Different epidermal growth factor receptor signaling pathways in neurons and astrocytes activated by extracellular matrix after spinal cord injury

In this study, we built a model of SCI with glial fibrillary acidic protein-green fluorescent protein (GFAP-GFP) and thymus cell antigen 1-yellow fluorescent protein-H (Thy1-YFPH) in mice that express specific transgenes in their astrocytes or neurons. Then, we collected spinal cord neurons or astrocytes by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). In this way, we investigated the SCI-induced phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in neurons and astrocytes, and we discovered that the SCI-induced EGFR signaling pathways differed between neurons and astrocytes. In the present study, we found that the Src-dependent phosphorylation of EGFR induced by SCI occurred only in neurons, not in astrocytes. This phenomenon may be due to the involvement of Thy-1, which promoted the binding between Src and EGFR in neurons after SCI. In addition, the expression of the integrin subunits after SCI differed between neurons and astrocytes. Our present study shows that the EGFR signaling pathway triggered by SCI in neurons differed from the EGFR signaling pathway triggered in astrocytes, a finding that may help to pave the way for clinical trials of therapies that inhibit EGFR signaling pathways after SCI.Graphical abstractThe different signaling pathways of EGFR phosphorylation induced by SCI in neurons and astrocytes. After building the spinal cord injury model, the extracellular matrix (ECM) was enhanced. Then, the ECM could act on the integrin receptors in neu...
Source: Neurochemistry International - Category: Neuroscience Source Type: research