Glial scarring following severe tissue damage and inflammation after spinal cord injury （SCI） is due to an extreme, uncontrolled form of reactive astrogliosis that typically occurs around the injury site. The scarri...Glial scarring following severe tissue damage and inflammation after spinal cord injury （SCI） is due to an extreme, uncontrolled form of reactive astrogliosis that typically occurs around the injury site. The scarring process includes the misalignment of activated astrocytes and the deposition of inhibitory chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans. Here, we first discuss recent developments in the molecular and cellular features of glial scar formation, with special focus on the potential cellular origin of scar-forming cells and the molecular mechanisms underlying glial scar formation after SCI. Second, we discuss the role of glial scar formation in the regulation of axonal regeneration and the cascades of neuro-inflammation. Last, we summarize the physical and pharmacological approaches targeting the modulation of glial scarring to better understand the role of glial scar formation in the repair of SCI.展开更多
Objective:To determine if a cell cycle inhibitior, olomoucine, would decrease neuronal cell death, limit astroglial proliferation and production of inhibitory CSPGs, and eventually enhance the functional compensation ...Objective:To determine if a cell cycle inhibitior, olomoucine, would decrease neuronal cell death, limit astroglial proliferation and production of inhibitory CSPGs, and eventually enhance the functional compensation after SCI in rats. Methods: Three were used as un-operated controls and twelve as sham operated controls. Following spinal cord injury, 48 rats were randomly and blindly assigned to either olomoucine (n=24) or vehicle treatment (n=24) groups. Results: Up-regulations of cell cycle components were closely associated with neuronal cell death and astroglial proliferation as well as the production of CSPGs after SCI. Meanwhile, administration of olomoucine, a selective cell cycle kinase (CDK) inhibitor, has remarkably reduced the up-regulated cell cycle proteins and then decreased neuronal cell death, astroglial proliferation as well as accumulation of CSPGs. More importantly, the treatment with olomoucine has also increased expression of growth-associated proteins-43 (GAP-43), reduced the cavity formation, and improved functional deficits. Conclusion: Suppressing astroglial cell cycle in acute spinal cord injuries is beneficial to axonal growth. in turn, the future therapeutic strategies can be designed to achieve efficient axonal regeneration and functional compensation after traumatic CNS injury.展开更多
Astrocytes, the major component of blood-brain barriers, have presented paradoxical profiles after cerebral ischemia and reperfusion in vivo and in vitro. Our previous study showed that sevoflurane preconditioning imp...Astrocytes, the major component of blood-brain barriers, have presented paradoxical profiles after cerebral ischemia and reperfusion in vivo and in vitro. Our previous study showed that sevoflurane preconditioning improved the integrity of blood-brain barriers after ischemia and reperfusion injury in rats. This led us to investigate the effects of sevoflurane preconditioning on the astrocytic dynamics in ischemia and reperfusion rats, in order to explore astrocytic cell-based mechanisms of sevoflurane preconditioning. In the present study, 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining and Garcia behavioral scores were utilized to evaluate cerebral infarction and neurological outcome from day 1 to day 3 after transient middle cerebral artery occlusion surgery. Using immunofluorescent staining, we found that sevoflurane preconditioning substantially promoted the astrocytic activation and migration from the penumbra to the infarct with microglial activation from day 3 after middle cerebral artery occlusion. The formation of astrocytic scaffolds facilitated neuroblasts migrating from the subventricular zone to the lesion sites on day 14 after injury. Neural networks increased in the infarct of sevoflurane preconditioned rats, consistent with decreased infarct volume and improved neurological scores after ischemia and reperfusion injury. These findings demonstrate that sevoflurane preconditioning confers neuroprotection, not only by accelerating astrocytic spatial and temporal dynamics, but also providing astrocytic scaffolds for neuroblasts migration to ischemic regions, which facilitates neural reconstruction after brain ischemia.展开更多
