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Yuan M, Tang Y, Huang T, Ke L, Huang E. In situ direct reprogramming of astrocytes to neurons via polypyrimidine tract-binding protein 1 knockdown in a mouse model of ischemic stroke. Neural Regen Res 2024; 19:2240-2248. [PMID: 38488558 PMCID: PMC11034579 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.390957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2023] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 04/24/2024] Open
Abstract
JOURNAL/nrgr/04.03/01300535-202410000-00025/figure1/v/2024-02-06T055622Z/r/image-tiff In situ direct reprogramming technology can directly convert endogenous glial cells into functional neurons in vivo for central nervous system repair. Polypyrimidine tract-binding protein 1 (PTB) knockdown has been shown to reprogram astrocytes to functional neurons in situ. In this study, we used AAV-PHP.eB-GFAP-shPTB to knockdown PTB in a mouse model of ischemic stroke induced by endothelin-1, and investigated the effects of GFAP-shPTB-mediated direct reprogramming to neurons. Our results showed that in the mouse model of ischemic stroke, PTB knockdown effectively reprogrammed GFAP-positive cells to neurons in ischemic foci, restored neural tissue structure, reduced inflammatory response, and improved behavioral function. These findings validate the effectiveness of in situ transdifferentiation of astrocytes, and suggest that the approach may be a promising strategy for stroke treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Yuan
- Key Laboratory of Brain Aging and Neurodegenerative Diseases of Fujian Province, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China
- Department of Human Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China
| | - Yao Tang
- Key Laboratory of Brain Aging and Neurodegenerative Diseases of Fujian Province, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China
- Scientific Research Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China
| | - Tianwen Huang
- Department of Neurology, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Vascular Aging, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China
| | - Lining Ke
- Key Laboratory of Brain Aging and Neurodegenerative Diseases of Fujian Province, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China
- Department of Human Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China
| | - En Huang
- Key Laboratory of Brain Aging and Neurodegenerative Diseases of Fujian Province, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China
- Scientific Research Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China
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Liang S, Zhou J, Yu X, Lu S, Liu R. Neuronal conversion from glia to replenish the lost neurons. Neural Regen Res 2024; 19:1446-1453. [PMID: 38051886 PMCID: PMC10883502 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.386400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT Neuronal injury, aging, and cerebrovascular and neurodegenerative diseases such as cerebral infarction, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, frontotemporal dementia, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and Huntington's disease are characterized by significant neuronal loss. Unfortunately, the neurons of most mammals including humans do not possess the ability to self-regenerate. Replenishment of lost neurons becomes an appealing therapeutic strategy to reverse the disease phenotype. Transplantation of pluripotent neural stem cells can supplement the missing neurons in the brain, but it carries the risk of causing gene mutation, tumorigenesis, severe inflammation, and obstructive hydrocephalus induced by brain edema. Conversion of neural or non-neural lineage cells into functional neurons is a promising strategy for the diseases involving neuron loss, which may overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages of neural stem cell therapy. Thus far, many strategies to transform astrocytes, fibroblasts, microglia, Müller glia, NG2 cells, and other glial cells to mature and functional neurons, or for the conversion between neuronal subtypes have been developed through the regulation of transcription factors, polypyrimidine tract binding protein 1 (PTBP1), and small chemical molecules or are based on a combination of several factors and the location in the central nervous system. However, some recent papers did not obtain expected results, and discrepancies exist. Therefore, in this review, we discuss the history of neuronal transdifferentiation, summarize the strategies for neuronal replenishment and conversion from glia, especially astrocytes, and point out that biosafety, new strategies, and the accurate origin of the truly converted neurons in vivo should be focused upon in future studies. It also arises the attention of replenishing the lost neurons from glia by gene therapies such as up-regulation of some transcription factors or down-regulation of PTBP1 or drug interference therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiyu Liang
- National Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Zhou
- Department of Geriatric Rehabilitation, Beijing Rehabilitation Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaolin Yu
- National Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Shuai Lu
- National Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ruitian Liu
- National Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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Schreiner TG, Schreiner OD, Ciobanu RC. Spinal Cord Injury Management Based on Microglia-Targeting Therapies. J Clin Med 2024; 13:2773. [PMID: 38792314 PMCID: PMC11122315 DOI: 10.3390/jcm13102773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2024] [Revised: 05/05/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Spinal cord injury is a complicated medical condition both from the clinician's point of view in terms of management and from the patient's perspective in terms of unsatisfactory recovery. Depending on the severity, this disorder can be devastating despite the rapid and appropriate use of modern imaging techniques and convenient surgical spinal cord decompression and stabilization. In this context, there is a mandatory need for novel adjunctive therapeutic approaches to classical treatments to improve rehabilitation chances and clinical outcomes. This review offers a new and original perspective on therapies targeting the microglia, one of the most relevant immune cells implicated in spinal cord disorders. The first part of the manuscript reviews the anatomical and pathophysiological importance of the blood-spinal cord barrier components, including the role of microglia in post-acute neuroinflammation. Subsequently, the authors present the emerging therapies based on microglia modulation, such as cytokines modulators, stem cell, microRNA, and nanoparticle-based treatments that could positively impact spinal cord injury management. Finally, future perspectives and challenges are also highlighted based on the ongoing clinical trials related to medications targeting microglia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Gabriel Schreiner
- Department of Medical Specialties III, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Grigore T. Popa”, 700115 Iasi, Romania;
- First Neurology Clinic, “Prof. Dr. N. Oblu” Clinical Emergency Hospital, 700309 Iasi, Romania
- Department of Electrical Measurements and Materials, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of Iasi, 700050 Iasi, Romania;
| | - Oliver Daniel Schreiner
- Department of Electrical Measurements and Materials, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of Iasi, 700050 Iasi, Romania;
- Medical Oncology Department, Regional Institute of Oncology, 700483 Iasi, Romania
| | - Romeo Cristian Ciobanu
- Department of Electrical Measurements and Materials, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of Iasi, 700050 Iasi, Romania;
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Alizadeh SD, Jalalifar MR, Ghodsi Z, Sadeghi-Naini M, Malekzadeh H, Rahimi G, Mojtabavi K, Shool S, Eskandari Z, Masoomi R, Kiani S, Harrop J, Rahimi-Movaghar V. Reprogramming of astrocytes to neuronal-like cells in spinal cord injury: a systematic review. Spinal Cord 2024; 62:133-142. [PMID: 38448665 DOI: 10.1038/s41393-024-00969-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 02/17/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
STUDY DESIGN A Systematic Review OBJECTIVES: To determine the therapeutic efficacy of in vivo reprogramming of astrocytes into neuronal-like cells in animal models of spinal cord injury (SCI). METHODS PRISMA 2020 guidelines were utilized, and search engines Medline, Web of Science, Scopus, and Embase until June 2023 were used. Studies that examined the effects of converting astrocytes into neuron-like cells with any vector in all animal models were included, while conversion from other cells except for spinal astrocytes, chemical mechanisms to provide SCI models, brain injury population, and conversion without in-vivo experience were excluded. The risk of bias was calculated independently. RESULTS 5302 manuscripts were initially identified and after eligibility assessment, 43 studies were included for full-text analysis. After final analysis, 13 manuscripts were included. All were graded as high-quality assessments. The transduction factors Sox2, Oct4, Klf4, fibroblast growth factor 4 (Fgf4) antibody, neurogenic differentiation 1 (Neurod1), zinc finger protein 521 (Zfp521), ginsenoside Rg1, and small molecules (LDN193189, CHIR99021, and DAPT) could effectively reprogramme astrocytes into neuron-like cells. The process was enhanced by p21-p53, or Notch signaling knockout, valproic acid, or chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan inhibitors. The type of mature neurons was both excitatory and inhibitory. CONCLUSION Astrocyte reprogramming to neuronal-like cells in an animal model after SCI appears promising. The molecular and functional improvements after astrocyte reprogramming were demonstrated in vivo, and further investigation is required in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seyed Danial Alizadeh
- Sina Trauma and Surgery Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Faculty of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Mohammad-Rasoul Jalalifar
- Sina Trauma and Surgery Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Faculty of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Zahra Ghodsi
- Sina Trauma and Surgery Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Research Center, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohsen Sadeghi-Naini
- Department of neurosurgery, Lorestan University of medical sciences, Khoram-Abad, Iran
| | - Hamid Malekzadeh
- Sina Trauma and Surgery Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Research Center, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Golnoosh Rahimi
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Science and Culture, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Stem Cell and Developmental Biology, Cell Science Research Center, ROYAN Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Cell Science Research Center, ROYAN Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - Kurosh Mojtabavi
- Sina Trauma and Surgery Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Neuroscience Department, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Sina Shool
- Sina Trauma and Surgery Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Zahra Eskandari
- Department of Management, Faculty of Social Sciences and Economics, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Rasoul Masoomi
- Sina Trauma and Surgery Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sahar Kiani
- Department of Stem Cell and Developmental Biology, Cell Science Research Center, ROYAN Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Cell Science Research Center, ROYAN Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - James Harrop
- Department of Neurosurgery, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Vafa Rahimi-Movaghar
- Sina Trauma and Surgery Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
- Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Research Center, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
- Department of Neurosurgery, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
- Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran.
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Niceforo A, Zholudeva LV, Fernandes S, Lane MA, Qiang L. Challenges and Efficacy of Astrocyte-to-Neuron Reprogramming in Spinal Cord Injury: In Vitro Insights and In Vivo Outcomes. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.25.586619. [PMID: 38585866 PMCID: PMC10996511 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.25.586619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
Traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) leads to the disruption of neural pathways, causing loss of neural cells, with subsequent reactive gliosis and tissue scarring that limit endogenous repair. One potential therapeutic strategy to address this is to target reactive scar-forming astrocytes with direct cellular reprogramming to convert them into neurons, by overexpression of neurogenic transcription factors. Here we used lentiviral constructs to overexpress Ascl1 or a combination of microRNAs (miRs) miR124, miR9/9*and NeuroD1 transfected into cultured and in vivo astrocytes. In vitro experiments revealed cortically-derived astrocytes display a higher efficiency (70%) of reprogramming to neurons than spinal cord-derived astrocytes. In a rat cervical SCI model, the same strategy induced only limited reprogramming of astrocytes. Delivery of reprogramming factors did not significantly affect patterns of breathing under baseline and hypoxic conditions, but significant differences in average diaphragm amplitude were seen in the reprogrammed groups during eupneic breathing, hypoxic, and hypercapnic challenges. These results show that while cellular reprogramming can be readily achieved in carefully controlled in vitro conditions, achieving a similar degree of successful reprogramming in vivo is challenging and may require additional steps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessia Niceforo
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, College of Medicine, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, 19129, USA
- Marion Murray Spinal Cord Research Center, College of Medicine, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, 19129, USA
| | | | - Silvia Fernandes
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, College of Medicine, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, 19129, USA
- Marion Murray Spinal Cord Research Center, College of Medicine, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, 19129, USA
| | - Michael A. Lane
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, College of Medicine, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, 19129, USA
- Marion Murray Spinal Cord Research Center, College of Medicine, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, 19129, USA
| | - Liang Qiang
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, College of Medicine, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, 19129, USA
- Marion Murray Spinal Cord Research Center, College of Medicine, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, 19129, USA
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Wang B, Xu L, Zheng P, Zhang Y, Liu W, Wang Y, Zhang Z. Development and validation of a nomogram for predicting the prognosis in children with spinal cord injuries. EUROPEAN SPINE JOURNAL : OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE EUROPEAN SPINE SOCIETY, THE EUROPEAN SPINAL DEFORMITY SOCIETY, AND THE EUROPEAN SECTION OF THE CERVICAL SPINE RESEARCH SOCIETY 2024:10.1007/s00586-024-08208-7. [PMID: 38509262 DOI: 10.1007/s00586-024-08208-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2023] [Revised: 02/04/2024] [Accepted: 02/25/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
AIMS This research aims to construct and verify an accurate nomogram for forecasting the 3-, 5-, and 7-year outcomes in pediatric patients afflicted with spinal cord injury (SCI). METHODS Pediatric patients with SCI from multiple hospitals in China, diagnosed between Jan 2005 and Jan 2020, were incorporated into this research. Half of these patients were arbitrarily chosen for training sets, and the other half were designated for external validation sets. The Cox hazard model was employed to pinpoint potential prognosis determinants related to the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) and Functional Independence Assessment (FIM) index. These determinants were then employed to formulate the prognostic nomogram. Subsequently, the bootstrap technique was applied to validate the derived model internally. RESULTS In total, 224 children with SCI were considered for the final evaluation, having a median monitoring duration of 68.0 months. The predictive nomogram showcased superior differentiation capabilities, yielding a refined C-index of 0.924 (95% CI: 0.883-0.965) for the training cohort and a C-index of 0.863 (95% CI: 0.735-0.933) for the external verification group. Additionally, when applying the aforementioned model to prognostic predictions as classified by the FIM, it demonstrated a high predictive value with a C-index of 0.908 (95% CI: 0.863-0.953). Moreover, the calibration diagrams indicated a consistent match between the projected and genuine ASIA outcomes across both sets. CONCLUSION The crafted and verified prognostic nomogram emerges as a dependable instrument to foresee the 3-, 5-, and 7-year ASIA and FIM outcomes for children suffering from SCI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Wang
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Liukun Xu
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Pengfei Zheng
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yapeng Zhang
- Anhui Province Children's Hospital, Hefei City, 230051, Anhui Province, China
| | - Wangmi Liu
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou City, 310009, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Yuntao Wang
- Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University, Nanjing City, 210000, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Zhiqun Zhang
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
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Liu J, Xin X, Sun J, Fan Y, Zhou X, Gong W, Yang M, Li Z, Wang Y, Yang Y, Gao C. Dual-targeting AAV9P1-mediated neuronal reprogramming in a mouse model of traumatic brain injury. Neural Regen Res 2024; 19:629-635. [PMID: 37721294 PMCID: PMC10581548 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.380907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Revised: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury results in neuronal loss and glial scar formation. Replenishing neurons and eliminating the consequences of glial scar formation are essential for treating traumatic brain injury. Neuronal reprogramming is a promising strategy to convert glial scars to neural tissue. However, previous studies have reported inconsistent results. In this study, an AAV9P1 vector incorporating an astrocyte-targeting P1 peptide and glial fibrillary acidic protein promoter was used to achieve dual-targeting of astrocytes and the glial scar while minimizing off-target effects. The results demonstrate that AAV9P1 provides high selectivity of astrocytes and reactive astrocytes. Moreover, neuronal reprogramming was induced by downregulating the polypyrimidine tract-binding protein 1 gene via systemic administration of AAV9P1 in a mouse model of traumatic brain injury. In summary, this approach provides an improved gene delivery vehicle to study neuronal programming and evidence of its applications for traumatic brain injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingzhou Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, China
| | - Xin Xin
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, China
| | - Jiejie Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, China
| | - Yueyue Fan
- Academy of Medical Engineering and Translational Medicine, Medical College, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Xun Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Gong
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, China
| | - Meiyan Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, China
| | - Zhiping Li
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, China
| | - Yuli Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, China
| | - Yang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, China
| | - Chunsheng Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, China
