increased in recent years. Cell replacement and neuroprotection are major strategies for treating glaucoma and optic neuropathy. Regenerative medicine research into the repair of optic nerve damage using stem cells has received considerable attention. Stem cells possess the potential for multidirectional differentiation abilities and are capable of producing RGC-friendly microenvironments through paracrine effects. This article reviews a thorough researches of recent advances and approaches in stem cell repair of optic nerve injury, raising the controversies and unresolved issues surrounding the future of stem cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bai-Yu Hu
- Eye School of Chengdu University of TCM, Chengdu 610000, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Mei Xin
- Department of Ophthalmology, Chengdu First People's Hospital, Chengdu 610095, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Ming Chen
- Department of Ophthalmology, Chengdu First People's Hospital, Chengdu 610095, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Ping Yu
- Eye School of Chengdu University of TCM, Chengdu 610000, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Liu-Zhi Zeng
- Department of Ophthalmology, Chengdu First People's Hospital, Chengdu 610095, Sichuan Province, China
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2
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Gobrecht P, Gebel J, Hilla A, Gisselmann G, Fischer D. Targeting Vasohibins to Promote Axon Regeneration. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e2031232024. [PMID: 38429108 PMCID: PMC10993095 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2031-23.2024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Treatments accelerating axon regeneration in the nervous system are still clinically unavailable. However, parthenolide promotes adult sensory neurons' axon growth in culture by inhibiting microtubule detyrosination. Here, we show that overexpression of vasohibins increases microtubule detyrosination in growth cones and compromises growth in culture and in vivo. Moreover, overexpression of these proteins increases the required parthenolide concentrations to promote axon regeneration. At the same time, the partial knockdown of endogenous vasohibins or their enhancer SVBP in neurons facilitates axon growth, verifying them as pharmacological targets for promoting axon growth. In vivo, repeated intravenous application of parthenolide or its prodrug di-methyl-amino-parthenolide (DMAPT) markedly facilitates the regeneration of sensory, motor, and sympathetic axons in injured murine and rat nerves, leading to acceleration of functional recovery. Moreover, orally applied DMAPT was similarly effective in promoting nerve regeneration. Thus, pharmacological inhibition of vasohibins facilitates axon regeneration in different species and nerves, making parthenolide and DMAPT the first promising drugs for curing nerve injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Gobrecht
- Center of Pharmacology, Institute II, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Cologne D-50931, Germany
- Department of Cell Physiology, Ruhr University of Bochum, Bochum 44780, Germany
| | - Jeannette Gebel
- Center of Pharmacology, Institute II, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Cologne D-50931, Germany
- Department of Cell Physiology, Ruhr University of Bochum, Bochum 44780, Germany
| | - Alexander Hilla
- Department of Cell Physiology, Ruhr University of Bochum, Bochum 44780, Germany
| | - Günter Gisselmann
- Department of Cell Physiology, Ruhr University of Bochum, Bochum 44780, Germany
| | - Dietmar Fischer
- Center of Pharmacology, Institute II, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Cologne D-50931, Germany
- Department of Cell Physiology, Ruhr University of Bochum, Bochum 44780, Germany
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3
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Berardo A, Bacaglio CR, Báez BB, Sambuelli R, Sheikh KA, Lopez PHH. Blockade of Rho-associated kinase prevents inhibition of axon regeneration of peripheral nerves induced by anti-ganglioside antibodies. Neural Regen Res 2024; 19:895-899. [PMID: 37843226 PMCID: PMC10664126 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.382258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Anti-ganglioside antibodies are associated with delayed/poor clinical recovery in Guillain-Barrè syndrome, mostly related to halted axon regeneration. Cross-linking of cell surface gangliosides by anti-ganglioside antibodies triggers inhibition of nerve repair in in vitro and in vivo paradigms of axon regeneration. These effects involve the activation of the small GTPase RhoA/ROCK signaling pathways, which negatively modulate growth cone cytoskeleton, similarly to well stablished inhibitors of axon regeneration described so far. The aim of this work was to perform a proof of concept study to demonstrate the effectiveness of Y-27632, a selective pharmacological inhibitor of ROCK, in a mouse model of axon regeneration of peripheral nerves, where the passive immunization with a monoclonal antibody targeting gangliosides GD1a and GT1b was previously reported to exert a potent inhibitory effect on regeneration of both myelinated and unmyelinated fibers. Our results demonstrate a differential sensitivity of myelinated and unmyelinated axons to the pro-regenerative effect of Y-27632. Treatment with a total dosage of 9 mg/kg of Y-27632 resulted in a complete prevention of anti-GD1a/GT1b monoclonal antibody-mediated inhibition of axon regeneration of unmyelinated fibers to skin and the functional recovery of mechanical cutaneous sensitivity. In contrast, the same dose showed toxic effects on the regeneration of myelinated fibers. Interestingly, scale down of the dosage of Y-27632 to 5 mg/kg resulted in a significant although not complete recovery of regenerated myelinated axons exposed to anti-GD1a/GT1b monoclonal antibody in the absence of toxicity in animals exposed to only Y-27632. Overall, these findings confirm the in vivo participation of RhoA/ROCK signaling pathways in the molecular mechanisms associated with the inhibition of axon regeneration induced by anti-GD1a/GT1b monoclonal antibody. Our findings open the possibility of therapeutic pharmacological intervention targeting RhoA/Rock pathway in immune neuropathies associated with the presence of anti-ganglioside antibodies and delayed or incomplete clinical recovery after injury in the peripheral nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrés Berardo
- Laboratorio de Neurobiología, Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martin Ferreyra, (INIMEC)-Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET)-Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Cristian R. Bacaglio
- Laboratorio de Neurobiología, Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martin Ferreyra, (INIMEC)-Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET)-Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
- Departamento de Química Biológica-Centro de Investigaciones en Química Biológica de Córdoba (CIQUIBIC)- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Facultad de Cs. Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Bárbara B. Báez
- Laboratorio de Neurobiología, Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martin Ferreyra, (INIMEC)-Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET)-Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
- Departamento de Química Biológica-Centro de Investigaciones en Química Biológica de Córdoba (CIQUIBIC)- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Facultad de Cs. Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Rubén Sambuelli
- Servicio de Anatomía Patológica, Clínica Universitaria Reina Fabiola, Universidad Católica de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Kazim A. Sheikh
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Medical School at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Pablo H. H. Lopez
- Laboratorio de Neurobiología, Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martin Ferreyra, (INIMEC)-Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET)-Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
- Departamento de Química Biológica-Centro de Investigaciones en Química Biológica de Córdoba (CIQUIBIC)- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Facultad de Cs. Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
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4
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Sun Z, Chen Z, Yin M, Wu X, Guo B, Cheng X, Quan R, Sun Y, Zhang Q, Fan Y, Jin C, Yin Y, Hou X, Liu W, Shu M, Xue X, Shi Y, Chen B, Xiao Z, Dai J, Zhao Y. Harnessing developmental dynamics of spinal cord extracellular matrix improves regenerative potential of spinal cord organoids. Cell Stem Cell 2024:S1934-5909(24)00089-4. [PMID: 38565140 DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2024.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Neonatal spinal cord tissues exhibit remarkable regenerative capabilities as compared to adult spinal cord tissues after injury, but the role of extracellular matrix (ECM) in this process has remained elusive. Here, we found that early developmental spinal cord had higher levels of ECM proteins associated with neural development and axon growth, but fewer inhibitory proteoglycans, compared to those of adult spinal cord. Decellularized spinal cord ECM from neonatal (DNSCM) and adult (DASCM) rabbits preserved these differences. DNSCM promoted proliferation, migration, and neuronal differentiation of neural progenitor cells (NPCs) and facilitated axonal outgrowth and regeneration of spinal cord organoids more effectively than DASCM. Pleiotrophin (PTN) and Tenascin (TNC) in DNSCM were identified as contributors to these abilities. Furthermore, DNSCM demonstrated superior performance as a delivery vehicle for NPCs and organoids in spinal cord injury (SCI) models. This suggests that ECM cues from early development stages might significantly contribute to the prominent regeneration ability in spinal cord.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Zhenni Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Man Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xianming Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Bo Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Xiaokang Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Rui Quan
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yuting Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Qi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Yongheng Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Chen Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yanyun Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Xianglin Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Weiyuan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Muya Shu
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Xiaoyu Xue
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Ya Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Bing Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Zhifeng Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Jianwu Dai
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300192, China.
| | - Yannan Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
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Passino R, Finneran MC, Hafner H, Feng Q, Huffman LD, Zhao XF, Johnson CN, Kawaguchi R, Oses-Prieto JA, Burlingame AL, Geschwind DH, Benowitz LI, Giger RJ. Neutrophil-inflicted vasculature damage suppresses immune-mediated optic nerve regeneration. Cell Rep 2024; 43:113931. [PMID: 38492223 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.113931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024] Open
Abstract
In adult mammals, injured retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) fail to spontaneously regrow severed axons, resulting in permanent visual deficits. Robust axon growth, however, is observed after intra-ocular injection of particulate β-glucan isolated from yeast. Blood-borne myeloid cells rapidly respond to β-glucan, releasing numerous pro-regenerative factors. Unfortunately, the pro-regenerative effects are undermined by retinal damage inflicted by an overactive immune system. Here, we demonstrate that protection of the inflamed vasculature promotes immune-mediated RGC regeneration. In the absence of microglia, leakiness of the blood-retina barrier increases, pro-inflammatory neutrophils are elevated, and RGC regeneration is reduced. Functional ablation of the complement receptor 3 (CD11b/integrin-αM), but not the complement components C1q-/- or C3-/-, reduces ocular inflammation, protects the blood-retina barrier, and enhances RGC regeneration. Selective targeting of neutrophils with anti-Ly6G does not increase axogenic neutrophils but protects the blood-retina barrier and enhances RGC regeneration. Together, these findings reveal that protection of the inflamed vasculature promotes neuronal regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Passino
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Matthew C Finneran
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Hannah Hafner
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Qian Feng
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Lucas D Huffman
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Xiao-Feng Zhao
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Craig N Johnson
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Riki Kawaguchi
- Departments of Psychiatry and Neurology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Program in Neurogenetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Center for Neurobehavioral Genetics, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Juan A Oses-Prieto
- University of California San Francisco, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Alma L Burlingame
- University of California San Francisco, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Daniel H Geschwind
- Departments of Psychiatry and Neurology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Program in Neurogenetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Institute of Precision Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Larry I Benowitz
- Departments of Neurosurgery and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Neurosurgery, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston MA 02115, USA; Departmant of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Roman J Giger
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Department of Neurology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
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Sun Y, Chen D, Dai T, Yu Z, Xie H, Wang X, Zhang W. Cell-free fat extract promotes axon regeneration and retinal ganglion cells survival in traumatic optic neuropathy. Front Cell Neurosci 2024; 18:1344853. [PMID: 38515790 PMCID: PMC10954833 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2024.1344853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Injuries to axons within the central nervous system (CNS) pose a substantial clinical challenge due to their limited regenerative capacity. This study investigates the therapeutic potential of Cell-free fat extract (CEFFE) in CNS injury. CEFFE was injected intravitreally after the optic nerve was crushed. Two weeks post-injury, quantification of regenerated axons and survival rates of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) were performed. Subsequently, comprehensive gene ontology (GO) an-notation elucidated the cellular origins and functional attributes of CEFFE components. Molecular mechanisms underlying CEFFE's therapeutic effects were explored through Western blotting (WB). Additionally, levels of inflammatory factors within CEFFE were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and histological staining of microglia was conducted to assess its impact on neuroinflammation. CEFFE demonstrated a significant capacity to promote axon re-generation and enhance RGCs survival. GO annotation revealed the involvement of 146 proteins within CEFFE in axonogenesis and neurogenesis. WB analysis unveiled the multifaceted pathways through which CEFFE exerts its therapeutic effects. Elevated levels of inflammatory factors were detected through ELISA, and CEFFE exhibited a modulatory effect on microglial activation in the retinal tissue following optic nerve crush (ONC). The present study highlights the therapeutic promise of CEFFE in the management of CNS injuries, exemplified by its ability to foster axon regeneration and improve RGCs survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiyu Sun
- Department of Wound Reconstructive Surgery, Tongji Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Di Chen
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Tao Dai
- Department of Wound Reconstructive Surgery, Tongji Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ziyou Yu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Tissue Engineering, Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Shanghai 9th People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hui Xie
- Department of Geriatrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Xiangsheng Wang
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Affiliated Hangzhou First People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Wenjie Zhang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Tissue Engineering, Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Shanghai 9th People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
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Wang L, Zhang S, Han Y, Tang S, Li J, Bu L, Zhao D, Deng H. An effective pharmacological hydrogel induces optic nerve repair and improves visual function. Sci China Life Sci 2024; 67:529-542. [PMID: 38041780 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-023-2394-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023]
Abstract
Irreversible eye lesions, such as glaucoma and traumatic optic neuropathy, can cause blindness; however, no effective treatments exist. The optic nerve, in particular, lacks the capacity to spontaneously regenerate, requiring the development of an effective approach for optic nerve repair, which has proven challenging. Here, we demonstrate that a combination of the small molecules 3BDO and trichostatin A (TSA)-which regulate mTOR and HDAC, respectively-packaged in thermosensitive hydrogel for 4-week-sustained release after intravitreal injection, effectively induced optic nerve regeneration in a mouse model of optic nerve crush injury. Moreover, this combination of 3BDO and TSA also protected axon projections and improved visual responses in an old mouse model (11 months old) of glaucoma. Taken together, our data provide a new, local small molecule-based treatment for the effective induction of optic nerve repair, which may represent a foundation for the development of pharmacological methods to treat irreversible eye diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lipeng Wang
- Department of Cell Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Stem Cell Research Center, State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, 100191, China
- MOE Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation, College of Life Sciences, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Shan Zhang
- Department of Cell Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Stem Cell Research Center, State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, 100191, China
- MOE Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation, College of Life Sciences, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Yawen Han
- Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Shuo Tang
- Department of Cell Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Stem Cell Research Center, State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, 100191, China
- MOE Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation, College of Life Sciences, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Jiarui Li
- Department of Ophthalmology, Peking University People's Hospital Eye Diseases and Optometry Institute, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Lina Bu
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Dongyu Zhao
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Hongkui Deng
- Department of Cell Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Stem Cell Research Center, State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, 100191, China.
