Brain gray matter astroglia-specific connexin 43 ablation attenuates spinal cord inflammatory demyelination.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Brain astroglia are activated preceding the onset of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), an animal model of multiple sclerosis (MS). We characterized the effects of brain astroglia on spinal cord inflammation, focusing on astroglial connexin (Cx)43, because we recently reported that Cx43 has a critical role in regulating neuroinflammation.

Methods

Because glutamate aspartate transporter (GLAST)⁺ astroglia are enriched in the brain gray matter, we generated Cx43^fl/fl;GLAST-CreER^T2/+ mice that were brain gray matter astroglia-specific Cx43 conditional knockouts (Cx43 icKO). EAE was induced by immunization with myelin oligodendroglia glycoprotein (MOG) _35-55 peptide 10 days after tamoxifen injection. Cx43^f

SUBMITTER: Une H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8180177 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature