Peripheral Nerve Injury-Induced Astrocyte Activation in Spinal Ventral Horn Contributes to Nerve Regeneration.

Peripheral Nerve Injury-Induced Astrocyte Activation in Spinal Ventral Horn Contributes to Nerve Regeneration.
Neural Plast. 2018;2018:8561704
Authors: Qian C, Tan D, Wang X, Li L, Wen J, Pan M, Li Y, Wu W, Guo J
Abstract
Accumulating evidences suggest that peripheral nerve injury (PNI) may initiate astrocytic responses in the central nervous system (CNS). However, the response of astrocytes in the spinal ventral horn and its potential role in nerve regeneration after PNI remain unclear. Herein, we firstly illustrated that astrocytes in the spinal ventral horn were dramatically activated in the early stage following sciatic nerve injury, and these profiles were eliminated in the chronic stage. Additionally, we found that the expression of neurotrophins, including brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), nerve growth factor (NGF), and neurotrophin-3 (NT-3), also accompanied with astrocyte activation. In comparison with the irreversible transected subjects, astrocyte activation and the neurotrophic upregulation in the early stage were more drastic in case the transected nerve was rebridged immediately after injury. Furthermore, administering fluorocitrate to inhibit astrocyte activation resulted in decreased neurotrophin expression in the spinal ventral horn and delayed axonal regeneration in the nerve as well as motor function recovery. Overall, the present study indicates that peripheral nerve injury can initiate astrocyte activatio...

Source: Neural Plasticity - June 6, 2018 Category: Neurology Authors: Qian C, Tan D, Wang X, Li L, Wen J, Pan M, Li Y, Wu W, Guo J Tags: Neural Plast Source Type: research