- MOE Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation, College of Life Sciences, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
- Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
- Changping Laboratory, Beijing, 102206, China.
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Bhattacharya SK, Alabiad CR, Kishor K. Appropriate patient population for future visual system axon regeneration therapies. WIREs Mech Dis 2024; 16:e1637. [PMID: 38093604 PMCID: PMC10939871 DOI: 10.1002/wsbm.1637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2024]
Abstract
A number of blinding diseases caused by damage to the optic nerve result in progressive vision loss or loss of visual acuity. Secondary glaucoma results from traumatic injuries, pseudoexfoliation or pigmentary dispersion syndrome. Progressive peripheral vision loss is common to all secondary glaucoma irrespective of the initial event. Axon regeneration is a potential therapeutic avenue to restore lost vision in these patients. In contrast to the usual approach of having the worst possible patient population for initial therapies, axon regeneration may require consideration of appropriate patient population even for initial treatment trials. The current state of axon regeneration therapies, their potential future and suitable patient population when ready is discussed in this perspective. The selection of patients are important for adoption of axon regeneration specifically in the areas of central nervous system regenerative medicine. This article is categorized under: Neurological Diseases > Molecular and Cellular Physiology Neurological Diseases > Biomedical Engineering Metabolic Diseases > Molecular and Cellular Physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Krishna Kishor
- Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, 1638 NW 10 Avenue, Miami, Florida, 33136
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Yi W, Xue Y, Qing W, Cao Y, Zhou L, Xu M, Sun Z, Li Y, Mai X, Shi L, He C, Zhang F, Duh EJ, Cao Y, Liu X. Effective treatment of optic neuropathies by intraocular delivery of MSC-sEVs through augmenting the G-CSF-macrophage pathway. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2305947121. [PMID: 38289952 PMCID: PMC10861878 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2305947121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Optic neuropathies, characterized by injury of retinal ganglion cell (RGC) axons of the optic nerve, cause incurable blindness worldwide. Mesenchymal stem cell-derived small extracellular vesicles (MSC-sEVs) represent a promising "cell-free" therapy for regenerative medicine; however, the therapeutic effect on neural restoration fluctuates, and the underlying mechanism is poorly understood. Here, we illustrated that intraocular administration of MSC-sEVs promoted both RGC survival and axon regeneration in an optic nerve crush mouse model. Mechanistically, MSC-sEVs primarily targeted retinal mural cells to release high levels of colony-stimulating factor 3 (G-CSF) that recruited a neural restorative population of Ly6Clow monocytes/monocyte-derived macrophages (Mo/MΦ). Intravitreal administration of G-CSF, a clinically proven agent for treating neutropenia, or donor Ly6Clow Mo/MΦ markedly improved neurological outcomes in vivo. Together, our data define a unique mechanism of MSC-sEV-induced G-CSF-to-Ly6Clow Mo/MΦ signaling in repairing optic nerve injury and highlight local delivery of MSC-sEVs, G-CSF, and Ly6Clow Mo/MΦ as therapeutic paradigms for the treatment of optic neuropathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Yi
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou510060, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ying Xue
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou510060, People’s Republic of China
| | - Wenjie Qing
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou510060, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yingxue Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou510060, People’s Republic of China
| | - Lingli Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou510060, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21287
| | - Mingming Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou510060, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zehui Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou510060, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yuying Li
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou510060, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaomei Mai
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou510060, People’s Republic of China
| | - Le Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou510060, People’s Republic of China
| | - Chang He
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou510060, People’s Republic of China
| | - Feng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou510060, People’s Republic of China
| | - Elia J. Duh
- Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21287
| | - Yihai Cao
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm17165, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Xialin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou510060, People’s Republic of China
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10
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Yoshida T, Tashiro S, Nagoshi N, Shinozaki M, Shibata T, Inoue M, Ogawa S, Shibata S, Tsuji T, Okano H, Nakamura M. Chronic Spinal Cord Injury Regeneration with Combined Therapy Comprising Neural Stem/Progenitor Cell Transplantation, Rehabilitation, and Semaphorin 3A Inhibitor. eNeuro 2024; 11:ENEURO.0378-23.2024. [PMID: 38262737 PMCID: PMC10866332 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0378-23.2024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Spinal cord injury (SCI) often results in various long-term sequelae, and chronically injured spinal cords exhibit a refractory feature, showing a limited response to cell transplantation therapies. To our knowledge, no preclinical studies have reported a treatment approach with results surpassing those of treatment comprising rehabilitation alone. In this study of rats with SCI, we propose a novel combined therapy involving a semaphorin 3A inhibitor (Sema3Ai), which enhances axonal regeneration, as the third treatment element in combination with neural stem/progenitor cell transplantation and rehabilitation. This comprehensive therapeutic strategy achieved significant improvements in host-derived neuronal and oligodendrocyte differentiation at the SCI epicenter and promoted axonal regeneration even in the chronically injured spinal cord. The elongated axons established functional electrical connections, contributing to significant enhancements in locomotor mobility when compared with animals treated with transplantation and rehabilitation. As a result, our combined transplantation, Sema3Ai, and rehabilitation treatment have the potential to serve as a critical step forward for chronic SCI patients, improving their ability to regain motor function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takashi Yoshida
- Departments of Rehabilitation Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
| | - Syoichi Tashiro
- Departments of Rehabilitation Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
| | - Narihito Nagoshi
- Orthopaedic Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
| | - Munehisa Shinozaki
- Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
| | - Takahiro Shibata
- Orthopaedic Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
| | - Mitsuhiro Inoue
- Regenerative and Cellular Medicine Kobe Center, Sumitomo Pharma, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0047, Japan
| | - Shoji Ogawa
- Formulation Research & Development Laboratories, Sumitomo Pharma, Suita, Osaka 564-0053, Japan
| | - Shinsuke Shibata
- Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
- Division of Microscopic Anatomy, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Niigata-shi, Niigata 951-8510, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Tsuji
- Departments of Rehabilitation Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
| | - Hideyuki Okano
- Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
| | - Masaya Nakamura
- Orthopaedic Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
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11
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De Lima S, Mietto BS, Ribas VT, Ribeiro-Resende VT, Oliveira ALR, Park KK. Editorial: Promoting nervous system regeneration by treatments targeting neuron-glia interactions. Front Cell Neurosci 2024; 17:1355469. [PMID: 38273976 PMCID: PMC10808721 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1355469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Silmara De Lima
- Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
- Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Bruno Siqueira Mietto
- Department of Biology, Institute of Biomedical Science, Juiz de Fora Federal University, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Vinicius Toledo Ribas
- Morphology Department, Institute of Biomedical Science, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | | | | | - Kevin K. Park
- Department of Ophthalmology and Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States
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12
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Chen Z, Sun Z, Fan Y, Yin M, Jin C, Guo B, Yin Y, Quan R, Zhao S, Han S, Cheng X, Liu W, Chen B, Xiao Z, Dai J, Zhao Y. Mimicked Spinal Cord Fibers Trigger Axonal Regeneration and Remyelination after Injury. ACS Nano 2023; 17:25591-25613. [PMID: 38078771 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c09892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2023]
Abstract
Spinal cord injury (SCI) causes tissue structure damage and composition changes of the neural parenchyma, resulting in severe consequences for spinal cord function. Mimicking the components and microstructure of spinal cord tissues holds promise for restoring the regenerative microenvironment after SCI. Here, we have utilized electrospinning technology to develop aligned decellularized spinal cord fibers (A-DSCF) without requiring synthetic polymers or organic solvents. A-DSCF preserves multiple types of spinal cord extracellular matrix proteins and forms a parallel-oriented structure. Compared to aligned collagen fibers (A-CF), A-DSCF exhibits stronger mechanical properties, improved enzymatic stability, and superior functionality in the adhesion, proliferation, axonal extension, and myelination of differentiated neural progenitor cells (NPCs). Notably, axon extension or myelination has been primarily linked to Agrin (AGRN), Laminin (LN), or Collagen type IV (COL IV) proteins in A-DSCF. When transplanted into rats with complete SCI, A-DSCF loaded with NPCs improves the survival, maturation, axon regeneration, and motor function of the SCI rats. These findings highlight the potential of structurally and compositionally biomimetic scaffolds to promote axonal extension and remyelination after SCI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenni Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Zheng Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yongheng Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Man Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Chen Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Bo Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Yanyun Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Rui Quan
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Shuaijing Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Shuyu Han
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xiaokang Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Weiyuan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Bing Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Zhifeng Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Jianwu Dai
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300192, China
| | - Yannan Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
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13
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Hu J, Zhang G, Rodemer W, Jin LQ, Selzer ME. Combined RhoA morpholino and ChABC treatment protects identified lamprey neurons from retrograde apoptosis after spinal cord injury. Front Cell Neurosci 2023; 17:1292012. [PMID: 38179205 PMCID: PMC10764559 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1292012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Previously, we reported that RhoA knockdown by morpholino antisense oligonucleotides (MOs), and enzymatic digestion of chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPGs) at the site of injury with chondroitinase ABC (ChABC), each can reduce retrograde neuronal apoptosis after spinal cord transection in the lamprey. To elucidate the mechanisms in neuronal survival and axon regeneration, we have investigated whether these two effects are additive in vivo. We used lampreys as a spinal cord injury model. MOs were used to knockdown RhoA and Chondroitinase ABC (ChABC) was used to digest CSPGs in vivo. Retrograde labeling, fluorochrome-labeled inhibitor of caspase activity (FLICA), immunohistochemistry, and western blots were performed to assess axonal regeneration, neuronal apoptotic signaling and Akt activation. Four treatment combinations were evaluated at 2-, 4-, and 10-weeks post-transection: (1) Control MO plus enzyme buffer (Ctrl); (2) control MO plus ChABC; (3) RhoA MO plus enzyme buffer (RhoA MO); and (4) RhoA MO plus ChABC (RhoA MO + ChABC). Consistent with our previous findings, at 4-weeks post-transection, there was less caspase activation in the ChABC and RhoA MO groups than in the Ctrl group. Moreover, the RhoA MO plus ChABC group had the best protective effect on identified reticulospinal (RS) neurons among the four treatment combinations. At 2 weeks post-transection, when axons have retracted maximally in the rostral stump and are beginning to regenerate back toward the lesion, the axon tips in the three treatment groups each were closer to the transection than those in the Ctr MO plus enzyme buffer group. Long-term axon regeneration also was evaluated for the large, individually identified RS neurons at 10 weeks post-transection by retrograde labeling. The percent regenerated axons in the RhoA MO plus ChABC group was greater than that in any of the other groups. Akt phosphorylation levels at threonine 308 was quantified in the identified RS neurons by western blots and immunofluorescence. The RhoA MO plus ChABC treatment enhanced pAkt-308 phosphorylation more than any of the other treatment groups. Although some of the effects of CSPGs are mediated through RhoA activation, some growth-inhibiting mechanisms of RhoA and CSPGs are independent of each other, so combinatorial therapies may be warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianli Hu
- Center for Neural Repair and Rehabilitation (Shriners Hospitals Pediatric Research Center), Lewis Katz School of Medicine (LKSOM) at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Department of Neural Sciences, LKSOM, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Guixin Zhang
- Center for Neural Repair and Rehabilitation (Shriners Hospitals Pediatric Research Center), Lewis Katz School of Medicine (LKSOM) at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Department of Neural Sciences, LKSOM, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - William Rodemer
- Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Li-Qing Jin
- Center for Neural Repair and Rehabilitation (Shriners Hospitals Pediatric Research Center), Lewis Katz School of Medicine (LKSOM) at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Department of Neural Sciences, LKSOM, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Michael E. Selzer
- Center for Neural Repair and Rehabilitation (Shriners Hospitals Pediatric Research Center), Lewis Katz School of Medicine (LKSOM) at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Department of Neural Sciences, LKSOM, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Department of Neurology, LKSOM, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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14
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Au NPB, Wu T, Chen X, Gao F, Li YTY, Tam WY, Yu KN, Geschwind DH, Coppola G, Wang X, Ma CHE. Genome-wide study reveals novel roles for formin-2 in axon regeneration as a microtubule dynamics regulator and therapeutic target for nerve repair. Neuron 2023; 111:3970-3987.e8. [PMID: 38086376 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.11.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Peripheral nerves regenerate successfully; however, clinical outcome after injury is poor. We demonstrated that low-dose ionizing radiation (LDIR) promoted axon regeneration and function recovery after peripheral nerve injury (PNI). Genome-wide CpG methylation profiling identified LDIR-induced hypermethylation of the Fmn2 promoter, exhibiting injury-induced Fmn2 downregulation in dorsal root ganglia (DRGs). Constitutive knockout or neuronal Fmn2 knockdown accelerated nerve repair and function recovery. Mechanistically, increased microtubule dynamics at growth cones was observed in time-lapse imaging of Fmn2-deficient DRG neurons. Increased HDAC5 phosphorylation and rapid tubulin deacetylation were found in regenerating axons of neuronal Fmn2-knockdown mice after injury. Growth-promoting effect of neuronal Fmn2 knockdown was eliminated by pharmaceutical blockade of HDAC5 or neuronal Hdac5 knockdown, suggesting that Fmn2deletion promotes axon regeneration via microtubule post-translational modification. In silico screening of FDA-approved drugs identified metaxalone, administered either immediately or 24-h post-injury, accelerating function recovery. This work uncovers a novel axon regeneration function of Fmn2 and a small-molecule strategy for PNI.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tan Wu
- Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; Department of Biomedical Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Xinyu Chen
- Department of Neuroscience, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Feng Gao
- Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; Department of Biomedical Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | | | - Wing Yip Tam
- Department of Neuroscience, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Kwan Ngok Yu
- Department of Physics, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Daniel H Geschwind
- Program in Neurogenetics, Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Department of Human Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Giovanni Coppola
- Program in Neurogenetics, Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Department of Human Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Xin Wang
- Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; Department of Biomedical Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Chi Him Eddie Ma
- Department of Neuroscience, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
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15
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Kim HJ, Saikia JM, Monte KMA, Ha E, Romaus-Sanjurjo D, Sanchez JJ, Moore AX, Hernaiz-Llorens M, Chavez-Martinez CL, Agba CK, Li H, Zhang J, Lusk DT, Cervantes KM, Zheng B. Deep scRNA sequencing reveals a broadly applicable Regeneration Classifier and implicates antioxidant response in corticospinal axon regeneration. Neuron 2023; 111:3953-3969.e5. [PMID: 37848024 PMCID: PMC10843387 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.09.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023]
Abstract
Despite substantial progress in understanding the biology of axon regeneration in the CNS, our ability to promote regeneration of the clinically important corticospinal tract (CST) after spinal cord injury remains limited. To understand regenerative heterogeneity, we conducted patch-based single-cell RNA sequencing on rare regenerating CST neurons at high depth following PTEN and SOCS3 deletion. Supervised classification with Garnett gave rise to a Regeneration Classifier, which can be broadly applied to predict the regenerative potential of diverse neuronal types across developmental stages or after injury. Network analyses highlighted the importance of antioxidant response and mitochondrial biogenesis. Conditional gene deletion validated a role for NFE2L2 (or NRF2), a master regulator of antioxidant response, in CST regeneration. Our data demonstrate a universal transcriptomic signature underlying the regenerative potential of vastly different neuronal populations and illustrate that deep sequencing of only hundreds of phenotypically identified neurons has the power to advance regenerative biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugo J Kim
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Junmi M Saikia
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; Neurosciences Graduate Program, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA USA
| | - Katlyn Marie A Monte
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Eunmi Ha
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Daniel Romaus-Sanjurjo
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Joshua J Sanchez
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Andrea X Moore
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Marc Hernaiz-Llorens
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Carmine L Chavez-Martinez
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; Graduate program in Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Chimuanya K Agba
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; Neurosciences Graduate Program, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA USA
| | - Haoyue Li
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Joseph Zhang
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Daniel T Lusk
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Kayla M Cervantes
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Binhai Zheng
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; VA San Diego Research Service, San Diego, CA, USA.