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Xu ZX, Xu D, Fang F, Fan YJ, Wu B, Chen YF, Huang HE, Huang XH, Zhuang YH, Xu WH. Enhanced axon outgrowth of spinal motor neurons in co-culturing with dorsal root ganglions antagonizes the growth inhibitory environment. Regen Ther 2024; 25:68-76. [PMID: 38148872 PMCID: PMC10750115 DOI: 10.1016/j.reth.2023.11.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Forming a bridge made of functional axons to span the lesion is essential to reconstruct the motor circuitry following spinal cord injury (SCI). Dorsal root ganglion (DRG) axons are robust in axon growth and have been proved to facilitate the growth of cortical neurons in a process of axon-facilitated axon regeneration. However, whether DRG transplantation affects the axon outgrowth of spinal motor neurons (SMNs) that play crucial roles in motor circuitry remains unclear. Methods We investigated the axonal growth patterns of co-cultured DRGs and SMN aggregates (SMNAs) taking advantage of a well-designed 3D-printed in vitro system. Chondroitin sulphate proteoglycans (CSPG) induced inhibitory matrix was introduced to imitate the inhibitory environment following SCI. Axonal lengths of DRG, SMNA or DRG & SMNA cultured on the permissive or CSPG induced inhibitory matrix were measured and compared. Results Our results indicated that under the guidance of full axonal connection generated from two opposing populations of DRGs, SMNA axons were growth-enhanced and elongated along the DRG axon bridge to distances that they could not otherwise reach. Quantitatively, the co-culture increased the SMNA axonal length by 32.1 %. Moreover, the CSPG matrix reduced the axonal length of DRGs and SMNAs by 46.2 % and 17.7 %, respectively. This inhibitory effect was antagonized by the co-culture of DRGs and SMNAs. Especially for SMNAs, they extended the axons across the CSPG-coating matrix, reached the lengths close to those of SMNAs cultured on the permissive matrix alone. Conclusions This study deepens our understanding of axon-facilitated reconstruction of the motor circuitry. Moreover, the results support SCI treatment utilizing the enhanced outgrowth of axons to restore functional connectivity in SCI patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zi-Xing Xu
- Department of Spinal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China
- Department of Orthopedics, National Regional Medical Center, Binhai Campus of the First Affiliated Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China
- Fujian Provincial Institute of Orthopedics, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China
| | - Dan Xu
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Brain Aging and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China
| | - Fang Fang
- Department of Pharmacology, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China
| | - Ying-Juan Fan
- Department of Pharmacology, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China
| | - Bing Wu
- The Central Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China
| | - Yu-Fan Chen
- Department of Spinal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China
| | - Hao-En Huang
- Department of Spinal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China
| | - Xin-Hao Huang
- Department of Spinal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China
| | - Yue-Hong Zhuang
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Brain Aging and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China
| | - Wei-Hong Xu
- Department of Spinal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China
- Department of Orthopedics, National Regional Medical Center, Binhai Campus of the First Affiliated Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China
- Fujian Provincial Institute of Orthopedics, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China
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9
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Liu Y, Zhao Y, Liao X, Zhou S, Guo X, Yang L, Lv B. PD-1 deficiency aggravates spinal cord injury by regulating the reprogramming of NG2 glia and activating the NgR/RhoA/ROCK signaling pathway. Cell Signal 2024; 114:110978. [PMID: 37972801 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2023.110978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2023] [Revised: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a devastating disorder and a leading cause of disability in adults worldwide. Multiple studies have reported the upregulation of programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) following SCI. However, the underlying mechanism of PD-1 deficiency in SCI is not well established. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the role and potential mechanism of PD-1 in SCI pathogenesis. PD-1 Knockout (KO) SCI mouse model was established, and PD-1 expression was evaluated in tissue samples by western blot assay. We then used a series of function gain-and-loss assays to determine the role of PD-1 in SCI pathogenesis. Moreover, mechanistic assays were performed to explore the association between PD-1, neuron-glia antigen-2 (NG2) glia cells, and miR-23b-5p and then investigated the involved signaling pathway. Results illustrated that PD-1 deficiency enhanced the inflammatory response, neuron loss, and functional impairment induced by SCI. We found that NG2 glia depletion aggravated inflammation, reduced neural survival, and suppressed locomotor recovery in murine SCI model. Further analysis indicated that NG2+ cells were increased in the spinal cord of SCI mice, and PD-1 deficiency increased the number of NG2+ cells by activating the Nogo receptor/ras homolog family member A/Rho kinase (NgR/RhoA/ROCK) signaling. Mechanistically, miR-23b-5p was identified as the negative regulator of PD-1 in NG2 glia. MiR-23b-5p deficiency reduced the expression of inflammatory cytokines, enhanced neural survival, and promoted locomotor recovery in SCI mice, which was counteracted by PD-1 deficiency. In conclusion, PD-1 deficiency exacerbates SCI in vivo by regulating reprogramming of NG2 glia and activating the NgR/RhoA/ROCK signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Liu
- Spine Center, Department of Orthopaedics, Shanghai Changzheng Hospital, Second Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, No.415 Fengyang Road, Shanghai, 200003, China
| | - Yin Zhao
- Spine Center, Department of Orthopaedics, Shanghai Changzheng Hospital, Second Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, No.415 Fengyang Road, Shanghai, 200003, China
| | - Xinyuan Liao
- Spine Center, Department of Orthopaedics, Shanghai Changzheng Hospital, Second Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, No.415 Fengyang Road, Shanghai, 200003, China
| | - Shengyuan Zhou
- Spine Center, Department of Orthopaedics, Shanghai Changzheng Hospital, Second Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, No.415 Fengyang Road, Shanghai, 200003, China
| | - Xiang Guo
- Spine Center, Department of Orthopaedics, Shanghai Changzheng Hospital, Second Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, No.415 Fengyang Road, Shanghai, 200003, China
| | - Lili Yang
- Spine Center, Department of Orthopaedics, Shanghai Changzheng Hospital, Second Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, No.415 Fengyang Road, Shanghai, 200003, China
| | - Bitao Lv
- Spine Center, Department of Orthopaedics, Shanghai Changzheng Hospital, Second Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, No.415 Fengyang Road, Shanghai, 200003, China.
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10
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Huang HY, Xiong MJ, Pu FQ, Liao JX, Zhu FQ, Zhang WJ. Application and challenges of olfactory ensheathing cells in clinical trials of spinal cord injury. Eur J Pharmacol 2024; 963:176238. [PMID: 38072039 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2023.176238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 10/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Spinal cord injury (SCI) can lead to severe motor, sensory and autonomic nervous dysfunction, cause serious psychosomatic injury to patients. There is no effective treatment for SCI at present. In recent years, exciting evidence has been obtained in the application of cell-based therapy in basic research. These studies have revealed the fact that cells transplanted into the host can exert the pharmacological properties of treating and repairing SCI. Olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) are a kind of special glial cells. The application value of OECs in the study of SCI lies in their unique biological characteristics, that is, they can survive and renew for life, give full play to neuroprotection, immune regulation, promoting axonal regeneration and myelination formation. The function of producing secretory group and improving microenvironment. This provides an irreplaceable treatment strategy for the repair of SCI. At present, some researchers have explored the possibility of treatment of OECs in clinical trials of SCI. Although OECs transplantation shows excellent safety and effectiveness in animal models, there is still lack of sufficient evidence to prove the effectiveness of their clinical application in clinical trials. There has been an obvious stagnation in the transformation of OECs transplantation into routine clinical practice, and clinical trials of cell therapy in this field are still facing major challenges and many problems that need to be solved. Therefore, this paper summarized and analyzed the clinical trials of OECs transplantation in the treatment of SCI, and discussed the problems and challenges of OECs transplantation in clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao-Yu Huang
- The Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanchang University, Nanchang City, Jiangxi province, 343000, China
| | - Mei-Juan Xiong
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanchang University, Nanchang City, Jiangxi province, 343000, China
| | - Fan-Qing Pu
- The Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanchang University, Nanchang City, Jiangxi province, 343000, China
| | - Jun-Xiang Liao
- The Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanchang University, Nanchang City, Jiangxi province, 343000, China
| | - Fu-Qi Zhu
- The Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanchang University, Nanchang City, Jiangxi province, 343000, China
| | - Wen-Jun Zhang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang City, Jiangxi province, 343000, China.
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11
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Yang J, Dong J, Li H, Gong Z, Wang B, Du K, Zhang C, Bi H, Wang J, Tian X, Chen L. Circular RNA HIPK2 Promotes A1 Astrocyte Activation after Spinal Cord Injury through Autophagy and Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress by Modulating miR-124-3p-Mediated Smad2 Repression. ACS OMEGA 2024; 9:781-797. [PMID: 38222662 PMCID: PMC10785321 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c06679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
Glial scarring formed by reactive astrocytes after spinal cord injury (SCI) is the primary obstacle to neuronal regeneration within the central nervous system, making them a promising target for SCI treatment. Our previous studies have demonstrated the positive impact of miR-124-3p on neuronal repair, but it remains unclear how miR-124-3p is involved in autophagy or ER stress in astrocyte activation. To answer this question, the expression of A1 astrocyte-related markers at the transcriptional and protein levels after SCI was checked in RNA-sequencing data and verified using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and Western blotting in vitro and in vivo. The potential interactions among circHIPK2, miR-124-3p, and Smad2 were analyzed and confirmed by bioinformatics analyses and a luciferase reporter assay. In the end, the role of miR-124-3p in autophagy, ER stress, and SCI was investigated by using Western blotting to measure key biomarkers (C3, LC3, and Chop) in the absence or presence of corresponding selective inhibitors (siRNA, 4-PBA, TG). As a result, SCI caused the increase of A1 astrocyte markers, in which the upregulated circHIPK2 directly targeted miR-124-3p, and the direct downregulating effect of Smad2 by miR-124-3p was abolished, while Agomir-124 treatment reversed this effect. Injury caused a significant change of markers for ER stress and autophagy through the circHIPK2/miR-124-3p/Smad2 pathway, which might activate the A1 phenotype, and ER stress might promote autophagy in astrocytes. In conclusion, circHIPK2 may play a functional role in sequestering miR-124-3p and facilitating the activation of A1 astrocytes through regulating Smad2-mediated downstream autophagy and ER stress pathways, providing a new perspective on potential targets for functional recovery after SCI.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Haotian Li
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650032, Yunnan, China
| | - Zhiqiang Gong
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650032, Yunnan, China
| | - Bing Wang
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650032, Yunnan, China
| | - Kaili Du
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650032, Yunnan, China
| | - Chunqiang Zhang
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650032, Yunnan, China
| | - Hangchuan Bi
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650032, Yunnan, China
| | - Junfei Wang
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650032, Yunnan, China
| | - Xinpeng Tian
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650032, Yunnan, China
| | - Lingqiang Chen
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650032, Yunnan, China
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12
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Chen X, Sokirniy I, Wang X, Jiang M, Mseis-Jackson N, Williams C, Mayes K, Jiang N, Puls B, Du Q, Shi Y, Li H. MicroRNA-375 Is Induced during Astrocyte-to-Neuron Reprogramming and Promotes Survival of Reprogrammed Neurons when Overexpressed. Cells 2023; 12:2202. [PMID: 37681934 PMCID: PMC10486704 DOI: 10.3390/cells12172202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Revised: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
While astrocyte-to-neuron (AtN) reprogramming holds great promise in regenerative medicine, the molecular mechanisms that govern this unique biological process remain elusive. To understand the function of miRNAs during the AtN reprogramming process, we performed RNA-seq of both mRNAs and miRNAs on human astrocyte (HA) cultures upon NeuroD1 overexpression. Bioinformatics analyses showed that NeuroD1 not only activated essential neuronal genes to initiate the reprogramming process but also induced miRNA changes in HA. Among the upregulated miRNAs, we identified miR-375 and its targets, neuronal ELAVL genes (nELAVLs), which encode a family of RNA-binding proteins and were also upregulated by NeuroD1. We further showed that manipulating the miR-375 level regulated nELAVLs' expression during NeuroD1-mediated reprogramming. Interestingly, miR-375/nELAVLs were also induced by the reprogramming factors Neurog2 and ASCL1 in HA, suggesting a conserved function to neuronal reprogramming, and by NeuroD1 in the mouse astrocyte culture and spinal cord. Functionally, we showed that miR-375 overexpression improved NeuroD1-mediated reprogramming efficiency by promoting cell survival at early stages in HA and did not appear to compromise the maturation of the reprogrammed neurons. Lastly, overexpression of miR-375-refractory ELAVL4 induced apoptosis and reversed the cell survival-promoting effect of miR-375 during AtN reprogramming. Together, we demonstrated a neuroprotective role of miR-375 during NeuroD1-mediated AtN reprogramming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuanyu Chen
