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Geoffroy CG, Meves JM, Kim HJM, Romaus-Sanjurjo D, Sutherland TC, Li JJ, Suen J, Sanchez JJ, Zheng B. Targeting PTEN but not SOCS3 resists an age-dependent decline in promoting axon sprouting. iScience 2022; 25:105383. [PMID: 36339257 PMCID: PMC9626739 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Revised: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Axonal repair is critical for functional recovery after injury of the CNS. We previously reported that neuronal PTEN deletion exhibits an age-dependent decline in promoting axon regeneration from the corticospinal tract (CST). How sprouting of uninjured axons, a naturally occurring form of axonal repair, is impacted by age is unknown. We assessed CST sprouting after unilateral pyramidotomy in PTEN and/or SOCS3-deleted mice at different ages. While PTEN deletion enhances sprouting independently of age, SOCS3 deletion loses its sprouting-promoting effect with age. The synergistic effect of PTEN/SOCS3 co-deletion on CST sprouting is rapidly lost with increased age. Overall, promoting sprouting appears more robust across age than regeneration, yet distinct molecular pathways are differentially impacted by age. Importantly, six-week delayed PTEN deletion promotes CST sprouting across age groups, supporting a clinically relevant time frame for this neural repair strategy independently of age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cédric G. Geoffroy
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University, Bryan, TX, USA
| | - Jessica M. Meves
- 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
| | - Hugo Jae Mun Kim
- 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
| | - Theresa C. Sutherland
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University, Bryan, TX, USA
| | - Jeffrey J. Li
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Juliet Suen
- 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
| | - 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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2
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Stewart AN, Jones LAT, Gensel JC. Improving translatability of spinal cord injury research by including age as a demographic variable. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:1017153. [PMID: 36467608 PMCID: PMC9714671 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.1017153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Pre-clinical and clinical spinal cord injury (SCI) studies differ in study design, particularly in the demographic characteristics of the chosen population. In clinical study design, criteria such as such as motor scores, neurological level, and severity of injury are often key determinants for participant inclusion. Further, demographic variables in clinical trials often include individuals from a wide age range and typically include both sexes, albeit historically most cases of SCI occur in males. In contrast, pre-clinical SCI models predominately utilize young adult rodents and typically use only females. While it is often not feasible to power SCI clinical trials to test multi-variable designs such as contrasting different ages, recent pre-clinical findings in SCI animal models have emphasized the importance of considering age as a biological variable prior to human experiments. Emerging pre-clinical data have identified case examples of treatments that diverge in efficacy across different demographic variables and have elucidated several age-dependent effects in SCI. The extent to which these differing or diverging treatment responses manifest clinically can not only complicate statistical findings and trial interpretations but also may be predictive of worse outcomes in select clinical populations. This review highlights recent literature including age as a biological variable in pre-clinical studies and articulates the results with respect to implications for clinical trials. Based on emerging unpredictable treatment outcomes in older rodents, we argue for the importance of including age as a biological variable in pre-clinical animal models prior to clinical testing. We believe that careful analyses of how age interacts with SCI treatments and pathophysiology will help guide clinical trial design and may improve both the safety and outcomes of such important efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew N. Stewart
- Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States,Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Linda A. T. Jones
- Center for Outcomes and Measurement, Jefferson College of Rehabilitation Sciences, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - John C. Gensel
- Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States,Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States,*Correspondence: John C. Gensel,
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3
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Martín-López M, González-Muñoz E, Gómez-González E, Sánchez-Pernaute R, Márquez-Rivas J, Fernández-Muñoz B. Modeling chronic cervical spinal cord injury in aged rats for cell therapy studies. J Clin Neurosci 2021; 94:76-85. [PMID: 34863466 DOI: 10.1016/j.jocn.2021.09.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Revised: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
