cDNA microarray analysis of spinal cord injury and regeneration related genes in rat.
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The acute traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) is a commonly seen and severe case in clinic. However, the repair and regeneration of injured spinal cord is limited. This is likely due to that different kinds of factors are involved in regeneration after SCI. In the present study, we used complementary DNA microarray consisting of 4 041 specific probes from rat to identify genes that were differentially expressed after SCI. The animals were subjected to complete transection injury of the thoracic spinal cord (T8-T9). Sham operated animals received only a laminectomy. Four and a half days later, rat spinal cord was dissected out for total RNA isolation. The fluorescent (Cy3 and Cy5) labeled probes were prepared and hybridized to the microarray. Genes that showed 2-fold difference in SCI tissue were identified. Sixty-five up-regulated genes consisted of 21 known genes, 30 known expressed sequence tags (ESTs) and 14 unknown genes. Seventy-nine down-regulated genes comprised 20 known genes, 42 known ESTs and 17 unknown genes. In 41 differentially expressed known genes, 5 up-regulated genes, i.e., tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 (Timp1), transgelin (Tagln), vimentin (Vim), Fc gamma receptor, cathepsin S (Ctss), and 3 down-regulated genes, i.e., stearyl-CoA desaturase, coagulation factor II (F2), endosulfin alpha (Ensa), were further confirmed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). These genes may play a role in the response to tissue damage or repair following SCI and characterization of them might be helpful to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of spinal cord injury and regeneration. (+info)
The extracellular matrix glycoprotein tenascin-C is beneficial for spinal cord regeneration.
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Effects of combinatorial treatment with pituitary adenylate cyclase activating peptide and human mesenchymal stem cells on spinal cord tissue repair.
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The bulge area is the major hair follicle source of nestin-expressing pluripotent stem cells which can repair the spinal cord compared to the dermal papilla.
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Nestin has been shown to be expressed in the hair follicle, both in the bulge area (BA) as well as the dermal papilla (DP). Nestin-expressing stem cells of both the BA and DP have been previously shown to be pluripotent and be able to form neurons and other non-follicle cell types. The nestin-expressing pluripotent stem cells from the DP have been termed skin precursor or SKP cells. The objective of the present study was to determine the major source of nestin-expressing pluripotent stem cells in the hair follicle and to compare the ability of the nestin-expressing pluripotent stem cells from the BA and DP to repair spinal cord injury. Transgenic mice in which the nestin promoter drives GFP (ND-GFP) were used in order to observe nestin expression in the BA and DP. Nestin-expressing DP cells were found in early and middle anagen. The BA had nestin expression throughout the hair cycle and to a greater extent than the DP. The cells from both regions had very long processes extending from them as shown by two-photon confocal microscopy. Nestin-expressing stem cells from both areas differentiated into neuronal cells at high frequency in vitro. Both nestin-expressing DP and BA cells differentiated into neuronal and glial cells after transplantation to the injured spinal cord and enhanced injury repair and locomotor recovery within four weeks. Nestin-expressing pluripotent stem cells from both the BA and DP have potential for spinal cord regeneration, with the BA being the greater and more constant source. (+info)