As chondroitinase ABC can improve the hostile microenvironment and cell transplantation is proven to be effective after spinal cord injury, we hypothesized that their combination would be a more effective treatment op...As chondroitinase ABC can improve the hostile microenvironment and cell transplantation is proven to be effective after spinal cord injury, we hypothesized that their combination would be a more effective treatment option. At 5 days after T8 spinal cord crush injury, rats were injected with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell suspension or chondroitinase ABC 1 mm from the edge of spinal cord damage zone. Chondroitinase ABC was first injected, and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell suspension was injected on the next day in the combination group. At 14 days, the mean Basso, Beattie and Bresnahan score of the rats in the combination group was higher than other groups. Hematoxylin-eosin staining showed that the necrotic area was significantly reduced in the combination group compared with other groups. Glial fibrillary acidic protein-chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan double staining showed that the damage zone of astrocytic scars was significantly reduced without the cavity in the combination group. Glial fibrillary acidic protein/growth associated protein-43 double immunostaining revealed that positive fibers traversed the damage zone in the combination group. These results suggest that the combination of chondroitinase ABC and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell transplantation contributes to the repair of spinal cord injury.展开更多
Astrocytes are specialized and most numerous glial cell type in the central nervous system and play important roles in physiology. Astrocytes are also critically involved in many neural disorders including focal ische...Astrocytes are specialized and most numerous glial cell type in the central nervous system and play important roles in physiology. Astrocytes are also critically involved in many neural disorders including focal ischemic stroke, a leading cause of brain injury and human death. One of the prominent pathological features of focal ischemic stroke is reactive astrogliosis and glial scar formation associated with morphological changes and proliferation. This review paper discusses the recent advances in spatial and temporal dynamics of morphology and proliferation of reactive astrocytes after ischemic stroke based on results from experimental animal studies. As reactive astrocytes exhibit stem cell-like properties, knowledge of dynamics of reactive astrocytes and glial scar formation will provide important insiehts for astrocvte-based cell therapy in stroke.展开更多
Following spinal cord injury, astrocyte proliferation and scar formation are the main factors inhibiting the regeneration and growth of spinal cord axons. Recombinant decorin suppresses inflammatory reactions, inhibit...Following spinal cord injury, astrocyte proliferation and scar formation are the main factors inhibiting the regeneration and growth of spinal cord axons. Recombinant decorin suppresses inflammatory reactions, inhibits glial scar formation, and promotes axonal growth. Rat models of T8 spinal cord contusion were created with the NYU impactor and these models were subjected to combined transplantation of bone morphogenetic protein-4-induced glial-restricted precursor-derived astro- cytes and human recombinant decorin transplantation. At 28 days after spinal cord contusion, dou- ble-immunofluorescent histochemistry revealed that combined transplantation inhibited the early in- flammatory response in injured rats. Furthermore, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, which was se- creted by transplanted cells, protected injured axons. The combined transplantation promoted ax- onal regeneration and growth of injured motor and sensory neurons by inhibiting astrocyte prolif- eration and glial scar formation, with astrocytes forming a linear arrangement in the contused spinal cord, thus providing axonal regeneration channels.展开更多
Spinal cord injury is a very common pathological event that has devastating functional consequences in patients. In recent years, several research groups are trying to find an effective therapy that could be applied i...Spinal cord injury is a very common pathological event that has devastating functional consequences in patients. In recent years, several research groups are trying to find an effective therapy that could be applied in clinical practice. In this study, we analyzed the combination of different strategies as a potential therapy for spinal cord injury. Immunization with neural derived peptides(INDP), inhibition of glial scar formation(dipyridyl: DPY), as well as the use of biocompatible matrix(fibrin glue: FG) impregnated with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells(MSCs) were combined and then its beneficial effects were evaluated in the induction of neuroprotection and neuroregeneration after acute SCI. Sprague-Dawley female rats were subjected to a moderate spinal cord injury and then randomly allocated into five groups: 1) phosphate buffered saline; 2) DPY; 3) INDP + DPY; 4) DPY+ FG; 5) INDP + DPY + FG + MSCs. In all rats, intervention was performed 72 hours after spinal cord injury. Locomotor and sensibility recovery was assessed in all rats. At 60 days after treatment, histological examinations of the spinal cord(hematoxylin-eosin and Bielschowsky staining) were performed. Our results showed that the combination therapy(DPY+ INDP + FG+ MSCs) was the best strategy to promote motor and sensibility recovery. In addition, significant increases in tissue preservation and axonal density were observed in the combination therapy group. Findings from this study suggest that the combination theapy(DPY+ INDP + FG + MSCs) exhibits potential effects on the protection and regeneration of neural tissue after acute spinal cord injury. All procedures were approved by the Animal Bioethics and Welfare Committee(approval No. 178544; CSNBTBIBAJ 090812960)on August 15, 2016.展开更多
Treatment and functional reconstruction after central nervous system injury is a major medical and social challenge. An increasing number of researchers are attempting to use neural stem cells combined with artificial...Treatment and functional reconstruction after central nervous system injury is a major medical and social challenge. An increasing number of researchers are attempting to use neural stem cells combined with artificial scaffold materials, such as fibroin, for nerve repair. However, such approaches are challenged by ethical and practical issues. Amniotic tissue, a clinical waste product, is abundant, and amniotic epithe- lial cells are pluripotent, have low immunogenicity, and are not the subject of ethical debate. We hypothesized that amniotic epithelial cells combined with silk fibroin scaffolds would be conducive to the repair of spinal cord injury. To test this, we isolated and cultured amniotic epithelial cells, and constructed complexes of these cells and silk fibroin scaffolds. Implantation of the cell-scaffold complex into a rat model of spinal cord injury resulted in a smaller glial scar in the damaged cord tissue than in model rats that received a blank scaffold, or amniotic epithelial cells alone. In addition to a milder local immunological reaction, the rats showed less inflammatory cell infiltration at the trans- plant site, milder host-versus-graft reaction, and a marked improvement in motor function. These findings confirm that the transplantation of amniotic epithelial ceils combined with silk fibroin scaffold can promote the repair of spinal cord injury. Silk fibroin scaffold can provide a good nerve regeneration microenvironment for amniotic epithelial cells.展开更多
To determine whether olomoucine acts synergistically with bone morphogenetic protein-4 in the treatment of spinal cord injury, we established a rat model of acute spinal cord contusion by impacting the spinal cord at ...To determine whether olomoucine acts synergistically with bone morphogenetic protein-4 in the treatment of spinal cord injury, we established a rat model of acute spinal cord contusion by impacting the spinal cord at the T8 vertebra. We injected a suspension of astrocytes derived from glial-restricted precursor cells exposed to bone morphogenetic protein-4 （GDAsBMP） into the spinal cord around the site of the injury, and/or olomoucine intraperitoneally. Olomoucine effectively inhibited astrocyte proliferation and the formation of scar tissue at the injury site, but did not prevent proliferation of GDAsBMP or inhibit their effects in reducing the spinal cord lesion cavity. Furthermore, while GDAsBMP and olomoucine independently resulted in small improve- ments in locomotor function in injured rats, combined administration of both treatments had a significantly greater effect on the restoration of motor function. These data indicate that the combined use of olomoucine and GDAsBMP creates a better environment for nerve regeneration than the use of either treatment alone, and contributes to spinal cord repair after injury.展开更多
基金supported by grants from the National Basic Research Development Program of China (2011CB504401)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31130024,31070922 and 81261130313)
文摘Glial scarring following severe tissue damage and inflammation after spinal cord injury （SCI） is due to an extreme, uncontrolled form of reactive astrogliosis that typically occurs around the injury site. The scarring process includes the misalignment of activated astrocytes and the deposition of inhibitory chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans. Here, we first discuss recent developments in the molecular and cellular features of glial scar formation, with special focus on the potential cellular origin of scar-forming cells and the molecular mechanisms underlying glial scar formation after SCI. Second, we discuss the role of glial scar formation in the regulation of axonal regeneration and the cascades of neuro-inflammation. Last, we summarize the physical and pharmacological approaches targeting the modulation of glial scarring to better understand the role of glial scar formation in the repair of SCI.
