Abstract
During the transition from early development to adulthood, several proteins critical for the regenerative ability of neurons, are downregulated or silenced. However, when downregulated integrin receptors are reintroduced in adult neurons in vitro, neurite outgrowth is enhanced on inhibitory substrates. Previously we show in vivo forced expression of the alpha9 integrin subunit (tenascin‐C receptor) enhances axon regeneration after dorsal rhizotomy or dorsal column crush injury for short distances compared to controls. An important finding in our study was the disparity observed between the substantial in vitro effect and the modest in vivo result. Therefore, the current study examines in vivo localization/transport of different integrin subunits following forced expression of a YFP‐tagged integrin using lentivirus injected into uninjured adult rat sensorimotor cortex. Initial results with integrin alpha 6 (laminin receptor, α6) show that α6‐YFP remains mostly in neuronal cell bodies with some observed within the immediate processes, with cervical spinal injury not affecting transport of α6‐YFP. We are now examining differences in integrin transport that may exist between adult, developing central nervous system (CNS), and peripheral NS to determine whether this correlates to regenerative ability. These findings will further our understanding of cellular mechanisms involved in CNS regeneration.
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