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16
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Long RM, Ong H, Wang WX, Komirishetty P, Areti A, Chandrasekhar A, Larouche M, Lefebvre JL, Zochodne DW. The Role of Protocadherin γ in Adult Sensory Neurons and Skin Reinnervation. J Neurosci 2023; 43:8348-8366. [PMID: 37821230 PMCID: PMC10711737 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1940-22.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The clustered protocadherins (cPcdhs) play a critical role in the patterning of several CNS axon and dendritic arbors, through regulation of homophilic self and neighboring interactions. While not explored, primary peripheral sensory afferents that innervate the epidermis may require similar constraints to convey spatial signals with appropriate fidelity. Here, we show that members of the γ-Pcdh (Pcdhγ) family are expressed in both adult sensory neuron axons and in neighboring keratinocytes that have close interactions during skin reinnervation. Adult mice of both sexes were studied. Pcdhγ knock-down either through small interfering RNA (siRNA) transduction or AAV-Cre recombinase transfection of adult mouse primary sensory neurons from floxed Pcdhγ mice was associated with a remarkable rise in neurite outgrowth and branching. Rises in outgrowth were abrogated by Rac1 inhibition. Moreover, AAV-Cre knock-down in Pcdhγ floxed neurons generated a rise in neurite self-intersections, and a robust rise in neighbor intersections or tiling, suggesting a role in sensory axon repulsion. Interestingly, preconditioned (3-d axotomy) neurons with enhanced growth had temporary declines in Pcdhγ and lessened outgrowth from Pcdhγ siRNA. In vivo, mice with local hindpaw skin Pcdhγ knock-down by siRNA had accelerated reinnervation by new epidermal axons with greater terminal branching and reduced intra-axonal spacing. Pcdhγ knock-down also had reciprocal impacts on keratinocyte density and nuclear size. Taken together, this work provides evidence for a role of Pcdhγ in attenuating outgrowth of sensory axons and their interactions, with implications in how new reinnervating axons following injury fare amid skin keratinocytes that also express Pcdhγ.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The molecular mechanisms and potential constraints that govern skin reinnervation and patterning by sensory axons are largely unexplored. Here, we show that γ-protocadherins (Pcdhγ) may help to dictate interaction not only among axons but also between axons and keratinocytes as the former re-enter the skin during reinnervation. Pcdhγ neuronal knock-down enhances outgrowth in peripheral sensory neurons, involving the growth cone protein Rac1 whereas skin Pcdhγ knock-down generates rises in terminal epidermal axon growth and branching during re-innervation. Manipulation of sensory axon regrowth within the epidermis offers an opportunity to influence regenerative outcomes following nerve injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca M Long
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine and the Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2G3, Canada
| | - Honyi Ong
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine and the Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2G3, Canada
| | - Wendy Xueyi Wang
- Program for Neuroscience and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1X8, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5R 0A3, Canada
| | - Prashanth Komirishetty
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine and the Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2G3, Canada
| | - Aparna Areti
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine and the Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2G3, Canada
| | - Ambika Chandrasekhar
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine and the Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2G3, Canada
| | - Matt Larouche
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine and the Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2G3, Canada
| | - Julie L Lefebvre
- Program for Neuroscience and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1X8, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5R 0A3, Canada
| | - Douglas W Zochodne
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine and the Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2G3, Canada
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17
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Milton AJ, Kwok JC, McClellan J, Randall SG, Lathia JD, Warren PM, Silver DJ, Silver J. Recovery of Forearm and Fine Digit Function After Chronic Spinal Cord Injury by Simultaneous Blockade of Inhibitory Matrix Chondroitin Sulfate Proteoglycan Production and the Receptor PTPσ. J Neurotrauma 2023; 40:2500-2521. [PMID: 37606910 PMCID: PMC10698859 DOI: 10.1089/neu.2023.0117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Spinal cord injuries (SCI), for which there are limited effective treatments, result in enduring paralysis and hypoesthesia, in part because of the inhibitory microenvironment that develops and limits regeneration/sprouting, especially during chronic stages. Recently, we discovered that targeted enzymatic removal of the inhibitory chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan (CSPG) component of the extracellular and perineuronal net (PNN) matrix via Chondroitinase ABC (ChABC) rapidly restored robust respiratory function to the previously paralyzed hemi-diaphragm after remarkably long times post-injury (up to 1.5 years) following a cervical level 2 lateral hemi-transection. Importantly, ChABC treatment at cervical level 4 in this chronic model also elicited improvements in gross upper arm function. In the present study, we focused on arm and hand function, seeking to highlight and optimize crude as well as fine motor control of the forearm and digits at lengthy chronic stages post-injury. However, instead of using ChABC, we utilized a novel and more clinically relevant systemic combinatorial treatment strategy designed to simultaneously reduce and overcome inhibitory CSPGs. Following a 3-month upper cervical spinal hemi-lesion using adult female Sprague Dawley rats, we show that the combined treatment had a profound effect on functional recovery of the chronically paralyzed forelimb and paw, as well as on precision movements of the digits. The regenerative and immune system related events that we describe deepen our basic understanding of the crucial role of CSPG-mediated inhibition via the PTPσ receptor in constraining functional synaptic plasticity at lengthy time points following SCI, hopefully leading to clinically relevant translational benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrianna J. Milton
- Department of Neurosciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Jessica C.F. Kwok
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
- Institute of Experimental Medicine, Czech Academy of Science, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jacob McClellan
- Department of Neurosciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Sabre G. Randall
- Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences, Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Justin D. Lathia
- Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences, Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Philippa M. Warren
- Department of Neurosciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
- Wolfson Centre for Age-Related Diseases, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel J. Silver
- Department of Neurosciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
- Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences, Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Jerry Silver
- Department of Neurosciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
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18
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Ma C, Wang J, Tu Q, Bo W, Hu Z, Zhuo R, Wu R, Dong Z, Qiang L, Liu Y, Liu M. Fidgetin interacting with microtubule end binding protein EB3 affects axonal regrowth in spinal cord injury. Neural Regen Res 2023; 18:2727-2732. [PMID: 37449637 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.373716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Fidgetin, a microtubule-severing enzyme, regulates neurite outgrowth, axonal regeneration, and cell migration by trimming off the labile domain of microtubule polymers. Because maintenance of the microtubule labile domain is essential for axon initiation, elongation, and navigation, it is of interest to determine whether augmenting the microtubule labile domain via depletion of fidgetin serves as a therapeutic approach to promote axonal regrowth in spinal cord injury. In this study, we constructed rat models of spinal cord injury and sciatic nerve injury. Compared with spinal cord injury, we found that expression level of tyrosinated microtubules in the labile portion of microtubules continuously increased, whereas fidgetin decreased after peripheral nerve injury. Depletion of fidgetin enhanced axon regeneration after spinal cord injury, whereas expression level of end binding protein 3 (EB3) markedly increased. Next, we performed RNA interference to knockdown EB3 or fidgetin. We found that deletion of EB3 did not change fidgetin expression. Conversely, deletion of fidgetin markedly increased expression of tyrosinated microtubules and EB3. Deletion of fidgetin increased the amount of EB3 at the end of neurites and thereby increased the level of tyrosinated microtubules. Finally, we deleted EB3 and overexpressed fidgetin. We found that fidgetin trimmed tyrosinated tubulins by interacting with EB3. When fidgetin was deleted, the labile portion of microtubules was elongated, and as a result the length of axons and number of axon branches were increased. These findings suggest that fidgetin can be used as a novel therapeutic target to promote axonal regeneration after spinal cord injury. Furthermore, they reveal an innovative mechanism by which fidgetin preferentially severs labile microtubules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Ma
- Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Tissue Engineering Technology Products, Nantong University; Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Junpei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Tissue Engineering Technology Products, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Qifeng Tu
- Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Tissue Engineering Technology Products, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Weijuan Bo
- Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Tissue Engineering Technology Products, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Zunlu Hu
- Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Tissue Engineering Technology Products, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Run Zhuo
- Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Tissue Engineering Technology Products, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Ronghua Wu
- Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Tissue Engineering Technology Products, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Zhangji Dong
- Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Tissue Engineering Technology Products, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Liang Qiang
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Yan Liu
- Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Tissue Engineering Technology Products, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Mei Liu
- Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Tissue Engineering Technology Products, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China
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19
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Jiang J, Zhang L, Zou J, Liu J, Yang J, Jiang Q, Duan P, Jiang B. Phosphorylated S6K1 and 4E-BP1 play different roles in constitutively active Rheb-mediated retinal ganglion cell survival and axon regeneration after optic nerve injury. Neural Regen Res 2023; 18:2526-2534. [PMID: 37282486 PMCID: PMC10360084 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.371372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Ras homolog enriched in brain (Rheb) is a small GTPase that activates mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1). Previous studies have shown that constitutively active Rheb can enhance the regeneration of sensory axons after spinal cord injury by activating downstream effectors of mTOR. S6K1 and 4E-BP1 are important downstream effectors of mTORC1. In this study, we investigated the role of Rheb/mTOR and its downstream effectors S6K1 and 4E-BP1 in the protection of retinal ganglion cells. We transfected an optic nerve crush mouse model with adeno-associated viral 2-mediated constitutively active Rheb and observed the effects on retinal ganglion cell survival and axon regeneration. We found that overexpression of constitutively active Rheb promoted survival of retinal ganglion cells in the acute (14 days) and chronic (21 and 42 days) stages of injury. We also found that either co-expression of the dominant-negative S6K1 mutant or the constitutively active 4E-BP1 mutant together with constitutively active Rheb markedly inhibited axon regeneration of retinal ganglion cells. This suggests that mTORC1-mediated S6K1 activation and 4E-BP1 inhibition were necessary components for constitutively active Rheb-induced axon regeneration. However, only S6K1 activation, but not 4E-BP1 knockdown, induced axon regeneration when applied alone. Furthermore, S6K1 activation promoted the survival of retinal ganglion cells at 14 days post-injury, whereas 4E-BP1 knockdown unexpectedly slightly decreased the survival of retinal ganglion cells at 14 days post-injury. Overexpression of constitutively active 4E-BP1 increased the survival of retinal ganglion cells at 14 days post-injury. Likewise, co-expressing constitutively active Rheb and constitutively active 4E-BP1 markedly increased the survival of retinal ganglion cells compared with overexpression of constitutively active Rheb alone at 14 days post-injury. These findings indicate that functional 4E-BP1 and S6K1 are neuroprotective and that 4E-BP1 may exert protective effects through a pathway at least partially independent of Rheb/mTOR. Together, our results show that constitutively active Rheb promotes the survival of retinal ganglion cells and axon regeneration through modulating S6K1 and 4E-BP1 activity. Phosphorylated S6K1 and 4E-BP1 promote axon regeneration but play an antagonistic role in the survival of retinal ganglion cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jikuan Jiang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University; Hunan Clinical Research Center of Ophthalmic Disease, Changsha, Hunan Province, China
| | - Lusi Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University; Hunan Clinical Research Center of Ophthalmic Disease, Changsha, Hunan Province, China
| | - Jingling Zou
- Department of Ophthalmology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University; Hunan Clinical Research Center of Ophthalmic Disease, Changsha, Hunan Province, China
| | - Jingyuan Liu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University; Hunan Clinical Research Center of Ophthalmic Disease, Changsha, Hunan Province, China
| | - Jia Yang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University; Hunan Clinical Research Center of Ophthalmic Disease, Changsha, Hunan Province, China
| | - Qian Jiang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University; Hunan Clinical Research Center of Ophthalmic Disease, Changsha, Hunan Province, China
| | - Peiyun Duan
- Department of Ophthalmology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University; Hunan Clinical Research Center of Ophthalmic Disease, Changsha, Hunan Province, China
| | - Bing Jiang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University; Hunan Clinical Research Center of Ophthalmic Disease, Changsha, Hunan Province, China
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20
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Benowitz LI, Xie L, Yin Y. Inflammatory Mediators of Axon Regeneration in the Central and Peripheral Nervous Systems. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:15359. [PMID: 37895039 PMCID: PMC10607492 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242015359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Although most pathways in the mature central nervous system cannot regenerate when injured, research beginning in the late 20th century has led to discoveries that may help reverse this situation. Here, we highlight research in recent years from our laboratory identifying oncomodulin (Ocm), stromal cell-derived factor (SDF)-1, and chemokine CCL5 as growth factors expressed by cells of the innate immune system that promote axon regeneration in the injured optic nerve and elsewhere in the central and peripheral nervous systems. We also review the role of ArmC10, a newly discovered Ocm receptor, in mediating many of these effects, and the synergy between inflammation-derived growth factors and complementary strategies to promote regeneration, including deleting genes encoding cell-intrinsic suppressors of axon growth, manipulating transcription factors that suppress or promote the expression of growth-related genes, and manipulating cell-extrinsic suppressors of axon growth. In some cases, combinatorial strategies have led to unprecedented levels of nerve regeneration. The identification of some similar mechanisms in human neurons offers hope that key discoveries made in animal models may eventually lead to treatments to improve outcomes after neurological damage in patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larry I. Benowitz
- Department of Neurosurgery, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA; (L.X.); (Y.Y.)