基金the National Science Foundation of China(C30230140,C30400142)
文摘Objective:To determine if a cell cycle inhibitior, olomoucine, would decrease neuronal cell death, limit astroglial proliferation and production of inhibitory CSPGs, and eventually enhance the functional compensation after SCI in rats. Methods: Three were used as un-operated controls and twelve as sham operated controls. Following spinal cord injury, 48 rats were randomly and blindly assigned to either olomoucine (n=24) or vehicle treatment (n=24) groups. Results: Up-regulations of cell cycle components were closely associated with neuronal cell death and astroglial proliferation as well as the production of CSPGs after SCI. Meanwhile, administration of olomoucine, a selective cell cycle kinase (CDK) inhibitor, has remarkably reduced the up-regulated cell cycle proteins and then decreased neuronal cell death, astroglial proliferation as well as accumulation of CSPGs. More importantly, the treatment with olomoucine has also increased expression of growth-associated proteins-43 (GAP-43), reduced the cavity formation, and improved functional deficits. Conclusion: Suppressing astroglial cell cycle in acute spinal cord injuries is beneficial to axonal growth. in turn, the future therapeutic strategies can be designed to achieve efficient axonal regeneration and functional compensation after traumatic CNS injury.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.81200937(to QY)
文摘Astrocytes, the major component of blood-brain barriers, have presented paradoxical profiles after cerebral ischemia and reperfusion in vivo and in vitro. Our previous study showed that sevoflurane preconditioning improved the integrity of blood-brain barriers after ischemia and reperfusion injury in rats. This led us to investigate the effects of sevoflurane preconditioning on the astrocytic dynamics in ischemia and reperfusion rats, in order to explore astrocytic cell-based mechanisms of sevoflurane preconditioning. In the present study, 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining and Garcia behavioral scores were utilized to evaluate cerebral infarction and neurological outcome from day 1 to day 3 after transient middle cerebral artery occlusion surgery. Using immunofluorescent staining, we found that sevoflurane preconditioning substantially promoted the astrocytic activation and migration from the penumbra to the infarct with microglial activation from day 3 after middle cerebral artery occlusion. The formation of astrocytic scaffolds facilitated neuroblasts migrating from the subventricular zone to the lesion sites on day 14 after injury. Neural networks increased in the infarct of sevoflurane preconditioned rats, consistent with decreased infarct volume and improved neurological scores after ischemia and reperfusion injury. These findings demonstrate that sevoflurane preconditioning confers neuroprotection, not only by accelerating astrocytic spatial and temporal dynamics, but also providing astrocytic scaffolds for neuroblasts migration to ischemic regions, which facilitates neural reconstruction after brain ischemia.
文摘As chondroitinase ABC can improve the hostile microenvironment and cell transplantation is proven to be effective after spinal cord injury, we hypothesized that their combination would be a more effective treatment option. At 5 days after T8 spinal cord crush injury, rats were injected with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell suspension or chondroitinase ABC 1 mm from the edge of spinal cord damage zone. Chondroitinase ABC was first injected, and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell suspension was injected on the next day in the combination group. At 14 days, the mean Basso, Beattie and Bresnahan score of the rats in the combination group was higher than other groups. Hematoxylin-eosin staining showed that the necrotic area was significantly reduced in the combination group compared with other groups. Glial fibrillary acidic protein-chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan double staining showed that the damage zone of astrocytic scars was significantly reduced without the cavity in the combination group. Glial fibrillary acidic protein/growth associated protein-43 double immunostaining revealed that positive fibers traversed the damage zone in the combination group. These results suggest that the combination of chondroitinase ABC and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell transplantation contributes to the repair of spinal cord injury.
基金supported by the National Institutes of Health[Grant no.R01NS069726]the American Heart Association Grant in Aid Grant[Grant no.13GRNT17020004]to SD
文摘Astrocytes are specialized and most numerous glial cell type in the central nervous system and play important roles in physiology. Astrocytes are also critically involved in many neural disorders including focal ischemic stroke, a leading cause of brain injury and human death. One of the prominent pathological features of focal ischemic stroke is reactive astrogliosis and glial scar formation associated with morphological changes and proliferation. This review paper discusses the recent advances in spatial and temporal dynamics of morphology and proliferation of reactive astrocytes after ischemic stroke based on results from experimental animal studies. As reactive astrocytes exhibit stem cell-like properties, knowledge of dynamics of reactive astrocytes and glial scar formation will provide important insiehts for astrocvte-based cell therapy in stroke.
基金supported by funding from the Ministry of Finance People’s Republic of ChinaChina Rehabilitation Research Center Research Program grants, No. 2008-2,2008-3, 2008-4, 2008-5
文摘Following spinal cord injury, astrocyte proliferation and scar formation are the main factors inhibiting the regeneration and growth of spinal cord axons. Recombinant decorin suppresses inflammatory reactions, inhibits glial scar formation, and promotes axonal growth. Rat models of T8 spinal cord contusion were created with the NYU impactor and these models were subjected to combined transplantation of bone morphogenetic protein-4-induced glial-restricted precursor-derived astro- cytes and human recombinant decorin transplantation. At 28 days after spinal cord contusion, dou- ble-immunofluorescent histochemistry revealed that combined transplantation inhibited the early in- flammatory response in injured rats. Furthermore, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, which was se- creted by transplanted cells, protected injured axons. The combined transplantation promoted ax- onal regeneration and growth of injured motor and sensory neurons by inhibiting astrocyte prolif- eration and glial scar formation, with astrocytes forming a linear arrangement in the contused spinal cord, thus providing axonal regeneration channels.