- Department of Neuroscience & Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Ivan Sokirniy
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Xin Wang
- Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Mei Jiang
- Department of Neuroscience & Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Natalie Mseis-Jackson
- Department of Neuroscience & Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Christine Williams
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, College of Science & Mathematics, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Kristopher Mayes
- Department of Neuroscience & Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Na Jiang
- Department of Neuroscience & Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Brendan Puls
- Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Quansheng Du
- Department of Neuroscience & Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Yang Shi
- Department of Neuroscience & Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
- Division of Biostatistics and Data Science, Department of Population Health Sciences, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Hedong Li
- Department of Neuroscience & Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
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Ji Z, Zheng J, Ma Y, Lei H, Lin W, Huang J, Yang H, Zhang G, Li B, Shu B, Du X, Zhang J, Lin H, Liao Y. Emergency Treatment and Photoacoustic Assessment of Spinal Cord Injury Using Reversible Dual-Signal Transform-Based Selenium Antioxidant. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2023; 19:e2207888. [PMID: 37127878 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202207888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Revised: 04/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Spinal cord injury (SCI), following explosive oxidative stress, causes an abrupt and irreversible pathological deterioration of the central nervous system. Thus, preventing secondary injuries caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS), as well as monitoring and assessing the recovery from SCI are critical for the emergency treatment of SCI. Herein, an emergency treatment strategy is developed for SCI based on the selenium (Se) matrix antioxidant system to effectively inhibit oxidative stress-induced damage and simultaneously real-time evaluate the severity of SCI using a reversible dual-photoacoustic signal (680 and 750 nm). Within the emergency treatment and photoacoustic severity assessment (ETPSA) strategy, the designed Se loaded boron dipyrromethene dye with a double hydroxyl group (Se@BDP-DOH) is simultaneously used as a sensitive reporter group and an excellent antioxidant for effectively eliminating explosive oxidative stress. Se@BDP-DOH is found to promote the recovery of both spinal cord tissue and locomotor function in mice with SCI. Furthermore, ETPSA strategy synergistically enhanced ROS consumption via the caveolin 1 (Cav 1)-related pathways, as confirmed upon treatment with Cav 1 siRNA. Therefore, the ETPSA strategy is a potential tool for improving emergency treatment and photoacoustic assessment of SCI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhisheng Ji
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, P. R. China
| | - Judun Zheng
- Molecular Diagnosis and Treatment Center for Infectious Diseases, Dermatology Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510091, P. R. China
| | - Yanming Ma
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, P. R. China
| | - Hongyi Lei
- Department of Anesthesiology, Longgang District Central Hospital of Shenzhen, Shenzhen, 518100, P. R. China
| | - Weiqiang Lin
- Molecular Diagnosis and Treatment Center for Infectious Diseases, Dermatology Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510091, P. R. China
| | - Jialin Huang
- Molecular Diagnosis and Treatment Center for Infectious Diseases, Dermatology Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510091, P. R. China
| | - Hua Yang
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, P. R. China
| | - Guowei Zhang
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, P. R. China
| | - Bin Li
- Molecular Diagnosis and Treatment Center for Infectious Diseases, Dermatology Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510091, P. R. China
| | - Bowen Shu
- Molecular Diagnosis and Treatment Center for Infectious Diseases, Dermatology Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510091, P. R. China
| | - Xianjin Du
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430060, P. R. China
| | - Jian Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Basic Medical Science, Guang-zhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, P. R. China
| | - Hongsheng Lin
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, P. R. China
| | - Yuhui Liao
- Molecular Diagnosis and Treatment Center for Infectious Diseases, Dermatology Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510091, P. R. China
- Department of Anesthesiology, Longgang District Central Hospital of Shenzhen, Shenzhen, 518100, P. R. China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Metabolic Cardiovascular Diseases Research, Ningxia Key Laboratory of Vascular Injury and Repair Research, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, P. R. China
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14
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Zhang H, Hu YM, Wang YJ, Zhou Y, Zhu ZJ, Chen MH, Wang YJ, Xu H, Wang YH. Macrophage migration inhibitory factor facilitates astrocytic production of the CCL2 chemokine following spinal cord injury. Neural Regen Res 2023; 18:1802-1808. [PMID: 36751809 PMCID: PMC10154479 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.363184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Revised: 10/08/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Spinal cord injury causes accumulation of a large number of leukocytes at the lesion site where they contribute to excessive inflammation. Overproduced chemokines are responsible for the migratory process of the leukocytes, but the regulatory mechanism underlying the production of chemokines from resident cells of the spinal cord has not been fully elucidated. We examined the protein levels of macrophage migration inhibitory factor and chemokine C-C motif chemokine ligand 2 in a spinal cord contusion model at different time points following spinal cord injury. The elevation of macrophage migration inhibitory factor at the lesion site coincided with the increase of chemokine C-C motif chemokine ligand 2 abundance in astrocytes. Stimulation of primary cultured astrocytes with different concentrations of macrophage migration inhibitory factor recombinant protein induced chemokine C-C motif chemokine ligand 2 production from the cells, and the macrophage migration inhibitory factor inhibitor 4-iodo-6-phenylpyrimidine attenuated the stimulatory effect. Further investigation into the underlying mechanism on macrophage migration inhibitory factor-mediated astrocytic production of chemokine C-C motif chemokine ligand 2 revealed that macrophage migration inhibitory factor activated intracellular JNK signaling through binding with CD74 receptor. Administration of the macrophage migration inhibitory factor inhibitor 4-iodo-6-phenylpyrimidine following spinal cord injury resulted in the reduction of chemokine C-C motif chemokine ligand 2-recruited microglia/macrophages at the lesion site and remarkably improved the hindlimb locomotor function of rats. Our results have provided insights into the functions of astrocyte-activated chemokines in the recruitment of leukocytes and may be beneficial to develop interventions targeting chemokine C-C motif chemokine ligand 2 for neuroinflammation after spinal cord injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Zhang