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Lili Xie
- Department of Neurosurgery, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA; (L.X.); (Y.Y.)
- Department of Neurosurgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, China
| | - Yuqin Yin
- Department of Neurosurgery, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA; (L.X.); (Y.Y.)
- Department of Neurosurgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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21
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Leibinger M, Zeitler C, Paulat M, Gobrecht P, Hilla A, Andreadaki A, Guthoff R, Fischer D. Inhibition of microtubule detyrosination by parthenolide facilitates functional CNS axon regeneration. eLife 2023; 12:RP88279. [PMID: 37846146 PMCID: PMC10581688 DOI: 10.7554/elife.88279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Injured axons in the central nervous system (CNS) usually fail to regenerate, causing permanent disabilities. However, the knockdown of Pten knockout or treatment of neurons with hyper-IL-6 (hIL-6) transforms neurons into a regenerative state, allowing them to regenerate axons in the injured optic nerve and spinal cord. Transneuronal delivery of hIL-6 to the injured brain stem neurons enables functional recovery after severe spinal cord injury. Here we demonstrate that the beneficial hIL-6 and Pten knockout effects on axon growth are limited by the induction of tubulin detyrosination in axonal growth cones. Hence, cotreatment with parthenolide, a compound blocking microtubule detyrosination, synergistically accelerates neurite growth of cultured murine CNS neurons and primary RGCs isolated from adult human eyes. Systemic application of the prodrug dimethylamino-parthenolide (DMAPT) facilitates axon regeneration in the injured optic nerve and spinal cord. Moreover, combinatorial treatment further improves hIL-6-induced axon regeneration and locomotor recovery after severe SCI. Thus, DMAPT facilitates functional CNS regeneration and reduces the limiting effects of pro-regenerative treatments, making it a promising drug candidate for treating CNS injuries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Leibinger
- Center for Pharmacology, Institute II, Medical Faculty and University of CologneCologneGermany
- Department of Cell Physiology, Ruhr University of BochumBochumGermany
| | - Charlotte Zeitler
- Center for Pharmacology, Institute II, Medical Faculty and University of CologneCologneGermany
- Department of Cell Physiology, Ruhr University of BochumBochumGermany
| | - Miriam Paulat
- Department of Cell Physiology, Ruhr University of BochumBochumGermany
| | - Philipp Gobrecht
- Center for Pharmacology, Institute II, Medical Faculty and University of CologneCologneGermany
- Department of Cell Physiology, Ruhr University of BochumBochumGermany
| | - Alexander Hilla
- Department of Cell Physiology, Ruhr University of BochumBochumGermany
| | - Anastasia Andreadaki
- Center for Pharmacology, Institute II, Medical Faculty and University of CologneCologneGermany
- Department of Cell Physiology, Ruhr University of BochumBochumGermany
| | - Rainer Guthoff
- Eye Hospital, Heinrich Heine University DüsseldorfDüsseldorfGermany
| | - Dietmar Fischer
- Center for Pharmacology, Institute II, Medical Faculty and University of CologneCologneGermany
- Department of Cell Physiology, Ruhr University of BochumBochumGermany
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22
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Choi JS, Ayupe AC, Beckedorff F, Catanuto P, McCartan R, Levay K, Park KK. Single-nucleus RNA sequencing of developing superior colliculus identifies neuronal diversity and candidate mediators of circuit assembly. Cell Rep 2023; 42:113037. [PMID: 37624694 PMCID: PMC10592058 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The superior colliculus (SC) is a sensorimotor structure in the midbrain that integrates input from multiple sensory modalities to initiate motor commands. It undergoes well-characterized steps of circuit assembly during development, rendering the mouse SC a popular model to study establishment of neural connectivity. Here we perform single-nucleus RNA-sequencing analysis of the mouse SC isolated at various developmental time points. Our study provides a transcriptomic landscape of the cell types that comprise the SC across murine development with particular emphasis on neuronal heterogeneity. We report a repertoire of genes differentially expressed across the different postnatal ages, many of which are known to regulate axon guidance and synapse formation. Using these data, we find that Pax7 expression is restricted to a subset of GABAergic neurons. Our data provide a valuable resource for interrogating the mechanisms of circuit development and identifying markers for manipulating specific SC neuronal populations and circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- James S Choi
- Department of Neurological Surgery, The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 1095 NW 14th Ter., Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Ana C Ayupe
- Department of Neurological Surgery, The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 1095 NW 14th Ter., Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Felipe Beckedorff
- Department of Human Genetics, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 1501 NW 10th Avenue, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Paola Catanuto
- Department of Neurological Surgery, The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 1095 NW 14th Ter., Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Robyn McCartan
- Department of Neurological Surgery, The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 1095 NW 14th Ter., Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Konstantin Levay
- Department of Neurological Surgery, The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 1095 NW 14th Ter., Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Kevin K Park
- Department of Neurological Surgery, The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 1095 NW 14th Ter., Miami, FL 33136, USA.
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23
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Schaeffer J, Vilallongue N, Decourt C, Blot B, El Bakdouri N, Plissonnier E, Excoffier B, Paccard A, Diaz JJ, Humbert S, Catez F, Saudou F, Nawabi H, Belin S. Customization of the translational complex regulates mRNA-specific translation to control CNS regeneration. Neuron 2023; 111:2881-2898.e12. [PMID: 37442131 PMCID: PMC10522804 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Revised: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023]
Abstract
In the adult mammalian central nervous system (CNS), axons fail to regenerate spontaneously after injury because of a combination of extrinsic and intrinsic factors. Despite recent advances targeting the intrinsic regenerative properties of adult neurons, the molecular mechanisms underlying axon regeneration are not fully understood. Here, we uncover a regulatory mechanism that controls the expression of key proteins involved in regeneration at the translational level. Our results show that mRNA-specific translation is critical for promoting axon regeneration. Indeed, we demonstrate that specific ribosome-interacting proteins, such as the protein Huntingtin (HTT), selectively control the translation of a specific subset of mRNAs. Moreover, modulating the expression of these translationally regulated mRNAs is crucial for promoting axon regeneration. Altogether, our findings highlight that selective translation through the customization of the translational complex is a key mechanism of axon regeneration with major implications in the development of therapeutic strategies for CNS repair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Schaeffer
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Inserm, U1216, CHU Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble Institut Neurosciences, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Noemie Vilallongue
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Inserm, U1216, CHU Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble Institut Neurosciences, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Charlotte Decourt
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Inserm, U1216, CHU Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble Institut Neurosciences, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Beatrice Blot
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Inserm, U1216, CHU Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble Institut Neurosciences, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Nacera El Bakdouri
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Inserm, U1216, CHU Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble Institut Neurosciences, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Elise Plissonnier
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Inserm, U1216, CHU Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble Institut Neurosciences, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Blandine Excoffier
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Inserm, U1216, CHU Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble Institut Neurosciences, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Antoine Paccard
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Inserm, U1216, CHU Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble Institut Neurosciences, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Jean-Jacques Diaz
- Inserm U1052, CNRS UMR5286, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Lyon, 69000 Lyon, France; Centre Léon Bérard, 69008 Lyon, France; Université de Lyon 1, 69000 Lyon, France
| | - Sandrine Humbert
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Inserm, U1216, CHU Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble Institut Neurosciences, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Frederic Catez
- Inserm U1052, CNRS UMR5286, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Lyon, 69000 Lyon, France; Centre Léon Bérard, 69008 Lyon, France; Université de Lyon 1, 69000 Lyon, France
| | - Frederic Saudou
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Inserm, U1216, CHU Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble Institut Neurosciences, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Homaira Nawabi
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Inserm, U1216, CHU Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble Institut Neurosciences, 38000 Grenoble, France.
| | - Stephane Belin
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Inserm, U1216, CHU Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble Institut Neurosciences, 38000 Grenoble, France.
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24
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Jeon Y, Shin YK, Kim H, Choi YY, Kang M, Kwon Y, Cho Y, Chi SW, Shin JE. βPix Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factor Regulates Regeneration of Injured Peripheral Axons. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14357. [PMID: 37762659 PMCID: PMC10532151 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241814357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Axon regeneration is essential for successful recovery after peripheral nerve injury. Although growth cone reformation and axonal extension are crucial steps in axonal regeneration, the regulatory mechanisms underlying these dynamic processes are poorly understood. Here, we identify βPix (Arhgef7), the guanine nucleotide exchange factor for Rac1 GTPase, as a regulator of axonal regeneration. After sciatic nerve injury in mice, the expression levels of βPix increase significantly in nerve segments containing regenerating axons. In regrowing axons, βPix is localized in the peripheral domain of the growth cone. Using βPix neuronal isoform knockout (NIKO) mice in which the neuronal isoforms of βPix are specifically removed, we demonstrate that βPix promotes neurite outgrowth in cultured dorsal root ganglion neurons and in vivo axon regeneration after sciatic nerve crush injury. Activation of cJun and STAT3 in the cell bodies is not affected in βPix NIKO mice, supporting the local action of βPix in regenerating axons. Finally, inhibiting Src, a kinase previously identified as an activator of the βPix neuronal isoform, causes axon outgrowth defects in vitro, like those found in the βPix NIKO neurons. Altogether, these data indicate that βPix plays an important role in axonal regrowth during peripheral nerve regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yewon Jeon
- Department of Life Sciences, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea;
- Peripheral Neuropathy Research Center (PNRC), Department of Molecular Neuroscience, College of Medicine, Dong-A University, Busan 49201, Republic of Korea; (Y.K.S.); (H.K.); (Y.Y.C.); (M.K.)
| | - Yoon Kyung Shin
- Peripheral Neuropathy Research Center (PNRC), Department of Molecular Neuroscience, College of Medicine, Dong-A University, Busan 49201, Republic of Korea; (Y.K.S.); (H.K.); (Y.Y.C.); (M.K.)
| | - Hwigyeong Kim
- Peripheral Neuropathy Research Center (PNRC), Department of Molecular Neuroscience, College of Medicine, Dong-A University, Busan 49201, Republic of Korea; (Y.K.S.); (H.K.); (Y.Y.C.); (M.K.)
- Department of Translational Biomedical Sciences, Graduate School of Dong-A University, Busan 49201, Republic of Korea
| | - Yun Young Choi
- Peripheral Neuropathy Research Center (PNRC), Department of Molecular Neuroscience, College of Medicine, Dong-A University, Busan 49201, Republic of Korea; (Y.K.S.); (H.K.); (Y.Y.C.); (M.K.)
| | - Minjae Kang
- Peripheral Neuropathy Research Center (PNRC), Department of Molecular Neuroscience, College of Medicine, Dong-A University, Busan 49201, Republic of Korea; (Y.K.S.); (H.K.); (Y.Y.C.); (M.K.)
- Department of Translational Biomedical Sciences, Graduate School of Dong-A University, Busan 49201, Republic of Korea
| | - Younghee Kwon
- Department School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Yongcheol Cho
- Department of Brain Sciences, DGIST, Daegu 42899, Republic of Korea;
| | - Sung Wook Chi
- Department of Life Sciences, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea;
| | - Jung Eun Shin
- Peripheral Neuropathy Research Center (PNRC), Department of Molecular Neuroscience, College of Medicine, Dong-A University, Busan 49201, Republic of Korea; (Y.K.S.); (H.K.); (Y.Y.C.); (M.K.)
- Department of Translational Biomedical Sciences, Graduate School of Dong-A University, Busan 49201, Republic of Korea
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25
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Tian T, Zhang S, Yang M. Recent progress and challenges in the treatment of spinal cord injury. Protein Cell 2023; 14:635-652. [PMID: 36856750 PMCID: PMC10501188 DOI: 10.1093/procel/pwad003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Spinal cord injury (SCI) disrupts the structural and functional connectivity between the higher center and the spinal cord, resulting in severe motor, sensory, and autonomic dysfunction with a variety of complications. The pathophysiology of SCI is complicated and multifaceted, and thus individual treatments acting on a specific aspect or process are inadequate to elicit neuronal regeneration and functional recovery after SCI. Combinatory strategies targeting multiple aspects of SCI pathology have achieved greater beneficial effects than individual therapy alone. Although many problems and challenges remain, the encouraging outcomes that have been achieved in preclinical models offer a promising foothold for the development of novel clinical strategies to treat SCI. In this review, we characterize the mechanisms underlying axon regeneration of adult neurons and summarize recent advances in facilitating functional recovery following SCI at both the acute and chronic stages. In addition, we analyze the current status, remaining problems, and realistic challenges towards clinical translation. Finally, we consider the future of SCI treatment and provide insights into how to narrow the translational gap that currently exists between preclinical studies and clinical practice. Going forward, clinical trials should emphasize multidisciplinary conversation and cooperation to identify optimal combinatorial approaches to maximize therapeutic benefit in humans with SCI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Tian
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Protein Science, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Sensen Zhang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Protein Science, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Maojun Yang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Protein Science, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Cryo-EM Facility Center, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
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26
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Bendale G, Smith M, Daniel L, deBruler I, Fernandes Gragnani M, Clement R, McNeice J, Griffitts F, Sonntag M, Griffis J, Clements I, Isaacs J. In Vivo Efficacy of a Novel, Sutureless Coaptation Device for Repairing Peripheral Nerve Defects. Tissue Eng Part A 2023; 29:461-470. [PMID: 37114683 PMCID: PMC10517328 DOI: 10.1089/ten.tea.2023.0004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Although microsuture neurorrhaphy is the accepted clinical standard treatment for severed peripheral nerves, this technique requires microsurgical proficiency and still often fails to provide adequate nerve approximation for effective regeneration. Entubulation utilizing commercially available conduits may enhance the technical quality of the nerve coaptation and potentially provide a proregenerative microenvironment, but still requires precise suture placement. We developed a sutureless nerve coaptation device, Nerve Tape®, that utilizes Nitinol microhooks embedded within a porcine small intestinal submucosa backing. These tiny microhooks engage the outer epineurium of the nerve, while the backing wraps the coaptation to provide a stable, entubulated repair. In this study, we examine the impact of Nerve Tape on nerve tissue and axonal regeneration, compared with repairs performed with commercially available conduit-assisted or microsuture-only repairs. Eighteen male New Zealand white rabbits underwent a tibial nerve transection, immediately repaired with (1) Nerve Tape, (2) conduit plus anchoring sutures, or (3) four 9-0 nylon epineurial microsutures. At 16 weeks postinjury, the nerves were re-exposed to test sensory and motor nerve conduction, measure target muscle weight and girth, and perform nerve tissue histology. Nerve conduction velocities in the Nerve Tape group were significantly better than both the microsuture and conduit groups, while nerve compound action potential amplitudes in the Nerve Tape group were significantly better than the conduit group only. Gross morphology, muscle characteristics, and axon histomorphometry were not statistically different between the three repair groups. In the rabbit tibial nerve repair model, Nerve Tape offers similar regeneration efficacy compared with conduit-assisted and microsuture-only repairs, suggesting minimal impact of microhooks on nerve tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geetanjali Bendale
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Matt Smith
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Lida Daniel
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Isabelle deBruler
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Jonathan Isaacs
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
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27
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Ahmed Z. Reviving the use of inhibitors of matrix metalloproteases in spinal cord injury: a case for specificity. Neural Regen Res 2023; 18:1925-1930. [PMID: 36926709 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.367837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
At present, there are no restorative therapies in the clinic for spinal cord injury, with current treatments offering only palliative treatment options. The role of matrix metalloproteases is well established in spinal cord injury, however, translation into the clinical space was plagued by early designs of matrix metalloprotease inhibitors that lacked specificity and fears of musculoskeletal syndrome prevented their further development. Newer, much more specific matrix metalloprotease inhibitors have revived the possibility of using these inhibitors in the clinic since they are much more specific to their target matrix metalloproteases. Here, the evidence for use of matrix metalloproteases after spinal cord injury is reviewed and researchers are urged to overcome their old fears regarding matrix metalloprotease inhibition and possible side effects for the field to progress. Recently published work by us shows that inhibition of specific matrix metalloproteases after spinal cord injury holds promise since four key consequences of spinal cord injury could be alleviated by specific, next-generation matrix metalloprotease inhibitors. For example, specific inhibition of matrix metalloprotease-9 and matrix metalloprotease-12 within 24 hours after injury and for 3 days, alleviates spinal cord injury-induced edema, blood-spinal cord barrier breakdown, neuropathic pain and restores sensory and locomotor function. Attempts are now underway to translate this therapy into the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zubair Ahmed
- Neuroscience and Ophthalmology, Institute of Inflammation and Ageing, University of Birmingham; Center for Trauma Sciences Research, University of Bimringham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK
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28
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Isaacson RH, Carrasco DI, Holliday H, Kang SS, Khan S, Kim D, Liu X, Ye K, English AW. Treatments with the specific δ-secretase inhibitor, compound 11, promote the regeneration of motor and sensory axons after peripheral nerve injury. Eur J Neurosci 2023; 58:3555-3568. [PMID: 37608574 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.16126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
Limited axon regeneration following peripheral nerve injury may be related to activation of the lysosomal protease, asparaginyl endopeptidase (AEP, δ-secretase) and its degradation of the microtubule associated protein, Tau. Activity of AEP was increased at the site of sciatic nerve transection and repair but blocked in mice treated systemically with a specific AEP inhibitor, compound 11 (CP11). Treatments with CP11 enhanced axon regeneration in vivo. Amplitudes of compound muscle action potentials recorded 4 weeks after nerve transection and repair and 2 weeks after daily treatments with CP11 were double those of vehicle-treated mice. At that time after injury, axons of significantly more motor and sensory neurons had regenerated successfully and reinnervated the tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius muscles in CP11-treated mice than vehicle-treated controls. In cultured adult dorsal root ganglion neurons derived from wild type mice that were treated in vitro for 24 h with CP11, neurites were nearly 50% longer than in vehicle-treated controls and similar to neurite lengths in cultures treated with the TrkB agonist, 7,8-dihydroxyflavone (7,8-DHF). Combined treatment with CP11 and 7,8-DHF did not enhance outgrowth more than treatments with either one alone. Enhanced neurite outgrowth produced by CP11 was found also in the presence of the TrkB inhibitor, ANA-12, indicating that the enhancement was independent of TrkB signalling. Longer neurites were found after CP11 treatment in both TrkB+ and TrkB- neurons. Delta secretase inhibition by CP11 is a treatment for peripheral nerve injury with great potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin H Isaacson
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Dario I Carrasco
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Hannah Holliday
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Seong Su Kang
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Samia Khan
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - David Kim
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Xia Liu
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Keqiang Ye
- Faculty of Life and Health Sciences, and Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute (BCBDI), Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology (SIAT), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Arthur W English
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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29
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Daeschler SC, Feinberg K, Harhaus L, Kneser U, Gordon T, Borschel GH. Advancing Nerve Regeneration: Translational Perspectives of Tacrolimus (FK506). Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:12771. [PMID: 37628951 PMCID: PMC10454725 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241612771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Peripheral nerve injuries have far-reaching implications for individuals and society, leading to functional impairments, prolonged rehabilitation, and substantial socioeconomic burdens. Tacrolimus, a potent immunosuppressive drug known for its neuroregenerative properties, has emerged in experimental studies as a promising candidate to accelerate nerve fiber regeneration. This review investigates the therapeutic potential of tacrolimus by exploring the postulated mechanisms of action in relation to biological barriers to nerve injury recovery. By mapping both the preclinical and clinical evidence, the benefits and drawbacks of systemic tacrolimus administration and novel delivery systems for localized tacrolimus delivery after nerve injury are elucidated. Through synthesizing the current evidence, identifying practical barriers for clinical translation, and discussing potential strategies to overcome the translational gap, this review provides insights into the translational perspectives of tacrolimus as an adjunct therapy for nerve regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simeon C. Daeschler
- Department of Hand, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Burn Center, Department of Plastic and Hand Surgery, University of Heidelberg, BG Trauma Hospital, D-67071 Ludwigshafen, Germany
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Program, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, ON M5G 1X8, Canada
| | - Konstantin Feinberg
- Department of Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Leila Harhaus
- Department of Hand, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Burn Center, Department of Plastic and Hand Surgery, University of Heidelberg, BG Trauma Hospital, D-67071 Ludwigshafen, Germany
| | - Ulrich Kneser
- Department of Hand, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Burn Center, Department of Plastic and Hand Surgery, University of Heidelberg, BG Trauma Hospital, D-67071 Ludwigshafen, Germany
| | - Tessa Gordon
- Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 2C4, Canada
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 2C4, Canada
| | - Gregory H. Borschel
- Department of Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
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30
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Wang D, Zheng T, Zhou S, Liu M, Liu Y, Gu X, Mao S, Yu B. Promoting axon regeneration by inhibiting RNA N6-methyladenosine demethylase ALKBH5. eLife 2023; 12:e85309. [PMID: 37535403 PMCID: PMC10400074 DOI: 10.7554/elife.85309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Abstract
A key limiting factor of successful axon regeneration is the intrinsic regenerative ability in both the peripheral nervous system (PNS) and central nervous system (CNS). Previous studies have identified intrinsic regenerative ability regulators that act on gene expression in injured neurons. However, it is less known whether RNA modifications play a role in this process. Here, we systematically screened the functions of all common m6A modification-related enzymes in axon regeneration and report ALKBH5, an evolutionarily conserved RNA m6A demethylase, as a regulator of axonal regeneration in rodents. In PNS, knockdown of ALKBH5 enhanced sensory axonal regeneration, whereas overexpressing ALKBH5 impaired axonal regeneration in an m6A-dependent manner. Mechanistically, ALKBH5 increased the stability of Lpin2 mRNA and thus limited regenerative growth associated lipid metabolism in dorsal root ganglion neurons. Moreover, in CNS, knockdown of ALKBH5 enhanced the survival and axonal regeneration of retinal ganglion cells after optic nerve injury. Together, our results suggest a novel mechanism regulating axon regeneration and point ALKBH5 as a potential target for promoting axon regeneration in both PNS and CNS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong Wang
- Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Tissue Engineering Technology Products, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong UniversityNantongChina
| | - Tiemei Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Tissue Engineering Technology Products, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong UniversityNantongChina
| | - Songlin Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Tissue Engineering Technology Products, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong UniversityNantongChina
| | - Mingwen Liu
- Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Tissue Engineering Technology Products, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong UniversityNantongChina
| | - Yaobo Liu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases and Institute of Neuroscience, Soochow University; Clinical Research Center of Neurological Disease, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow UniversitySuzhouChina
| | - Xiaosong Gu
- Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Tissue Engineering Technology Products, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong UniversityNantongChina
| | - Susu Mao
- Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Tissue Engineering Technology Products, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong UniversityNantongChina
| | - Bin Yu
- Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Tissue Engineering Technology Products, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong UniversityNantongChina
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31
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Zhao Y, Liu J, Liu S, Yang P, Liang Y, Ma J, Mao S, Sun C, Yang Y. Fibroblast exosomal TFAP2C induced by chitosan oligosaccharides promotes peripheral axon regeneration via the miR-132-5p/CAMKK1 axis. Bioact Mater 2023; 26:249-263. [PMID: 36936807 PMCID: PMC10020534 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioactmat.2023.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2023] [Revised: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Chitosan and its degradation product, oligosaccharides, have been shown to facilitate peripheral nerve regeneration. However, the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. In this study, we analyzed the protein expression profiles in sciatic nerves after injury using proteomics. A group of proteins related to exosome packaging and transport is up-regulated by chitosan oligosaccharides (COS), implying that exosomes are involved in COS-induced peripheral nerve regeneration. In fact, exosomes derived from fibroblasts (f-EXOs) treated with COS significantly promoted axon extension and regeneration. Exosomal protein identification and functional studies, revealed that TFAP2C is a key factor in neurite outgrowth induced by COS-f-EXOs. Furthermore, we showed that TFAP2C targets the pri-miRNA-132 gene and represses miR-132-5p expression in dorsal root ganglion neurons. Camkk1 is a downstream substrate of miR-132-5p that positively affects axon extension. In rats, miR-132-5p antagomir stimulates CAMKK1 expression and improves axon regeneration and functional recovery in sciatic nerves after injury. Our data reveal the mechanism for COS in axon regeneration, that is COS induce fibroblasts to produce TFAP2C-enriched EXOs, which are then transferred into axons to promote axon regeneration via miR-132-5p/CAMKK1. Moreover, these results show a new facet of fibroblasts in axon regeneration in peripheral nerves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yahong Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu Province and Ministry of Education, Co-Innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Tissue Engineering Technology Products, Nantong University, 19 Qixiu Road, Nantong, Jiangsu, 226001, China
| | - Jina Liu
- Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu Province and Ministry of Education, Co-Innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Tissue Engineering Technology Products, Nantong University, 19 Qixiu Road, Nantong, Jiangsu, 226001, China
| | - Sha Liu
- Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu Province and Ministry of Education, Co-Innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Tissue Engineering Technology Products, Nantong University, 19 Qixiu Road, Nantong, Jiangsu, 226001, China
| | - Panpan Yang
- School of Medicine, Nantong University, 19 Qixiu Road, Nantong, Jiangsu, 226001, China
| | - Yunyun Liang
- Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu Province and Ministry of Education, Co-Innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Tissue Engineering Technology Products, Nantong University, 19 Qixiu Road, Nantong, Jiangsu, 226001, China
| | - Jinyu Ma
- Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu Province and Ministry of Education, Co-Innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Tissue Engineering Technology Products, Nantong University, 19 Qixiu Road, Nantong, Jiangsu, 226001, China
| | - Susu Mao
- Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu Province and Ministry of Education, Co-Innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Tissue Engineering Technology Products, Nantong University, 19 Qixiu Road, Nantong, Jiangsu, 226001, China
| | - Cheng Sun
- Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu Province and Ministry of Education, Co-Innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Tissue Engineering Technology Products, Nantong University, 19 Qixiu Road, Nantong, Jiangsu, 226001, China
- Corresponding author.
| | - Yumin Yang
- Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu Province and Ministry of Education, Co-Innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Tissue Engineering Technology Products, Nantong University, 19 Qixiu Road, Nantong, Jiangsu, 226001, China
- Corresponding author.