With an expanding elderly population, an increasing number of older adults will experience spinal cord injury (SCI) and might be candidates for cell-based therapies, yet there is a paucity of research in this age group. The objective of the present study was to analyze how aged rats tolerate behavioral testing, surgical procedures, post-operative complications, intra-spinal cell transplantation and immunosuppression, and to examine the effectiveness of human iPSC-derived Neural Progenitor Cells (IMR90-hiPSC-NPCs) in a model of SCI. We performed behavioral tests in rats before and after inducing cervical hemi-contusions at C4 level with a fourth-generation Ohio State University Injury Device. Four weeks later, we injected IMR90-hiPSC-NPCs in animals that were immunosuppressed by daily cyclosporine injection. Four weeks after injection we analyzed locomotor behavior and mortality, and histologically assessed the survival of transplanted human NPCs. As rats aged, their success at completing behavioral tests decreased. In addition, we observed high mortality rates during behavioral training (41.2%), after cervical injury (63.2%) and after cell injection (50%). Histological analysis revealed that injected cells survived and remained at and around the grafted site and did not cause tumors. No locomotor improvement was observed in animals four weeks after IMR90-hiPSC-NPC transplantation. Our results show that elderly rats are highly vulnerable to interventions, and thus large groups of animals must be initially established to study the potential efficacy of cell-based therapies in age-related chronic myelopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Martín-López
- Unidad de Producción y Reprogramación celular (UPRC), Red Andaluza de Diseño y Traslación de Terapias Avanzadas (RAdytTA), 41092 Sevilla, Spain; Grupo de Neurociencia Aplicada, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas de Sevilla (IBIS), 41013 Sevilla, Spain; Programa de Doctorado en Biología Molecular, Biomedicina e Investigación Clínica, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain.
| | - Elena González-Muñoz
- Departamento de Biología Celular, Genética y Fisiología, Universidad de Málaga, 29071 Málaga, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina, (CIBER-BBN), 29071 Málaga, Spain.
| | - Emilio Gómez-González
- Grupo de Neurociencia Aplicada, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas de Sevilla (IBIS), 41013 Sevilla, Spain; Grupo de Física Interdisciplinar, Departamento de Física Aplicada III, ETS Ingeniería, Universidad de Sevilla, 41092 Sevilla, Spain.
| | - Rosario Sánchez-Pernaute
- Unidad de Coordinación, Red Andaluza de Diseño y Traslación de Terapias Avanzadas (RAdytTA), 41092 Sevilla, Spain.
| | - Javier Márquez-Rivas
- Grupo de Neurociencia Aplicada, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas de Sevilla (IBIS), 41013 Sevilla, Spain; Departamento de Neurocirugía, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío, 41013 Sevilla, Spain.
| | - Beatriz Fernández-Muñoz
- Unidad de Producción y Reprogramación celular (UPRC), Red Andaluza de Diseño y Traslación de Terapias Avanzadas (RAdytTA), 41092 Sevilla, Spain.
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4
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Ribas VT, Vahsen BF, Tatenhorst L, Estrada V, Dambeck V, Almeida RA, Bähr M, Michel U, Koch JC, Müller HW, Lingor P. AAV-mediated inhibition of ULK1 promotes axonal regeneration in the central nervous system in vitro and in vivo. Cell Death Dis 2021; 12:213. [PMID: 33637688 PMCID: PMC7910615 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-021-03503-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2020] [Revised: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Axonal damage is an early step in traumatic and neurodegenerative disorders of the central nervous system (CNS). Damaged axons are not able to regenerate sufficiently in the adult mammalian CNS, leading to permanent neurological deficits. Recently, we showed that inhibition of the autophagic protein ULK1 promotes neuroprotection in different models of neurodegeneration. Moreover, we demonstrated previously that axonal protection improves regeneration of lesioned axons. However, whether axonal protection mediated by ULK1 inhibition could also improve axonal regeneration is unknown. Here, we used an adeno-associated viral (AAV) vector to express a dominant-negative form of ULK1 (AAV.ULK1.DN) and investigated its effects on axonal regeneration in the CNS. We show that AAV.ULK1.DN fosters axonal regeneration and enhances neurite outgrowth in vitro. In addition, AAV.ULK1.DN increases neuronal survival and enhances axonal regeneration after optic nerve lesion, and promotes long-term axonal protection after spinal cord injury (SCI) in vivo. Interestingly, AAV.ULK1.DN also increases serotonergic and dopaminergic axon sprouting after SCI. Mechanistically, AAV.ULK1.DN leads to increased ERK1 activation and reduced expression of RhoA and ROCK2. Our findings outline ULK1 as a key regulator of axonal degeneration and regeneration, and define ULK1 as a promising target to promote neuroprotection and regeneration in the CNS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vinicius Toledo Ribas
- Department of Morphology, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Avenida Presidente Antônio Carlos, 6627, Belo Horizonte, 31270-901, Brazil.