- Department of Orthopedics, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Yu-Ming Hu
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Ying-Jie Wang
- Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Yue Zhou
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Zhen-Jie Zhu
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Min-Hao Chen
- Department of Orthopedics, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Yong-Jun Wang
- Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Hua Xu
- Department of Orthopedics, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - You-Hua Wang
- Department of Orthopedics, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China
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15
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Chen X, Sokirniy I, Wang X, Jiang M, Mseis-Jackson N, Williams C, Mayes K, Jiang N, Puls B, Du Q, Shi Y, Li H. MicroRNA-375 is induced during astrocyte-to-neuron reprogramming and promotes survival of reprogrammed neurons when overexpressed. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.10.548401. [PMID: 37503054 PMCID: PMC10369893 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.10.548401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
While astrocyte-to-neuron (AtN) reprogramming holds great promise in regenerative medicine, the molecular mechanisms that govern this unique biological process remain elusive. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), as post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression, play crucial roles during development and under various pathological conditions. To understand the function of miRNAs during AtN reprogramming process, we performed RNA-seq of both mRNAs and miRNAs on human astrocyte (HA) cultures upon NeuroD1 overexpression. Bioinformatics analyses showed that NeuroD1 not only activates essential neuronal genes to initiate reprogramming process but also induces miRNA changes in HA. Among the upregulated miRNAs, we identified miR-375 and its targets, neuronal ELAVL genes ( nELAVLs ), which encode a family of RNA-binding proteins and are also upregulated by NeuroD1. We further showed that manipulating miR-375 level regulates nELAVLs expression during NeuroD1-mediated reprogramming. Interestingly, miR-375/ nELAVLs are also induced by reprogramming factors Neurog2 and ASCL1 in HA suggesting a conserved function to neuronal reprogramming, and by NeuroD1 in the mouse astrocyte culture and spinal cord. Functionally, we showed that miR-375 overexpression improves NeuroD1-mediated reprogramming efficiency by promoting cell survival at early stages in HA even in cultures treated with the chemotherapy drug Cisplatin. Moreover, miR-375 overexpression doesn't appear to compromise maturation of the reprogrammed neurons in long term HA cultures. Lastly, overexpression of miR-375-refractory ELAVL4 induces apoptosis and reverses the cell survival-promoting effect of miR-375 during AtN reprogramming. Together, we demonstrate a neuro-protective role of miR-375 during NeuroD1-mediated AtN reprogramming and suggest a strategy of combinatory overexpression of NeuroD1 and miR-375 for improving neuronal reprogramming efficiency.
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16
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Li J, Luo W, Xiao C, Zhao J, Xiang C, Liu W, Gu R. Recent advances in endogenous neural stem/progenitor cell manipulation for spinal cord injury repair. Theranostics 2023; 13:3966-3987. [PMID: 37554275 PMCID: PMC10405838 DOI: 10.7150/thno.84133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) can cause severe neurological impairments. Clinically available treatments are quite limited, with unsatisfactory remediation effects. Residing endogenous neural stem/progenitor cells (eNSPCs) tend to differentiate towards astrocytes, leaving only a small fraction towards oligodendrocytes and even fewer towards neurons; this has been suggested as one of the reasons for the failure of autonomous neuronal regeneration. Thus, finding ways to recruit and facilitate the differentiation of eNSPCs towards neurons has been considered a promising strategy for the noninvasive and immune-compatible treatment of SCI. The present manuscript first introduces the responses of eNSPCs after exogenous interventions to boost endogenous neurogenesis in various SCI models. Then, we focus on state-of-art manipulation approaches that enhance the intrinsic neurogenesis capacity and reconstruct the hostile microenvironment, mainly consisting of pharmacological treatments, stem cell-derived exosome administration, gene therapy, functional scaffold implantation, inflammation regulation, and inhibitory element delineation. Facing the extremely complex situation of SCI, combined treatments are also highlighted to provide more clues for future relevant investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jincheng Li
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130033, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenqi Luo
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130033, People's Republic of China
| | - Chunsheng Xiao
- Key Laboratory of Polymer Ecomaterials, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianhui Zhao
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130033, People's Republic of China
| | - Chunyu Xiang
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130033, People's Republic of China
| | - Wanguo Liu
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130033, People's Republic of China
| | - Rui Gu
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130033, People's Republic of China
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17
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Hu Y, Li R, Li HL, Cui HY, Huang YC. Identification of injury type using somatosensory and motor evoked potentials in a rat spinal cord injury model. Neural Regen Res 2023; 18:422-427. [PMID: 35900440 PMCID: PMC9396501 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.346458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The spinal cord is at risk of injury during spinal surgery. If intraoperative spinal cord injury is identified early, irreversible impairment or loss of neurological function can be prevented. Different types of spinal cord injury result in damage to different spinal cord regions, which may cause different somatosensory and motor evoked potential signal responses. In this study, we examined electrophysiological and histopathological changes between contusion, distraction, and dislocation spinal cord injuries in a rat model. We found that contusion led to the most severe dorsal white matter injury and caused considerable attenuation of both somatosensory and motor evoked potentials. Dislocation resulted in loss of myelinated axons in the lateral region of the injured spinal cord along the rostrocaudal axis. The amplitude of attenuation in motor evoked potential responses caused by dislocation was greater than that caused by contusion. After distraction injury, extracellular spaces were slightly but not significantly enlarged; somatosensory evoked potential responses slightly decreased and motor evoked potential responses were lost. Correlation analysis showed that histological and electrophysiological findings were significantly correlated and related to injury type. Intraoperative monitoring of both somatosensory and motor evoked potentials has the potential to identify iatrogenic spinal cord injury type during surgery.