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32
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Cen LP, Park KK, So KF. Optic nerve diseases and regeneration: How far are we from the promised land? Clin Exp Ophthalmol 2023; 51:627-641. [PMID: 37317890 PMCID: PMC10519420 DOI: 10.1111/ceo.14259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) are the sole output neurons that connect information from the retina to the brain. Optic neuropathies such as glaucoma, trauma, inflammation, ischemia and hereditary optic neuropathy can cause RGC loss and axon damage, and lead to partial or total loss of vision, which is an irreversible process in mammals. The accurate diagnoses of optic neuropathies are crucial for timely treatments to prevent irrevocable RGCs loss. After severe ON damage in optic neuropathies, promoting RGC axon regeneration is vital for restoring vision. Clearance of neuronal debris, decreased intrinsic growth capacity, and the presence of inhibitory factors have been shown to contribute to the failure of post-traumatic CNS regeneration. Here, we review the current understanding of manifestations and treatments of various common optic neuropathies. We also summarise the current known mechanisms of RGC survival and axon regeneration in mammals, including specific intrinsic signalling pathways, key transcription factors, reprogramming genes, inflammation-related regeneration factors, stem cell therapy, and combination therapies. Significant differences in RGC subtypes in survival and regenerative capacity after injury have also been found. Finally, we highlight the developmental states and non-mammalian species that are capable of regenerating RGC axons after injury, and cellular state reprogramming for neural repair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling-Ping Cen
- Department of Neuro-Ophthalmology, Joint Shantou International Eye Centre of Shantou University and The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shantou, Guangdong, China
- Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong, China
| | - Kevin K. Park
- Department of Neurological Surgery, The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Kowk-Fai So
- Guangzhou-HongKong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
- Aier School of Ophthalmology, Changsha Aier Hospital of Ophthalmology, Changsha, China
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Achenbach P, Hillerbrand L, Gerardo-Nava JL, Dievernich A, Hodde D, Sechi AS, Dalton PD, Pich A, Weis J, Altinova H, Brook GA. Function Follows Form: Oriented Substrate Nanotopography Overrides Neurite-Repulsive Schwann Cell-Astrocyte Barrier Formation in an In Vitro Model of Glial Scarring. Nano Lett 2023; 23:6337-6346. [PMID: 37459449 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.3c00873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/27/2023]
Abstract
Schwann cell (SC) transplantation represents a promising therapeutic approach for traumatic spinal cord injury but is frustrated by barrier formation, preventing cell migration, and axonal regeneration at the interface between grafted SCs and reactive resident astrocytes (ACs). Although regenerating axons successfully extend into SC grafts, only a few cross the SC-AC interface to re-enter lesioned neuropil. To date, research has focused on identifying and modifying the molecular mechanisms underlying such scarring cell-cell interactions, while the influence of substrate topography remains largely unexplored. Using a recently modified cell confrontation assay to model SC-AC barrier formation in vitro, highly oriented poly(ε-caprolactone) nanofibers were observed to reduce AC reactivity, induce extensive oriented intermingling between SCs and ACs, and ultimately enable substantial neurite outgrowth from the SC compartment into the AC territory. It is anticipated that these findings will have important implications for the future design of biomaterial-based scaffolds for nervous tissue repair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pascal Achenbach
- Department of Neurology, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, 52074 Aachen, Germany
- Institute of Neuropathology, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Laura Hillerbrand
- Department of Functional Materials in Medicine and Dentistry, University Hospital Würzburg, 97070 Würzburg, Germany
| | - José L Gerardo-Nava
- DWI - Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials, 52074 Aachen, Germany
- Advanced Materials for Biomedicine (AMB), Institute of Applied Medical Engineering (AME), RWTH Aachen University Hospital, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Axel Dievernich
- FEG Textiltechnik Forschungs- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH, 52070 Aachen, Germany
| | - Dorothee Hodde
- Institute of Neuropathology, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, 52074 Aachen, Germany
- University Hospital, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Antonio S Sechi
- Department of Cell and Tumor Biology, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Paul D Dalton
- Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon 97403, United States
| | - Andrij Pich
- DWI - Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials, 52074 Aachen, Germany
- Institute of Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Joachim Weis
- Institute of Neuropathology, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Haktan Altinova
- Institute of Neuropathology, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, 52074 Aachen, Germany
- Department of Neurosurgery, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Gary A Brook
- Institute of Neuropathology, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, 52074 Aachen, Germany
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Davis-Lunn M, Goult BT, Andrews MR. Clutching at Guidance Cues: The Integrin-FAK Axis Steers Axon Outgrowth. Biology (Basel) 2023; 12:954. [PMID: 37508384 PMCID: PMC10376711 DOI: 10.3390/biology12070954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
Integrin receptors are essential contributors to neurite outgrowth and axon elongation. Activated integrins engage components of the extracellular matrix, enabling the growth cone to form point contacts, which connect the extracellular substrate to dynamic intracellular protein complexes. These adhesion complexes facilitate efficient growth cone migration and neurite extension. Major signalling pathways mediated by the adhesion complex are instigated by focal adhesion kinase (FAK), whilst axonal guidance molecules present in vivo promote growth cone turning or retraction by local modulation of FAK activity. Activation of FAK is marked by phosphorylation following integrin engagement, and this activity is tightly regulated during neurite outgrowth. FAK inhibition slows neurite outgrowth by reducing point contact turnover; however, mutant FAK constructs with enhanced activity stimulate aberrant outgrowth. Importantly, FAK is a major structural component of maturing adhesion sites, which provide the platform for actin polymerisation to drive leading edge advance. In this review, we discuss the coordinated signalling of integrin receptors and FAK, as well as their role in regulating neurite outgrowth and axon elongation. We also discuss the importance of the integrin-FAK axis in vivo, as integrin expression and activation are key determinants of successful axon regeneration following injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathew Davis-Lunn
- Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Benjamin T Goult
- School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury CT2 7NJ, UK
| | - Melissa R Andrews
- Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK
- Centre for Human Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration, School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK
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35
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Cheah M, Cheng Y, Petrova V, Cimpean A, Jendelova P, Swarup V, Woolf CJ, Geschwind DH, Fawcett JW. Integrin-Driven Axon Regeneration in the Spinal Cord Activates a Distinctive CNS Regeneration Program. J Neurosci 2023; 43:4775-4794. [PMID: 37277179 PMCID: PMC10312060 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2076-22.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2022] [Revised: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The peripheral branch of sensory dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons regenerates readily after injury unlike their central branch in the spinal cord. However, extensive regeneration and reconnection of sensory axons in the spinal cord can be driven by the expression of α9 integrin and its activator kindlin-1 (α9k1), which enable axons to interact with tenascin-C. To elucidate the mechanisms and downstream pathways affected by activated integrin expression and central regeneration, we conducted transcriptomic analyses of adult male rat DRG sensory neurons transduced with α9k1, and controls, with and without axotomy of the central branch. Expression of α9k1 without the central axotomy led to upregulation of a known PNS regeneration program, including many genes associated with peripheral nerve regeneration. Coupling α9k1 treatment with dorsal root axotomy led to extensive central axonal regeneration. In addition to the program upregulated by α9k1 expression, regeneration in the spinal cord led to expression of a distinctive CNS regeneration program, including genes associated with ubiquitination, autophagy, endoplasmic reticulum (ER), trafficking, and signaling. Pharmacological inhibition of these processes blocked the regeneration of axons from DRGs and human iPSC-derived sensory neurons, validating their causal contributions to sensory regeneration. This CNS regeneration-associated program showed little correlation with either embryonic development or PNS regeneration programs. Potential transcriptional drivers of this CNS program coupled to regeneration include Mef2a, Runx3, E2f4, and Yy1. Signaling from integrins primes sensory neurons for regeneration, but their axon growth in the CNS is associated with an additional distinctive program that differs from that involved in PNS regeneration.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Restoration of neurologic function after spinal cord injury has yet to be achieved in human patients. To accomplish this, severed nerve fibers must be made to regenerate. Reconstruction of nerve pathways has not been possible, but recently, a method for stimulating long-distance axon regeneration of sensory fibers in rodents has been developed. This research uses profiling of messenger RNAs in the regenerating sensory neurons to discover which mechanisms are activated. This study shows that the regenerating neurons initiate a novel CNS regeneration program which includes molecular transport, autophagy, ubiquitination, and modulation of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). The study identifies mechanisms that neurons need to activate to regenerate their nerve fibers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Menghon Cheah
- John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0PY, United Kingdom
| | - Yuyan Cheng
- Program in Neurogenetics, Department of Neurology, and Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095
| | - Veselina Petrova
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School; F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
| | - Anda Cimpean
- Centre for Reconstructive Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Medicine Czech Academy of Science, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Pavla Jendelova
- Centre for Reconstructive Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Medicine Czech Academy of Science, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Vivek Swarup
- Program in Neurogenetics, Department of Neurology, and Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, California 92697
| | - Clifford J Woolf
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School; F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
| | - Daniel H Geschwind
- Program in Neurogenetics, Department of Neurology, and Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095
| | - James W Fawcett
- John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0PY, United Kingdom
- Centre for Reconstructive Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Medicine Czech Academy of Science, Prague, Czech Republic
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Lear BP, Moore DL. Moving CNS axon growth and regeneration research into human model systems. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1198041. [PMID: 37425013 PMCID: PMC10324669 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1198041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Axon regeneration is limited in the adult mammalian central nervous system (CNS) due to both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Rodent studies have shown that developmental age can drive differences in intrinsic axon growth ability, such that embryonic rodent CNS neurons extend long axons while postnatal and adult CNS neurons do not. In recent decades, scientists have identified several intrinsic developmental regulators in rodents that modulate growth. However, whether this developmentally programmed decline in CNS axon growth is conserved in humans is not yet known. Until recently, there have been limited human neuronal model systems, and even fewer age-specific human models. Human in vitro models range from pluripotent stem cell-derived neurons to directly reprogrammed (transdifferentiated) neurons derived from human somatic cells. In this review, we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each system, and how studying axon growth in human neurons can provide species-specific knowledge in the field of CNS axon regeneration with the goal of bridging basic science studies to clinical trials. Additionally, with the increased availability and quality of 'omics datasets of human cortical tissue across development and lifespan, scientists can mine these datasets for developmentally regulated pathways and genes. As there has been little research performed in human neurons to study modulators of axon growth, here we provide a summary of approaches to begin to shift the field of CNS axon growth and regeneration into human model systems to uncover novel drivers of axon growth.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Darcie L. Moore
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
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Siddiqui AM, Thiele F, Stewart RN, Rangnick S, Weiss GJ, Chen BK, Silvernail JL, Strickland T, Nesbitt JJ, Lim K, Schwarzbauer JE, Schwartz J, Yaszemski MJ, Windebank AJ, Madigan NN. Open-Spaced Ridged Hydrogel Scaffolds Containing TiO 2-Self-Assembled Monolayer of Phosphonates Promote Regeneration and Recovery Following Spinal Cord Injury. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:10250. [PMID: 37373396 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241210250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The spinal cord has a poor ability to regenerate after an injury, which may be due to cell loss, cyst formation, inflammation, and scarring. A promising approach to treating a spinal cord injury (SCI) is the use of biomaterials. We have developed a novel hydrogel scaffold fabricated from oligo(poly(ethylene glycol) fumarate) (OPF) as a 0.08 mm thick sheet containing polymer ridges and a cell-attractive surface on the other side. When the cells are cultured on OPF via chemical patterning, the cells attach, align, and deposit ECM along the direction of the pattern. Animals implanted with the rolled scaffold sheets had greater hindlimb recovery compared to that of the multichannel scaffold control, which is likely due to the greater number of axons growing across it. The immune cell number (microglia or hemopoietic cells: 50-120 cells/mm2 in all conditions), scarring (5-10% in all conditions), and ECM deposits (Laminin or Fibronectin: approximately 10-20% in all conditions) were equal in all conditions. Overall, the results suggest that the scaffold sheets promote axon outgrowth that can be guided across the scaffold, thereby promoting hindlimb recovery. This study provides a hydrogel scaffold construct that can be used in vitro for cell characterization or in vivo for future neuroprosthetics, devices, or cell and ECM delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahad M Siddiqui