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Straße 40, 37075, Göttingen, Germany.
| | - Björn Friedhelm Vahsen
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Straße 40, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Lars Tatenhorst
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Straße 40, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
- Center for Biostructural Imaging of Neurodegeneration (BIN), University Medical Center Göttingen, Von-Siebold-Straße 3a, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
- DFG Cluster of Excellence Nanoscale Microscopy and Molecular Physiology of the Brain (CNMPB), University Medical Center Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Straße 40, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Veronica Estrada
- Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Neurology, Heinrich-Heine-University Medical Center Düsseldorf, Moorenstraße 5, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Vivian Dambeck
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Straße 40, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
- Center for Biostructural Imaging of Neurodegeneration (BIN), University Medical Center Göttingen, Von-Siebold-Straße 3a, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
- DFG Cluster of Excellence Nanoscale Microscopy and Molecular Physiology of the Brain (CNMPB), University Medical Center Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Straße 40, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Raquel Alves Almeida
- Department of Morphology, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Avenida Presidente Antônio Carlos, 6627, Belo Horizonte, 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Mathias Bähr
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Straße 40, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
- DFG Cluster of Excellence Nanoscale Microscopy and Molecular Physiology of the Brain (CNMPB), University Medical Center Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Straße 40, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Uwe Michel
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Straße 40, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Jan Christoph Koch
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Straße 40, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
- DFG Cluster of Excellence Nanoscale Microscopy and Molecular Physiology of the Brain (CNMPB), University Medical Center Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Straße 40, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Hans Werner Müller
- Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Neurology, Heinrich-Heine-University Medical Center Düsseldorf, Moorenstraße 5, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Paul Lingor
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Straße 40, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
- Center for Biostructural Imaging of Neurodegeneration (BIN), University Medical Center Göttingen, Von-Siebold-Straße 3a, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
- DFG Cluster of Excellence Nanoscale Microscopy and Molecular Physiology of the Brain (CNMPB), University Medical Center Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Straße 40, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
- Department of Neurology, Rechts der Isar Hospital of the Technical University Munich, Ismaninger Straße 22, 81675, Munich, Germany
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5
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Sugeno A, Piao W, Yamazaki M, Takahashi K, Arikawa K, Matsunaga H, Hosokawa M, Tominaga D, Goshima Y, Takeyama H, Ohshima T. Cortical transcriptome analysis after spinal cord injury reveals the regenerative mechanism of central nervous system in CRMP2 knock-in mice. Neural Regen Res 2021; 16:1258-1265. [PMID: 33318403 PMCID: PMC8284262 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.301035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies have shown that mutation at Ser522 causes inhibition of collapsin response mediator protein 2 (CRMP2) phosphorylation and induces axon elongation and partial recovery of the lost sensorimotor function after spinal cord injury (SCI). We aimed to reveal the intracellular mechanism in axotomized neurons in the CRMP2 knock-in (CRMP2KI) mouse model by performing transcriptome analysis in mouse sensorimotor cortex using micro-dissection punching system. Prior to that, we analyzed the structural pathophysiology in axotomized or neighboring neurons after SCI and found that somatic atrophy and dendritic spine reduction in sensorimotor cortex were suppressed in CRMP2KI mice. Further analysis of the transcriptome has aided in the identification of four hemoglobin genes Hba-a1, Hba-a2, Hbb-bs, and Hbb-bt that are significantly upregulated in wild-type mice with concomitant upregulation of genes involved in the oxidative phosphorylation and ribosomal pathways after SCI. However, we observed substantial upregulation in channel activity genes and downregulation of genes regulating vesicles, synaptic function, glial cell differentiation in CRMP2KI mice. Moreover, the transcriptome profile of CRMP2KI mice has been discussed wherein energy metabolism and neuronal pathways were found to be differentially regulated. Our results showed that CRMP2KI mice displayed improved SCI pathophysiology not only via microtubule stabilization in neurons, but also possibly via the whole metabolic system in the central nervous system, response changes in glial cells, and synapses. Taken together, we reveal new insights on SCI pathophysiology and the regenerative mechanism of central nervous system by the inhibition of CRMP2 phosphorylation at Ser522. All these experiments were performed in accordance with the guidelines of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee at Waseda University, Japan (2017-A027 approved on March 21, 2017; 2018-A003 approved on March 25, 2018; 2019-A026 approved on March 25, 2019).