基金supported by the National Council of Science and Technology of Mexico(CONACYT),No.178544(to AI)
文摘Spinal cord injury is a very common pathological event that has devastating functional consequences in patients. In recent years, several research groups are trying to find an effective therapy that could be applied in clinical practice. In this study, we analyzed the combination of different strategies as a potential therapy for spinal cord injury. Immunization with neural derived peptides(INDP), inhibition of glial scar formation(dipyridyl: DPY), as well as the use of biocompatible matrix(fibrin glue: FG) impregnated with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells(MSCs) were combined and then its beneficial effects were evaluated in the induction of neuroprotection and neuroregeneration after acute SCI. Sprague-Dawley female rats were subjected to a moderate spinal cord injury and then randomly allocated into five groups: 1) phosphate buffered saline; 2) DPY; 3) INDP + DPY; 4) DPY+ FG; 5) INDP + DPY + FG + MSCs. In all rats, intervention was performed 72 hours after spinal cord injury. Locomotor and sensibility recovery was assessed in all rats. At 60 days after treatment, histological examinations of the spinal cord(hematoxylin-eosin and Bielschowsky staining) were performed. Our results showed that the combination therapy(DPY+ INDP + FG+ MSCs) was the best strategy to promote motor and sensibility recovery. In addition, significant increases in tissue preservation and axonal density were observed in the combination therapy group. Findings from this study suggest that the combination theapy(DPY+ INDP + FG + MSCs) exhibits potential effects on the protection and regeneration of neural tissue after acute spinal cord injury. All procedures were approved by the Animal Bioethics and Welfare Committee(approval No. 178544; CSNBTBIBAJ 090812960)on August 15, 2016.
基金supported by the Scientific Research Project Fund of Wuxi Municipal Health and Family Planning Commission,No.MS201402
文摘Treatment and functional reconstruction after central nervous system injury is a major medical and social challenge. An increasing number of researchers are attempting to use neural stem cells combined with artificial scaffold materials, such as fibroin, for nerve repair. However, such approaches are challenged by ethical and practical issues. Amniotic tissue, a clinical waste product, is abundant, and amniotic epithe- lial cells are pluripotent, have low immunogenicity, and are not the subject of ethical debate. We hypothesized that amniotic epithelial cells combined with silk fibroin scaffolds would be conducive to the repair of spinal cord injury. To test this, we isolated and cultured amniotic epithelial cells, and constructed complexes of these cells and silk fibroin scaffolds. Implantation of the cell-scaffold complex into a rat model of spinal cord injury resulted in a smaller glial scar in the damaged cord tissue than in model rats that received a blank scaffold, or amniotic epithelial cells alone. In addition to a milder local immunological reaction, the rats showed less inflammatory cell infiltration at the trans- plant site, milder host-versus-graft reaction, and a marked improvement in motor function. These findings confirm that the transplantation of amniotic epithelial ceils combined with silk fibroin scaffold can promote the repair of spinal cord injury. Silk fibroin scaffold can provide a good nerve regeneration microenvironment for amniotic epithelial cells.
基金supported by a grant from the ‘Twelve Five-year Plan’ for Science & Technology Research of China,No.2012BAI34B02
文摘To determine whether olomoucine acts synergistically with bone morphogenetic protein-4 in the treatment of spinal cord injury, we established a rat model of acute spinal cord contusion by impacting the spinal cord at the T8 vertebra. We injected a suspension of astrocytes derived from glial-restricted precursor cells exposed to bone morphogenetic protein-4 （GDAsBMP） into the spinal cord around the site of the injury, and/or olomoucine intraperitoneally. Olomoucine effectively inhibited astrocyte proliferation and the formation of scar tissue at the injury site, but did not prevent proliferation of GDAsBMP or inhibit their effects in reducing the spinal cord lesion cavity. Furthermore, while GDAsBMP and olomoucine independently resulted in small improve- ments in locomotor function in injured rats, combined administration of both treatments had a significantly greater effect on the restoration of motor function. These data indicate that the combined use of olomoucine and GDAsBMP creates a better environment for nerve regeneration than the use of either treatment alone, and contributes to spinal cord repair after injury.
