Abstract
A hopeful spinal cord repairing strategy involves the activation of neural precursor cells. Unfortunately, their ability to generate neurons after injury appears limited. Another process promoting functional recovery is synaptic plasticity. We have previously studied some mechanisms of spinal plasticity involving BDNF, Shh, Notch-1, Numb, and Noggin, by using a mouse model of motoneuron depletion induced by cholera toxin-B saporin. TDP-43 is a nuclear RNA/DNA binding protein involved in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Interestingly, TDP-43 could be localized at the synapse and affect synaptic strength. Here, we would like to deepen the investigation of this model of spinal plasticity. After lesion, we observed a glial reaction and an activity-dependent modification of Shh, Noggin, and Numb proteins. By using multivariate regression models, we found that Shh and Noggin could affect motor performance and that these proteins could be associated with both TDP-43 and Numb. Our data suggest that TDP-43 is likely an important regulator of synaptic plasticity, probably in collaboration with other proteins involved in both neurogenesis and synaptic plasticity. Moreover, given the rapidly increasing knowledge about spinal cord plasticity, we believe that further efforts to achieve spinal cord repair by stimulating the intrinsic potential of spinal cord will produce interesting results.
Highlights
A feasible strategy for central nervous system (CNS) repair after injury or neurodegenerative diseases involves the activation of endogenous neural precursor cells (NPCs)
We have previously studied some mechanisms of spinal plasticity involving brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), Sonic hedgehog (Shh), Notch-1, Numb, and Noggin, by using a mouse model of motoneuron depletion induced by cholera toxin-B saporin
By using multivariate regression models, we found that Shh and Noggin could affect motor performance and that these proteins could be associated with both Transactive response DNA-binding protein of 43 kDa (TDP-43) and Numb
Summary
A feasible strategy for central nervous system (CNS) repair after injury or neurodegenerative diseases involves the activation of endogenous neural precursor cells (NPCs). Multipotent NPCs have been isolated from the spinal cord (SC) [1,2,3] These cells could be mobilized after SC injury (SCI), but their ability to generate neurons appears limited [2,3,4,5]. Another process promoting a functional recovery after SCI consists in plastic changes involving synaptic plasticity [6]. We have demonstrated that synaptic plasticity could be responsible, at least in part, for the spontaneous recovery of locomotion after injury [10,11,12,13,14,15] and that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) could exert a fundamental role in this process [12, 16,17,18]
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