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayaka Sugeno
- Laboratory for Molecular Brain Science, Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience, Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University; Computational Bio Big-Data Open Innovation Laboratory (CBBD-OIL), National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tokyo, Japan
| | - Wenhui Piao
- Laboratory for Molecular Brain Science, Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience, Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Miki Yamazaki
- Biomolecular Engineering Laboratory, Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience, Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University; Computational Bio Big-Data Open Innovation Laboratory (CBBD-OIL), National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kiyofumi Takahashi
- Research Organization for Nano and Life Innovation, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Koji Arikawa
- Research Organization for Nano and Life Innovation, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroko Matsunaga
- Research Organization for Nano and Life Innovation, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masahito Hosokawa
- Biomolecular Engineering Laboratory, Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience, Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering; Research Organization for Nano and Life Innovation; Institute for Advanced Research of Biosystem Dynamics, Waseda Research Institute for Science and Engineering, Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Daisuke Tominaga
- Computational Bio Big-Data Open Innovation Laboratory (CBBD-OIL), National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tokyo; Cellular and Molecular Biotechnology Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Yoshio Goshima
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama City University, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Haruko Takeyama
- Biomolecular Engineering Laboratory, Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience, Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University; Computational Bio Big-Data Open Innovation Laboratory (CBBD-OIL), National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST); Research Organization for Nano and Life Innovation; Institute for Advanced Research of Biosystem Dynamics, Waseda Research Institute for Science and Engineering, Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Toshio Ohshima
- Laboratory for Molecular Brain Science, Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience; Institute for Advanced Research of Biosystem Dynamics, Waseda Research Institute for Science and Engineering, Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
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6
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Seira O, Wang W, Lee S, Roskams J, Tetzlaff W. HDAC inhibition leads to age-dependent opposite regenerative effect upon PTEN deletion in rubrospinal axons after SCI. Neurobiol Aging 2020; 90:99-109. [PMID: 32171589 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2020.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2019] [Revised: 02/05/2020] [Accepted: 02/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Epigenetic changes associated with aging have been linked to functional and cognitive deficits in the adult CNS. Histone acetylation is involved in the control of the transcription of plasticity and regeneration-associated genes. The intrinsic axon growth capacity in the CNS is negatively regulated by phosphatase and tensin homolog (Pten). Inhibition of Pten is an effective method to stimulate axon growth following an injury to the optic nerve, corticospinal tract (CST), and rubrospinal tract (RST). Our laboratory has previously demonstrated that the deletion of Pten in aged animals diminishes the regenerative capacity in rubrospinal neurons. We hypothesize that changes in the chromatin structure might contribute to this age-associated decline. Here, we assessed whether Trichostatin A (TSA), a histone deacetylases (HDACs) inhibitor, reverses the decline in regeneration in aged Ptenf/f mice. We demonstrate that HDAC inhibition induces changes in the expression of GAP43 in both young and aged Ptenf/f mice. The regenerative capacity of the RST did not improve significantly in young mice, neither their motor function on the horizontal ladder or cylinder test after TSA treatment for 7 days. Interestingly, TSA treatment in the aged mice worsened their motor function deficits, suggesting that the systemic treatment with TSA might have an overall adverse effect on motor recovery after SCI in aged animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oscar Seira
- International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD), University of British Columbia (UBC), Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia (UBC), Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
| | - Wenchun Wang
- Department of Rehabilitation, Chengdu Military General Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Sharon Lee
- International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD), University of British Columbia (UBC), Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Jane Roskams
- Life Sciences Centre and Center for Brain Health, University of British Columbia (UBC), Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Neurosurgery University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Wolfram Tetzlaff
- International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD), University of British Columbia (UBC), Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia (UBC), Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Department of Surgery, University of British Columbia (UBC), Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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7
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Oshigiri T, Sasaki T, Sasaki M, Kataoka-Sasaki Y, Nakazaki M, Oka S, Morita T, Hirota R, Yoshimoto M, Yamashita T, Hashimoto-Torii K, Honmou O. Intravenous Infusion of Mesenchymal Stem Cells Alters Motor Cortex Gene Expression in a Rat Model of Acute Spinal Cord Injury. J Neurotrauma 2018; 36:411-420. [PMID: 29901416 DOI: 10.1089/neu.2018.5793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent evidence has demonstrated that remote responses in the brain, as well as local responses in the injured spinal cord, can be induced after spinal cord injury (SCI). Intravenous infusion of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) has been shown to provide functional improvements in SCI through local therapeutic mechanisms that provide neuroprotection, stabilization of the blood-spinal cord barrier, remyelination, and axonal sprouting. In the present study, we examined the brain response that might be associated with the functional improvements induced by the infused MSCs after SCI. Genome-wide RNA profiling was performed in the motor cortex of SCI rats at 3 days post-MSC or vehicle infusion. Then, quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) data revealed that the "behaviorally-associated differentially expressed genes (DEGs)" were identified by the Pearson's correlation analysis with the behavioral function, suggesting that the "behaviorally-associated DEGs" may be related to the functional recovery after systemic infusion of MSCs in SCI. These results suggested that the infused MSCs alter the gene expression signature in the brain and that these expression changes may contribute to the improved function in SCI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsutomu Oshigiri
- 1 Department of Neural Regenerative Medicine, Research Institute for Frontier Medicine, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan.,2 Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Toru Sasaki
- 3 Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's Research Institute, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC
| | - Masanori Sasaki
- 1 Department of Neural Regenerative Medicine, Research Institute for Frontier Medicine, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Yuko Kataoka-Sasaki
- 1 Department of Neural Regenerative Medicine, Research Institute for Frontier Medicine, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Masahito Nakazaki
- 1 Department of Neural Regenerative Medicine, Research Institute for Frontier Medicine, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Shinichi Oka
- 1 Department of Neural Regenerative Medicine, Research Institute for Frontier Medicine, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Tomonori Morita
- 1 Department of Neural Regenerative Medicine, Research Institute for Frontier Medicine, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan.,2 Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Ryosuke Hirota
- 1 Department of Neural Regenerative Medicine, Research Institute for Frontier Medicine, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan.,2 Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Mitsunori Yoshimoto
- 2 Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Toshihiko Yamashita
- 2 Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Kazue Hashimoto-Torii
- 3 Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's Research Institute, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC.,4 Department of Pediatrics, Pharmacology, and Physiology, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, DC.,5 Department of Neurobiology, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Osamu Honmou
- 1 Department of Neural Regenerative Medicine, Research Institute for Frontier Medicine, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan
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8
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Hao M, Ji XR, Chen H, Zhang W, Zhang LC, Zhang LH, Tang PF, Lu N. Cell cycle and complement inhibitors may be specific for treatment of spinal cord injury in aged and young mice: Transcriptomic analyses. Neural Regen Res 2018; 13:518-527. [PMID: 29623939 PMCID: PMC5900517 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.226405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous studies have reported age-specific pathological and functional outcomes in young and aged patients suffering spinal cord injury, but the mechanisms remain poorly understood. In this study, we examined mice with spinal cord injury. Gene expression profiles from the Gene Expression Omnibus database (accession number GSE93561) were used, including spinal cord samples from 3 young injured mice (2-3-months old, induced by Impactor at Th9 level) and 3 control mice (2-3-months old, no treatment), as well as 2 aged injured mice (15-18-months old, induced by Impactor at Th9 level) and 2 control mice (15-18-months old, no treatment). Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in spinal cord tissue from injured and control mice were identified using the Linear Models for Microarray data method, with a threshold of adjusted P < 0.05 and |logFC(fold change)| > 1.5. Protein-protein interaction networks were constructed using data from the STRING database, followed by module analysis by Cytoscape software to screen crucial genes. Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes pathway and Gene Ontology enrichment analyses were performed to investigate the underlying functions of DEGs using Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery. Consequently, 1,604 and 1,153 DEGs were identified between injured and normal control mice in spinal cord tissue of aged and young mice, respectively. Furthermore, a Venn diagram showed that 960 DEGs were shared among aged and young mice, while 644 and 193 DEGs were specific to aged and young mice, respectively. Functional enrichment indicates that shared DEGs are involved in osteoclast differentiation, extracellular matrix-receptor interaction, nuclear factor-kappa B signaling pathway, and focal adhesion. Unique genes for aged and young injured groups were involved in the cell cycle (upregulation of PLK1) and complement (upregulation of C3) activation, respectively. These findings were confirmed by functional analysis of genes in modules (common, 4; aged, 2; young, 1) screened from protein-protein interaction networks. Accordingly, cell cycle and complement inhibitors may be specific treatments for spinal cord injury in aged and young mice, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Hao
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, General Hospital of People's Liberation Army (301 Hospital), Beijing, China
| | - Xin-Ran Ji
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, General Hospital of People's Liberation Army (301 Hospital), Beijing, China
| | - Hua Chen
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, General Hospital of People's Liberation Army (301 Hospital), Beijing, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, General Hospital of People's Liberation Army (301 Hospital), Beijing, China
| | - Li-Cheng Zhang
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, General Hospital of People's Liberation Army (301 Hospital), Beijing, China
| | - Li-Hai Zhang
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, General Hospital of People's Liberation Army (301 Hospital), Beijing, China
| | - Pei-Fu Tang
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, General Hospital of People's Liberation Army (301 Hospital), Beijing, China
| | - Ning Lu
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, General Hospital of People's Liberation Army (301 Hospital), Beijing, China
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Distal axotomy enhances retrograde presynaptic excitability onto injured pyramidal neurons via trans-synaptic signaling. Nat Commun 2017; 8:625. [PMID: 28931811 PMCID: PMC5607003 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-00652-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2016] [Accepted: 07/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Injury of CNS nerve tracts remodels circuitry through dendritic spine loss and hyper-excitability, thus influencing recovery. Due to the complexity of the CNS, a mechanistic understanding of injury-induced synaptic remodeling remains unclear. Using microfluidic chambers to separate and injure distal axons, we show that axotomy causes retrograde dendritic spine loss at directly injured pyramidal neurons followed by retrograde presynaptic hyper-excitability. These remodeling events require activity at the site of injury, axon-to-soma signaling, and transcription. Similarly, directly injured corticospinal neurons in vivo also exhibit a specific increase in spiking following axon injury. Axotomy-induced hyper-excitability of cultured neurons coincides with elimination of inhibitory inputs onto injured neurons, including those formed onto dendritic spines. Netrin-1 downregulation occurs following axon injury and exogenous netrin-1 applied after injury normalizes spine density, presynaptic excitability, and inhibitory inputs at injured neurons. Our findings show that intrinsic signaling within damaged neurons regulates synaptic remodeling and involves netrin-1 signaling. Spinal cord injury can induce synaptic reorganization and remodeling in the brain. Here the authors study how severed distal axons signal back to the cell body to induce hyperexcitability, loss of inhibition and enhanced presynaptic release through netrin-1.