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Frederic Thiele
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
- Program in Human Medicine, Paracelsus Medical Private University, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
| | - Rachel N Stewart
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
- Regenerative Medicine Institute (REMEDI), National University of Ireland Galway, H91 TK33 Galway, Ireland
| | - Simone Rangnick
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
- Program in Human Medicine, Paracelsus Medical Private University, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
| | - Georgina J Weiss
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
- Program in Human Medicine, Paracelsus Medical Private University, 90419 Nuremberg, Germany
| | - Bingkun K Chen
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | | | - Tammy Strickland
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
- Regenerative Medicine Institute (REMEDI), National University of Ireland Galway, H91 TK33 Galway, Ireland
| | | | - Kelly Lim
- Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Jean E Schwarzbauer
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Jeffrey Schwartz
- Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
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Tai W, Du X, Chen C, Xu XM, Zhang CL, Wu W. NG2 Glia Reprogramming Induces Robust Axonal Regeneration After Spinal Cord Injury. bioRxiv 2023:2023.06.14.544792. [PMID: 37398355 PMCID: PMC10312714 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.14.544792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
Spinal cord injury (SCI) often leads to neuronal loss, axonal degeneration and behavioral dysfunction. We recently show that in vivo reprogramming of NG2 glia produces new neurons, reduces glial scaring, and ultimately leads to improved function after SCI. By examining endogenous neurons, we here unexpectedly uncover that NG2 glia reprogramming also induces robust axonal regeneration of the corticospinal tract and serotonergic neurons. Such reprogramming-induced axonal regeneration may contribute to the reconstruction of neural networks essential for behavioral recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjiao Tai
- Department of Molecular Biology and Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
- Authors contributed equally
| | - Xiaolong Du
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Group, Stark Neuroscience Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
- Authors contributed equally
| | - Chen Chen
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Group, Stark Neuroscience Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Xiao-Ming Xu
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Group, Stark Neuroscience Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Chun-Li Zhang
- Department of Molecular Biology and Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Wei Wu
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Group, Stark Neuroscience Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
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Wlaschin JJ, Donahue C, Gluski J, Osborne JF, Ramos LM, Silberberg H, Le Pichon CE. Promoting regeneration while blocking cell death preserves motor neuron function in a model of ALS. Brain 2023; 146:2016-2028. [PMID: 36342754 PMCID: PMC10411937 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awac415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Revised: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating and fatal neurodegenerative disease of motor neurons with very few treatment options. We had previously found that motor neuron degeneration in a mouse model of ALS can be delayed by deleting the axon damage sensor MAP3K12 or dual leucine zipper kinase (DLK). However, DLK is also involved in axon regeneration, prompting us to ask whether combining DLK deletion with a way to promote axon regeneration would result in greater motor neuron protection. To achieve this, we used a mouse line that constitutively expresses ATF3, a master regulator of regeneration in neurons. Although there is precedence for each individual strategy in the SOD1G93A mouse model of ALS, these have not previously been combined. By several lines of evidence including motor neuron electrophysiology, histology and behaviour, we observed a powerful synergy when combining DLK deletion with ATF3 expression. The combinatorial strategy resulted in significant protection of motor neurons with fewer undergoing cell death, reduced axon degeneration and preservation of motor function and connectivity to muscle. This study provides a demonstration of the power of combinatorial therapy to treat neurodegenerative disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josette J Wlaschin
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute for Child Health and Human Development, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Caroline Donahue
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute for Child Health and Human Development, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Jacob Gluski
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute for Child Health and Human Development, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Jennifer F Osborne
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute for Child Health and Human Development, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Leana M Ramos
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute for Child Health and Human Development, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Hanna Silberberg
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute for Child Health and Human Development, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Claire E Le Pichon
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute for Child Health and Human Development, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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Vijayaraghavan T, Dhananjay S, Ho XY, Giordano-Santini R, Hilliard M, Neumann B. The dynamin GTPase mediates regenerative axonal fusion in Caenorhabditis elegans by regulating fusogen levels. PNAS Nexus 2023; 2:pgad114. [PMID: 37181046 PMCID: PMC10167995 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgad114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 01/29/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Axonal fusion is a neuronal repair mechanism that results in the reconnection of severed axon fragments, leading to the restoration of cytoplasmic continuity and neuronal function. While synaptic vesicle recycling has been linked to axonal regeneration, its role in axonal fusion remains unknown. Dynamin proteins are large GTPases that hydrolyze lipid-binding membranes to carry out clathrin-mediated synaptic vesicle recycling. Here, we show that the Caenorhabditis elegans dynamin protein DYN-1 is a key component of the axonal fusion machinery. Animals carrying a temperature-sensitive allele of dyn-1(ky51) displayed wild-type levels of axonal fusion at the permissive temperature (15°C) but presented strongly reduced levels at the restrictive temperature (25°C). Furthermore, the average length of regrowth was significantly diminished in dyn-1(ky51) animals at the restrictive temperature. The expression of wild-type DYN-1 cell-autonomously into dyn-1(ky51) mutant animals rescued both the axonal fusion and regrowth defects. Furthermore, DYN-1 was not required prior to axonal injury, suggesting that it functions specifically after injury to control axonal fusion. Finally, using epistatic analyses and superresolution imaging, we demonstrate that DYN-1 regulates the levels of the fusogen protein EFF-1 post-injury to mediate axonal fusion. Together, these results establish DYN-1 as a novel regulator of axonal fusion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tarika Vijayaraghavan
- Neuroscience Programme, Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Samiksha Dhananjay
- Neuroscience Programme, Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Xue Yan Ho
- Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research, Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Rosina Giordano-Santini
- Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research, Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Massimo Hilliard
- Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research, Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Brent Neumann
- Neuroscience Programme, Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia
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41
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Stewart AN, Kumari R, Bailey WM, Glaser EP, Hammers GV, Wireman OH, Gensel JC. PTEN knockout using retrogradely transported AAVs restores locomotor abilities in both acute and chronic spinal cord injury. bioRxiv 2023:2023.04.17.537179. [PMID: 37131840 PMCID: PMC10153160 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.17.537179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Restoring function in chronic stages of spinal cord injury (SCI) has often been met with failure or reduced efficacy when regenerative strategies are delayed past the acute or sub-acute stages of injury. Restoring function in the chronically injured spinal cord remains a critical challenge. We found that a single injection of retrogradely transported adeno-associated viruses (AAVrg) to knockout the phosphatase and tensin homolog protein (PTEN) in chronic SCI can effectively target both damaged and spared axons and restore locomotor functions in near-complete injury models. AAVrg's were injected to deliver cre recombinase and/or a red fluorescent protein (RFP) under the human Synapsin 1 promoter (hSyn1) into the spinal cords of C57BL/6 PTEN FloxΔ / Δ mice to knockout PTEN (PTEN-KO) in a severe thoracic SCI crush model at both acute and chronic time points. PTEN-KO improved locomotor abilities in both acute and chronic SCI conditions over a 9-week period. Regardless of whether treatment was initiated at the time of injury (acute), or three months after SCI (chronic), mice with limited hindlimb joint movement gained hindlimb weight support after treatment. Interestingly, functional improvements were not sustained beyond 9 weeks coincident with a loss of RFP reporter-gene expression and a near-complete loss of treatment-associated functional recovery by 6 months post-treatment. Treatment effects were also specific to severely injured mice; animals with weight support at the time of treatment lost function over a 6-month period. Retrograde tracing with Fluorogold revealed viable neurons throughout the motor cortex despite a loss of RFP expression at 9 weeks post-PTEN-KO. However, few Fluorogold labeled neurons were detected within the motor cortex at 6 months post-treatment. BDA labeling from the motor cortex revealed a dense corticospinal tract (CST) bundle in all groups except chronically treated PTEN-KO mice indicating a potential long-term toxic effect of PTEN-KO to neurons in the motor cortex. PTEN-KO mice had significantly more β - tubulin III labeled axons within the lesion when treatment was delivered acutely, but not chronically post-SCI. In conclusion, we have found that using AAVrg's to knockout PTEN is an effective manipulation capable of restoring motor functions in chronic SCI and can enhance axon growth of currently unidentified axon populations when delivered acutely after injury. However, the long-term consequences of PTEN-KO may exert neurotoxic effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew N. Stewart
- Department of Physiology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40536, USA
- Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40536, USA
| | - Reena Kumari
- Department of Physiology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40536, USA
- Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40536, USA
| | - William M. Bailey
- Department of Physiology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40536, USA
- Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40536, USA
| | - Ethan P. Glaser
- Department of Physiology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40536, USA
- Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40536, USA
| | - Gabrielle V. Hammers
- Department of Physiology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40536, USA
- Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40536, USA
| | - Olivia H. Wireman
- Department of Physiology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40536, USA
- Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40536, USA
| | - John C. Gensel
- Department of Physiology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40536, USA
- Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40536, USA
- College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40536, USA
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Nishijima E, Honda S, Kitamura Y, Namekata K, Kimura A, Guo X, Azuchi Y, Harada C, Murakami A, Matsuda A, Nakano T, Parada LF, Harada T. Vision protection and robust axon regeneration in glaucoma models by membrane-associated Trk receptors. Mol Ther 2023; 31:810-824. [PMID: 36463402 PMCID: PMC10014229 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2022.11.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Revised: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Activation of neurotrophic factor signaling is a promising therapy for neurodegeneration. However, the transient nature of ligand-dependent activation limits its effectiveness. In this study, we solved this problem by inventing a system that forces membrane localization of the intracellular domain of tropomyosin receptor kinase B (iTrkB), which results in constitutive activation without ligands. Our system overcomes the small size limitation of the genome packaging in adeno-associated virus (AAV) and allows high expression of the transgene. Using AAV-mediated gene therapy in the eyes, we demonstrate that iTrkB expression enhances neuroprotection in mouse models of glaucoma and stimulates robust axon regeneration after optic nerve injury. In addition, iTrkB expression in the retina was also effective in an optic tract transection model, in which the injury site is near the superior colliculus. Regenerating axons successfully formed pathways to their brain targets, resulting in partial recovery of visual behavior. Our system may also be applicable to other trophic factor signaling pathways and lead to a significant advance in the field of gene therapy for neurotrauma and neurodegenerative disorders, including glaucoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Euido Nishijima
- Visual Research Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 156-8506, Japan; Department of Ophthalmology, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-8461, Japan
| | - Sari Honda
- Visual Research Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 156-8506, Japan; Department of Ophthalmology, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8421, Japan
| | - Yuta Kitamura
- Visual Research Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 156-8506, Japan; Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Chiba University Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba, Chiba 260-8670, Japan
| | - Kazuhiko Namekata
- Visual Research Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 156-8506, Japan
| | - Atsuko Kimura
- Visual Research Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 156-8506, Japan
| | - Xiaoli Guo
- Visual Research Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 156-8506, Japan
| | - Yuriko Azuchi
- Visual Research Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 156-8506, Japan
| | - Chikako Harada
- Visual Research Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 156-8506, Japan
| | - Akira Murakami
- Department of Ophthalmology, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8421, Japan
| | - Akira Matsuda
- Department of Ophthalmology, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8421, Japan
| | - Tadashi Nakano
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-8461, Japan
| | - Luis F Parada
- Brain Tumor Center and Cancer Biology & Genetics Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Takayuki Harada
- Visual Research Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 156-8506, Japan.
