Dataset Information

Splenic sympathetic signaling contributes to acute neutrophil infiltration of the injured spinal cord.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Alterations in the immune system are a complication of spinal cord injury (SCI) and have been linked to an excessive sympathetic outflow to lymphoid organs. Still unknown is whether these peripheral immune changes also contribute for the deleterious inflammatory response mounted at the injured spinal cord.

Methods

We analyzed different molecular outputs of the splenic sympathetic signaling for the first 24 h after a thoracic compression SCI. We also analyzed the effect of ablating the splenic sympathetic signaling to the innate immune and inflammatory response at the spleen and spinal cord 24 h after injury.

Results

We found that norepinephrine (NE) levels were already raised at this time-point. Low doses of NE stimulation of splenocytes in vitro mainly affected the neutrophils' population promoting an increase in both frequency and numbers. Interestingly, the interruption of the sympathetic communication to the spleen, by ablating the splenic nerve, resulted in reduced frequencies and numbers of neutrophils both at the spleen and spinal cord 1 day post-injury.

Conclusion

Collectively, our data demonstrates that the splenic sympathetic signaling is involved in the infiltration of neutrophils after spinal cord injury. Our findings give new mechanistic insights into the dysfunctional regulation of the inflammatory response mounted at the injured spinal cord.

SUBMITTER: Monteiro S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7513542 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Splenic sympathetic signaling contributes to acute neutrophil infiltration of the injured spinal cord.

Monteiro Susana S Pinho Andreia G AG Macieira Mara M Serre-Miranda Cláudia C Cibrão Jorge R JR Lima Rui R Soares-Cunha Carina C Vasconcelos Natália L NL Lentilhas-Graça José J Duarte-Silva Sara S Miranda Alice A Correia-Neves Margarida M Salgado António J AJ Silva Nuno A NA

Journal of neuroinflammation 20200923 1

<h4>Background</h4>Alterations in the immune system are a complication of spinal cord injury (SCI) and have been linked to an excessive sympathetic outflow to lymphoid organs. Still unknown is whether these peripheral immune changes also contribute for the deleterious inflammatory response mounted at the injured spinal cord.<h4>Methods</h4>We analyzed different molecular outputs of the splenic sympathetic signaling for the first 24 h after a thoracic compression SCI. We also analyzed the effect ...[more]

PMID: 32967684

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Project description:UnlabelledAcute oligodendrocyte (OL) death after traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) is followed by robust neuron-glial antigen 2 (NG2)-positive OL progenitor proliferation and differentiation into new OLs. Inflammatory mediators are prevalent during both phases and can influence the fate of NG2 cells and OLs. Specifically, toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 signaling induces OL genesis in the naive spinal cord, and lack of TLR4 signaling impairs white matter sparing and functional recovery after SCI. Therefore, we hypothesized that TLR4 signaling may regulate oligodendrogenesis after SCI. C3H/HeJ (TLR4-deficient) and control (C3H/HeOuJ) mice received a moderate midthoracic spinal contusion. TLR4-deficient mice showed worse functional recovery and reduced OL numbers compared with controls at 24 h after injury through chronic time points. Acute OL loss was accompanied by reduced ferritin expression, which is regulated by TLR4 and needed for effective iron storage. TLR4-deficient injured spinal cords also displayed features consistent with reduced OL genesis, including reduced NG2 expression, fewer BrdU-positive OLs, altered BMP4 signaling and inhibitor of differentiation 4 (ID4) expression, and delayed myelin phagocytosis. Expression of several factors, including IGF-1, FGF2, IL-1β, and PDGF-A, was altered in TLR4-deficient injured spinal cords compared with wild types. Together, these data show that TLR4 signaling after SCI is important for OL lineage cell sparing and replacement, as well as in regulating cytokine and growth factor expression. These results highlight new roles for TLR4 in endogenous SCI repair and emphasize that altering the function of a single immune-related receptor can dramatically change the reparative responses of multiple cellular constituents in the injured CNS milieu.Significance statementMyelinating cells of the CNS [oligodendrocytes (OLs)] are killed for several weeks after traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI), but they are replaced by resident progenitor cells. How the concurrent inflammatory signaling affects this endogenous reparative response is unclear. Here, we provide evidence that immune receptor toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) supports OL lineage cell sparing, long-term OL and OL progenitor replacement, and chronic functional recovery. We show that TLR4 signaling is essential for acute iron storage, regulating cytokine and growth factor expression, and efficient myelin debris clearance, all of which influence OL replacement. Importantly, the current study reveals that a single immune receptor is essential for repair responses after SCI, and the potential mechanisms of this beneficial effect likely change over time after injury.

Project description:Drug delivery requires precision in timing, location, and dosage to achieve therapeutic benefits. Challenges in addressing all three of these critical criteria result in poor temporal dexterity, widespread accumulation and off-target effects, and high doses with the potential for toxicity. To address these challenges, we have developed the BiomatErial Accumulating Carriers for On-demand Nanotherapy (BEACON) platform that utilizes an implantable biomaterial to serve as a target for systemically delivered nanoparticles (NPs). With the BEACON system, administered NPs are conjugated with a ligand that has high affinity for a receptor in the implanted biomaterial. To test BEACON, an in vivo spinal cord injury (SCI) model was used as it provides an injury model where the three identified criteria can be tested as it is a dynamic and complicated injury model with no currently approved therapies. Through our work, we have demonstrated temporal dexterity in NP administration by injecting 6 days post-SCI, decreased off-target accumulation with a significant drop in liver accumulation, and retention of our NPs in the target biomaterial. The BEACON system can be applied broadly, beyond the nervous system, to improve systemically delivered NP accumulation at an implanted biomaterial target. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Targeted drug delivery approaches have the potential to improve therapeutic regimens for patients on a case-by-case basis. Improved localization of a therapeutic to site of interest can result in increased efficacy and limit the need for repeat dosing. Unfortunately, targeted strategies can fall short when receptors on cells or tissues are too widespread or change over the course of disease or injury progression. The BEACON system developed herein eliminates the need to target a cell or tissue receptor by targeting an implantable biomaterial with location-controllable accumulation and sustained presentation over time. The targeting paradigm presented by BEACON is widely applicable throughout tissue engineering and regenerative medicine without the need to retool for each new application.

Dataset Information

Splenic sympathetic signaling contributes to acute neutrophil infiltration of the injured spinal cord.

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Publications

Splenic sympathetic signaling contributes to acute neutrophil infiltration of the injured spinal cord.

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