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Geoffroy CG, Hilton BJ, Tetzlaff W, Zheng B. Evidence for an Age-Dependent Decline in Axon Regeneration in the Adult Mammalian Central Nervous System. Cell Rep 2016; 15:238-46. [PMID: 27050519 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2016.03.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2015] [Revised: 01/28/2016] [Accepted: 03/07/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022] Open
Abstract
How aging impacts axon regeneration after CNS injury is not known. We assessed the impact of age on axon regeneration induced by Pten deletion in corticospinal and rubrospinal neurons, two neuronal populations with distinct innate regenerative abilities. As in young mice, Pten deletion in older mice remains effective in preventing axotomy-induced decline in neuron-intrinsic growth state, as assessed by mTOR activity, neuronal soma size, and axonal growth proximal to a spinal cord injury. However, axonal regeneration distal to injury is greatly diminished, accompanied by increased expression of astroglial and inflammatory markers at the injury site. Thus, the mammalian CNS undergoes an age-dependent decline in axon regeneration, as revealed when neuron-intrinsic growth state is elevated. These results have important implications for developing strategies to promote axonal repair after CNS injuries or diseases, which increasingly affect middle-aged to aging populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cédric G Geoffroy
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0691, USA
| | - Brett J Hilton
- International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada; Department of Zoology, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Wolfram Tetzlaff
- International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada; Department of Zoology, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada; Department of Surgery, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada.
| | - Binhai Zheng
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0691, USA.
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Hooshmand MJ, Galvan MD, Partida E, Anderson AJ. Characterization of recovery, repair, and inflammatory processes following contusion spinal cord injury in old female rats: is age a limitation? IMMUNITY & AGEING 2014; 11:15. [PMID: 25512759 PMCID: PMC4265993 DOI: 10.1186/1742-4933-11-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2014] [Accepted: 10/12/2014] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Background Although the incidence of spinal cord injury (SCI) is steadily rising in the elderly human population, few studies have investigated the effect of age in rodent models. Here, we investigated the effect of age in female rats on spontaneous recovery and repair after SCI. Young (3 months) and aged (18 months) female rats received a moderate contusion SCI at T9. Behavioral recovery was assessed, and immunohistocemical and stereological analyses performed. Results Aged rats demonstrated greater locomotor deficits compared to young, beginning at 7 days post-injury (dpi) and lasting through at least 28 dpi. Unbiased stereological analyses revealed a selective increase in percent lesion area and early (2 dpi) apoptotic cell death caudal to the injury epicenter in aged versus young rats. One potential mechanism for these differences in lesion pathogenesis is the inflammatory response; we therefore assessed humoral and cellular innate immune responses. No differences in either acute or chronic serum complement activity, or acute neutrophil infiltration, were observed between age groups. However, the number of microglia/macrophages present at the injury epicenter was increased by 50% in aged animals versus young. Conclusions These data suggest that age affects recovery of locomotor function, lesion pathology, and microglia/macrophage response following SCI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mitra J Hooshmand
- Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California Irvine, 2001 Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Research, Irvine, CA 92697-4292, USA.,Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Manuel D Galvan
- Reeve-Irvine Research Center, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA.,Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Elizabeth Partida
- Reeve-Irvine Research Center, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Aileen J Anderson
- Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California Irvine, 2001 Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Research, Irvine, CA 92697-4292, USA.,Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
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Abstract
Aging is marked by changes that affect organs and resident stem cell function. Shorting of telomeres, DNA damage, oxidative stress, deregulation of genes and proteins, impaired cell-cell communication, and an altered systemic environment cause the eventual demise of cells. At the same time, reparative activities also decline. It is intriguing to correlate aging with the decline of regenerative abilities. Animal models with strong regenerative capabilities imply that aging processes might not be affecting regeneration. In this review, we selectively present age-dependent changes in stem/progenitor cells that are vital for tissue homeostasis and repair. In addition, the aging effect on regeneration following injury in organs such as lung, skeletal muscle, heart, nervous system, cochlear hair, lens, and liver are discussed. These tissues are also known for diseases such as heart attack, stroke, cognitive impairment, cataract, and hearing loss that occur mostly during aging in humans. Conclusively, vertebrate regeneration declines with age with the loss of stem/progenitor cell function. Future studies on improving the function of stem cells, along with studies in fish and amphibians where regeneration does not decline with age, will undoubtedly provide insights into both processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantinos Sousounis
- Department of Biology and Center for Tissue Regeneration and Engineering, University of Dayton, Dayton, Ohio, USA
| | - Joelle A Baddour
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering and Center for Tissue Regeneration and Engineering, University of Dayton, Dayton, Ohio, USA
| | - Panagiotis A Tsonis
- Department of Biology and Center for Tissue Regeneration and Engineering, University of Dayton, Dayton, Ohio, USA.
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13
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Chen K, Deng S, Lu H, Zheng Y, Yang G, Kim D, Cao Q, Wu JQ. RNA-seq characterization of spinal cord injury transcriptome in acute/subacute phases: a resource for understanding the pathology at the systems level. PLoS One 2013; 8:e72567. [PMID: 23951329 PMCID: PMC3739761 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0072567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2013] [Accepted: 07/13/2013] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a devastating neurological disease without effective treatment. To generate a comprehensive view of the mechanisms involved in SCI pathology, we applied RNA-Sequencing (RNA-Seq) technology to characterize the temporal changes in global gene expression after contusive SCI in mice. We sequenced tissue samples from acute and subacute phases (2 days and 7 days after injury) and systematically characterized the transcriptomes with the goal of identifying pathways and genes critical in SCI pathology. The top enriched functional categories include “inflammation response,” “neurological disease,” “cell death and survival” and “nervous system development.” The top enriched pathways include LXR/RXR Activation and Atherosclerosis Signaling, etc. Furthermore, we developed a systems-based analysis framework in order to identify key determinants in the global gene networks of the acute and sub-acute phases. Some candidate genes that we identified have been shown to play important roles in SCI, which demonstrates the validity of our approach. There are also many genes whose functions in SCI have not been well studied and can be further investigated by future experiments. We have also incorporated pharmacogenomic information into our analyses. Among the genes identified, the ones with existing drug information can be readily tested in SCI animal models. Therefore, in this study we have described an example of how global gene profiling can be translated to identifying genes of interest for functional tests in the future and generating new hypotheses. Additionally, the RNA-Seq enables splicing isoform identification and the estimation of expression levels, thus providing useful information for increasing the specificity of drug design and reducing potential side effect. In summary, these results provide a valuable reference data resource for a better understanding of the SCI process in the acute and sub-acute phases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenian Chen
- The Vivian L. Smith Department of Neurosurgery, University of Texas Medical School at Houston, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, UT Brown Institution of Molecular Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Shuyun Deng
- The Vivian L. Smith Department of Neurosurgery, University of Texas Medical School at Houston, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, UT Brown Institution of Molecular Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Hezuo Lu
- The Vivian L. Smith Department of Neurosurgery, University of Texas Medical School at Houston, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, UT Brown Institution of Molecular Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Yiyan Zheng
- The Vivian L. Smith Department of Neurosurgery, University of Texas Medical School at Houston, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, UT Brown Institution of Molecular Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Guodong Yang
- The Vivian L. Smith Department of Neurosurgery, University of Texas Medical School at Houston, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, UT Brown Institution of Molecular Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Dong Kim
- The Vivian L. Smith Department of Neurosurgery, University of Texas Medical School at Houston, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, UT Brown Institution of Molecular Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Qilin Cao
- The Vivian L. Smith Department of Neurosurgery, University of Texas Medical School at Houston, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, UT Brown Institution of Molecular Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- * E-mail: ; (JQW) (QC)
| | - Jia Qian Wu
- The Vivian L. Smith Department of Neurosurgery, University of Texas Medical School at Houston, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, UT Brown Institution of Molecular Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- * E-mail: ; (JQW) (QC)
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