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Feng R, Muraleedharan Saraswathy V, Mokalled MH, Cavalli V. Self-renewing macrophages in dorsal root ganglia contribute to promote nerve regeneration. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2215906120. [PMID: 36763532 PMCID: PMC9963351 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2215906120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Sensory neurons located in dorsal root ganglia (DRG) convey sensory information from peripheral tissue to the brain. After peripheral nerve injury, sensory neurons switch to a regenerative state to enable axon regeneration and functional recovery. This process is not cell autonomous and requires glial and immune cells. Macrophages in the DRG (DRGMacs) accumulate in response to nerve injury, but their origin and function remain unclear. Here, we mapped the fate and response of DRGMacs to nerve injury using macrophage depletion, fate-mapping, and single-cell transcriptomics. We identified three subtypes of DRGMacs after nerve injury in addition to a small population of circulating bone-marrow-derived precursors. Self-renewing macrophages, which proliferate from local resident macrophages, represent the largest population of DRGMacs. The other two subtypes include microglia-like cells and macrophage-like satellite glial cells (SGCs) (Imoonglia). We show that self-renewing DRGMacs contribute to promote axon regeneration. Using single-cell transcriptomics data and CellChat to simulate intercellular communication, we reveal that macrophages express the neuroprotective and glioprotective ligand prosaposin and communicate with SGCs via the prosaposin receptor GPR37L1. These data highlight that DRGMacs have the capacity to self-renew, similarly to microglia in the Central nervous system (CNS) and contribute to promote axon regeneration. These data also reveal the heterogeneity of DRGMacs and their potential neuro- and glioprotective roles, which may inform future therapeutic approaches to treat nerve injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Feng
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO63110
| | - Vishnu Muraleedharan Saraswathy
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO63110
- Center of Regenerative Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO63110
| | - Mayssa H. Mokalled
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO63110
- Center of Regenerative Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO63110
- Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO63110
| | - Valeria Cavalli
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO63110
- Center of Regenerative Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO63110
- Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO63110
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Xing L, Han Q, Lai B, Rao F. Editorial: Spinal cord development and neural regeneration. Front Mol Neurosci 2023; 16:1117887. [PMID: 36747885 PMCID: PMC9898271 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2023.1117887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Lingyan Xing
- Nantong University, Nantong, China,*Correspondence: Lingyan Xing ✉
| | - Qi Han
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Biqin Lai
- Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Feng Rao
- Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, China
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Wang X, Yang C, Wang X, Miao J, Chen W, Zhou Y, Xu Y, An Y, Cheng A, Ye W, Chen M, Song D, Yuan X, Wang J, Qian P, Ruohao Wu A, Zhang ZY, Liu K. Driving axon regeneration by orchestrating neuronal and non-neuronal innate immune responses via the IFNγ-cGAS-STING axis. Neuron 2023; 111:236-255.e7. [PMID: 36370710 PMCID: PMC9851977 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2022.10.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
The coordination mechanism of neural innate immune responses for axon regeneration is not well understood. Here, we showed that neuronal deletion of protein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor type 2 sustains the IFNγ-STAT1 activity in retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) to promote axon regeneration after injury, independent of mTOR or STAT3. DNA-damage-induced cGAMP synthase (cGAS)-stimulator of interferon genes (STINGs) activation is the functional downstream signaling. Directly activating neuronal STING by cGAMP promotes axon regeneration. In contrast to the central axons, IFNγ is locally translated in the injured peripheral axons and upregulates cGAS expression in Schwann cells and infiltrating blood cells to produce cGAMP, which promotes spontaneous axon regeneration as an immunotransmitter. Our study demonstrates that injured peripheral nervous system (PNS) axons can direct the environmental innate immune response for self-repair and that the neural antiviral mechanism can be harnessed to promote axon regeneration in the central nervous system (CNS).
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Affiliation(s)
- Xu Wang
- Division of Life Science, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China,Hong Kong Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Hong Kong, China,Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, China,Biomedical Research Institute, Shenzhen Peking University–The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Medical Center, Shenzhen 518036, China,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Science, Disease and Drug Development, HKUST Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518057, China,Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Guangzhou 510515, China,These authors contributed equally
| | - Chao Yang
- Division of Life Science, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China,Hong Kong Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Hong Kong, China,Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, China,Biomedical Research Institute, Shenzhen Peking University–The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Medical Center, Shenzhen 518036, China,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Science, Disease and Drug Development, HKUST Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518057, China,Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Guangzhou 510515, China,These authors contributed equally
| | - Xuejie Wang
- Division of Life Science, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China,Hong Kong Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Hong Kong, China
| | - Jinmin Miao
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Chemistry, Center for Cancer Research and Institute for Drug Discovery, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Weitao Chen
- Biomedical Research Institute, Shenzhen Peking University–The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Medical Center, Shenzhen 518036, China
| | - Yiren Zhou
- Division of Life Science, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China
| | - Ying Xu
- Division of Life Science, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China,Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yongyan An
- Division of Life Science, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China
| | - Aifang Cheng
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, China,Department of Ocean Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China
| | - Wenkang Ye
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, China,Department of Ocean Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China
| | - Mengxian Chen
- Division of Life Science, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China
| | - Dong Song
- Division of Life Science, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China,Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China
| | - Xue Yuan
- Hong Kong Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Hong Kong, China
| | - Jiguang Wang
- Division of Life Science, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China,Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China
| | - Peiyuan Qian
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, China,Department of Ocean Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China
| | - Angela Ruohao Wu
- Division of Life Science, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China,Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, China,Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China,Center for Aging Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China
| | - Zhong-Yin Zhang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Chemistry, Center for Cancer Research and Institute for Drug Discovery, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Kai Liu
- Division of Life Science, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China; Hong Kong Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Hong Kong, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, China; Biomedical Research Institute, Shenzhen Peking University-The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Medical Center, Shenzhen 518036, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Science, Disease and Drug Development, HKUST Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518057, China; Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Guangzhou 510515, China.
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Griffin JM, Hingorani Jai Prakash S, Bockemühl T, Benner JM, Schaffran B, Moreno-Manzano V, Büschges A, Bradke F. Rehabilitation enhances epothilone-induced locomotor recovery after spinal cord injury. Brain Commun 2023; 5:fcad005. [PMID: 36744011 PMCID: PMC9893225 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcad005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Revised: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Microtubule stabilization through epothilones is a promising preclinical therapy for functional recovery following spinal cord injury that stimulates axon regeneration, reduces growth-inhibitory molecule deposition and promotes functional improvements. Rehabilitation therapy is the only clinically validated approach to promote functional improvements following spinal cord injury. However, whether microtubule stabilization can augment the beneficial effects of rehabilitation therapy or act in concert with it to further promote repair remains unknown. Here, we investigated the pharmacokinetic, histological and functional efficacies of epothilone D, epothilone B and ixabepilone alone or in combination with rehabilitation following a moderate contusive spinal cord injury. Pharmacokinetic analysis revealed that ixabepilone only weakly crossed the blood-brain barrier and was subsequently excluded from further investigations. In contrast, epothilones B and D rapidly distributed to CNS compartments displaying similar profiles after either subcutaneous or intraperitoneal injections. Following injury and subcutaneous administration of epothilone B or D, rats were subjected to 7 weeks of sequential bipedal and quadrupedal training. For all outcome measures, epothilone B was efficacious compared with epothilone D. Specifically, epothilone B decreased fibrotic scaring which was associated with a retention of fibronectin localized to perivascular cells in sections distal to the lesion. This corresponded to a decreased number of cells present within the intralesional space, resulting in less axons within the lesion. Instead, epothilone B increased serotonergic fibre regeneration and vesicular glutamate transporter 1 expression caudal to the lesion, which was not affected by rehabilitation. Multiparametric behavioural analyses consisting of open-field locomotor scoring, horizontal ladder, catwalk gait analysis and hindlimb kinematics revealed that rehabilitation and epothilone B both improved several aspects of locomotion. Specifically, rehabilitation improved open-field locomotor and ladder scores, as well as improving the gait parameters of limb coupling, limb support, stride length and limb speed; epothilone B improved these same gait parameters but also hindlimb kinematic profiles. Functional improvements by epothilone B and rehabilitation acted complementarily on gait parameters leading to an enhanced recovery in the combination group. As a result, principal component analysis of gait showed the greatest improvement in the epothilone B plus rehabilitation group. Thus, these results support the combination of epothilone B with rehabilitation in a clinical setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jarred M Griffin
- Correspondence may also be addressed to: Jarred Griffin The German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Venusberg-Campus 1/99, Bonn 53127, Germany E-mail:
| | - Sonia Hingorani Jai Prakash
- Neuronal and Tissue Regeneration Laboratory, Centro de Investigación Príncipe Felipe (CIPF), Valencia 46012, Spain
| | - Till Bockemühl
- Department of Animal Physiology, Institute of Zoology, University of Cologne, Cologne 50674, Germany
| | - Jessica M Benner
- Laboratory for Axonal Growth and Regeneration, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn 53127, Germany
| | - Barbara Schaffran
- Laboratory for Axonal Growth and Regeneration, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn 53127, Germany
| | - Victoria Moreno-Manzano
- Neuronal and Tissue Regeneration Laboratory, Centro de Investigación Príncipe Felipe (CIPF), Valencia 46012, Spain
| | - Ansgar Büschges
- Department of Animal Physiology, Institute of Zoology, University of Cologne, Cologne 50674, Germany
| | - Frank Bradke
- Correspondence to: Frank Bradke The German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Venusberg-Campus 1/99, Bonn 53127, Germany E-mail:
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Wu S, Mo X. Optic Nerve Regeneration in Diabetic Retinopathy: Potentials and Challenges Ahead. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24021447. [PMID: 36674963 PMCID: PMC9865663 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24021447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2022] [Revised: 12/31/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Diabetic retinopathy (DR), the most common microvascular compilation of diabetes, is the leading cause of vision loss and blindness worldwide. Recent studies indicate that retinal neuron impairment occurs before any noticeable vascular changes in DR, and retinal ganglion cell (RGC) degeneration is one of the earliest signs. Axons of RGCs have little capacity to regenerate after injury, clinically leading the visual functional defects to become irreversible. In the past two decades, tremendous progress has been achieved to enable RGC axon regeneration in animal models of optic nerve injury, which holds promise for neural repair and visual restoration in DR. This review summarizes these advances and discusses the potential and challenges for developing optic nerve regeneration strategies treating DR.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Xiaofen Mo
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-021-64377134
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48
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Walker LJ, Guevara C, Kawakami K, Granato M. A glia cell dependent mechanism at a peripheral nerve plexus critical for target-selective axon regeneration. bioRxiv 2023:2023.01.05.522786. [PMID: 36712008 PMCID: PMC9881934 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.05.522786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
A critical step for functional recovery from peripheral nerve injury is for regenerating axons to connect with their pre-injury targets. Reestablishing pre-injury target specificity is particularly challenging for limb-innervating axons as they encounter a plexus, a network where peripheral nerves converge, axons from different nerves intermingle, and then re-sort into target-specific bundles. Here, we examine this process at a plexus located at the base of the zebrafish pectoral fin, equivalent to tetrapod forelimbs. Using live cell imaging and sparse axon labeling, we find that regenerating motor axons from three nerves coalesce into the plexus. There, they intermingle and sort into distinct branches, and then navigate to their original muscle domains with high fidelity that restores functionality. We demonstrate that this regeneration process includes selective retraction of mistargeted axons, suggesting active correction mechanisms. Moreover, we find that Schwann cells are enriched and associate with axons at the plexus, and that Schwann cell ablation during regeneration causes profound axonal mistargeting. Our data provide the first real time account of regenerating vertebrate motor axons navigating a nerve plexus and reveal a previously unappreciated role for Schwann cells to promote axon sorting at a plexus during regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren J Walker
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Camilo Guevara
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Koichi Kawakami
- Laboratory of Molecular and Developmental Biology, National Institute of Genetics, and Department of Genetics, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), Mishima, Shizuoka 411-8540, Japan
| | - Michael Granato
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
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49
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Xia Y, Zhu J, Yang R, Wang H, Li Y, Fu C. Mesenchymal stem cells in the treatment of spinal cord injury: Mechanisms, current advances and future challenges. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1141601. [PMID: 36911700 PMCID: PMC9999104 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1141601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Spinal cord injury (SCI) has considerable impact on patient physical, mental, and financial health. Secondary SCI is associated with inflammation, vascular destruction, and subsequent permanent damage to the nervous system. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have anti-inflammatory properties, promoting vascular regeneration and the release neuro-nutrients, and are a promising strategy for the treatment of SCI. Preclinical studies have shown that MSCs promote sensory and motor function recovery in rats. In clinical trials, MSCs have been reported to improve the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) sensory and motor scores. However, the effectiveness of MSCs in treating patients with SCI remains controversial. MSCs promote tumorigenesis and ensuring the survival of MSCs in the hostile environment of SCI is challenging. In this article we examine the evidence on the pathophysiological changes occurring after SCI. We then review the underlying mechanisms of MSCs in the treatment of SCI and summarize the potential application of MSCs in clinical practice. Finally, we highlight the challenges surrounding the use of MSCs in the treatment of SCI and discuss future applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanliang Xia
- Department of Spine Surgery, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Jianshu Zhu
- Department of Spine Surgery, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Ruohan Yang
- Cancer Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Hengyi Wang
- Department of Spine Surgery, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yuehong Li
- Department of Spine Surgery, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Changfeng Fu
- Department of Spine Surgery, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
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50
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He W, Shi C, Yin J, Huang F, Yan W, Deng J, Zhang B, Wang B, Wang H. Spinal cord decellularized matrix scaffold loaded with engineered basic fibroblast growth factor-overexpressed human umbilical cord mesenchymal stromal cells promoted the recovery of spinal cord injury. J Biomed Mater Res B Appl Biomater 2023; 111:51-61. [PMID: 35799479 DOI: 10.1002/jbm.b.35131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Spinal cord injury (SCI) will lead to irreversible damage of sensory and motor function of central nervous system, which seriously affects patient's quality of life. A variety of nerve engineering materials carrying various stem cells and cell growth factors had used to promote the repair of SCI, but they could not mimic the actual matric niche at spinal cord to promote cell proliferation and differentiation. Thus, developing novel biomaterial providing better niche of spinal cord is a new strategy to treat the severe SCI. In this study, we constructed porcine spinal cord decellularized matrix scaffold (SC-DM) with biocompatibility to load engineered basic fibroblast growth factor-overexpressing human umbilical cord mesenchymal stromal cells (bFGF-HUCMSCs) for treating SCI. The continuously released bioactive bFGF factors from grafted bFGF-HUCMSCs and three-dimensional niche by SC-DM promoted the differentiation of endogenous stem cells into neurons with nerve conduction function, leading a markedly motor function recovery of SCI. These results indicated that the functional bFGF-HUCMSCs/SC-DM scaffold provided more suitable matric niche for nerve cells, that would be a promising strategy for the clinical application of SCI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenli He
- Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Chunying Shi
- Department of Human Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Jia Yin
- Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Feifei Huang
- Clinical Stem Cell Center, The Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
| | - Wenjing Yan
- Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Jin Deng
- Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Bing Zhang
- Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Bin Wang
- Clinical Stem Cell Center, The Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
| | - Haiping Wang
- Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, China
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