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18
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Ren DL, Hu B, Shao GJ, Wang XL, Wei ML. DUSP2 deletion with CRISPR/Cas9 promotes Mauthner cell axonal regeneration at the early stage of zebrafish. Neural Regen Res 2023; 18:577-581. [DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.350208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
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19
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Yang R, Pan J, Wang Y, Xia P, Tai M, Jiang Z, Chen G. Application and prospects of somatic cell reprogramming technology for spinal cord injury treatment. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:1005399. [PMID: 36467604 PMCID: PMC9712200 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.1005399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 08/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a serious neurological trauma that is challenging to treat. After SCI, many neurons in the injured area die due to necrosis or apoptosis, and astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, microglia and other non-neuronal cells become dysfunctional, hindering the repair of the injured spinal cord. Corrective surgery and biological, physical and pharmacological therapies are commonly used treatment modalities for SCI; however, no current therapeutic strategies can achieve complete recovery. Somatic cell reprogramming is a promising technology that has gradually become a feasible therapeutic approach for repairing the injured spinal cord. This revolutionary technology can reprogram fibroblasts, astrocytes, NG2 cells and neural progenitor cells into neurons or oligodendrocytes for spinal cord repair. In this review, we provide an overview of the transcription factors, genes, microRNAs (miRNAs), small molecules and combinations of these factors that can mediate somatic cell reprogramming to repair the injured spinal cord. Although many challenges and questions related to this technique remain, we believe that the beneficial effect of somatic cell reprogramming provides new ideas for achieving functional recovery after SCI and a direction for the development of treatments for SCI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riyun Yang
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Jingying Pan
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Yankai Wang
- Center for Basic Medical Research, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Panhui Xia
- Center for Basic Medical Research, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Mingliang Tai
- Center for Basic Medical Research, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Zhihao Jiang
- Center for Basic Medical Research, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Gang Chen
- Center for Basic Medical Research, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, China
- Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and the Ministry of Education, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, China
- Department of Anesthesiology, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, China
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20
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Jiang K, Sun Y, Chen X. Mechanism Underlying Acupuncture Therapy in Spinal Cord Injury: A Narrative Overview of Preclinical Studies. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:875103. [PMID: 35462893 PMCID: PMC9021644 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.875103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Spinal cord injury (SCI) results from various pathogenic factors that destroy the normal structure and function of the spinal cord, subsequently causing sensory, motor, and autonomic nerve dysfunction. SCI is one of the most common causes of disability and death globally. It leads to severe physical and mental injury to patients and causes a substantial economic burden on families and the society. The pathological changes and underlying mechanisms within SCI involve oxidative stress, apoptosis, inflammation, etc. As a traditional therapy, acupuncture has a positive effect promoting the recovery of SCI. Acupuncture-induced neuroprotection includes several mechanisms such as reducing oxidative stress, inhibiting the inflammatory response and neuronal apoptosis, alleviating glial scar formation, promoting neural stem cell differentiation, and improving microcirculation within the injured area. Therefore, the recent studies exploring the mechanism of acupuncture therapy in SCI will help provide a theoretical basis for applying acupuncture and seeking a better treatment target and acupuncture approach for SCI patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kunpeng Jiang
- Department of Hand and Foot Surgery, Zhejiang Rongjun Hospital, Jiaxing, China
| | - Yulin Sun
- Department of Neurosurgery, Zhejiang Rongjun Hospital, Jiaxing, China
| | - Xinle Chen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Zhejiang Rongjun Hospital, Jiaxing, China
- *Correspondence: Xinle Chen,
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21
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Havelikova K, Smejkalova B, Jendelova P. Neurogenesis as a Tool for Spinal Cord Injury. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23073728. [PMID: 35409088 PMCID: PMC8998995 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23073728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Revised: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Spinal cord injury is a devastating medical condition with no effective treatment. One approach to SCI treatment may be provided by stem cells (SCs). Studies have mainly focused on the transplantation of exogenous SCs, but the induction of endogenous SCs has also been considered as an alternative. While the differentiation potential of neural stem cells in the brain neurogenic regions has been known for decades, there are ongoing debates regarding the multipotent differentiation potential of the ependymal cells of the central canal in the spinal cord (SCECs). Following spinal cord insult, SCECs start to proliferate and differentiate mostly into astrocytes and partly into oligodendrocytes, but not into neurons. However, there are several approaches concerning how to increase neurogenesis in the injured spinal cord, which are discussed in this review. The potential treatment approaches include drug administration, the reduction of neuroinflammation, neuromodulation with physical factors and in vivo reprogramming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katerina Havelikova
- Institute of Experimental Medicine, Czech Academy of Sciences, Vídeňská 1083, 14220 Prague, Czech Republic; (K.H.); (B.S.)
- Department of Neuroscience, Second Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, 15006 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Barbora Smejkalova
- Institute of Experimental Medicine, Czech Academy of Sciences, Vídeňská 1083, 14220 Prague, Czech Republic; (K.H.); (B.S.)
- Department of Neuroscience, Second Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, 15006 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Pavla Jendelova
- Institute of Experimental Medicine, Czech Academy of Sciences, Vídeňská 1083, 14220 Prague, Czech Republic; (K.H.); (B.S.)
- Department of Neuroscience, Second Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, 15006 Prague, Czech Republic
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +420-24-106-2828
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