Project description:We previously showed that importin beta1 local translation in injured axons is a key event in injury-signaling and regeneration (Perry et al., 2012). Next, we showed that importin beta1 is localize to axons through a localization motif in its 3'UTR and that this motif is bound by the RNA binding proteins Nucleolin and PTBP1. In this study, we asked which other RNA targets are bound by these two RNA binding proteins in naive Sciatic nerves and how are they changing 7 days after injury.
Project description:Mammalian motor circuits control voluntary movements by transmitting signals from the central nervous system (CNS) to muscle targets. To form these circuits, motor neurons (MNs) must extend their axons out of the CNS. Although motor axon exit from the CNS is an indispensable phase of motor axon pathfinding, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain obscure. Here, we present the first identification of a genetic pathway that regulates motor axon exit from the vertebrate spinal cord, utilizing spinal accessory motor neurons (SACMN) as a model system. SACMN are a homogeneous population of spinal MNs whose axons leave the CNS through a discrete lateral exit point (LEP) and can be visualized by the expression of the cell surface protein, BEN. We show that the homeodomain transcription factor, Nkx2.9, is selectively required for SACMN axon exit and identify the Robo2 guidance receptor as a likely downstream effector of Nkx2.9; loss of Nkx2.9 leads to a reduction in Robo2 mRNA and protein within SACMN and SACMN axons fail to exit the spinal cord in Robo2-deficient mice. Consistent with short-range interactions between Robo2 and Slit ligands regulating SACMN axon exit, Robo2-expressing SACMN axons normally navigate through LEP-associated Slits as they emerge from the spinal cord, and fail to exit in Slit-deficient mice. Our studies support the view that Nkx2.9 controls SACMN axon exit from the mammalian spinal cord by regulating Robo-Slit signaling. We utilized microarray technology to identify novel downstream effectors of the homeodomain transcription factor, Nkx2.9, that regulate spinal accessory motor neuron development.
Project description:An insulating myelin sheath ensures saltatory conduction of mechanosensory A afferents. Myelin damage results in the electrical instability of A fibers and the ability to generate pain in response to light touch/pressure (mechanical allodynia). We have hypothesized and then established that the release of T cell epitopes of myelin basic protein (MBP) enables nociceptive circuitry in myelinated fibers. Thus, mass spectrometry analysis of the rat sciatic nerve proteome followed by bioinformatics examination of the datasets revealed a loss of MBP and activation of T-helper cell signaling in the nerves undergoing chronic constriction injury (CCI). Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) proteolysis resulted in the MBP digest peptides, including the MBP84-104 and MBP68-86 regions, which exhibit prominent immunogenic epitopes. Myelin-forming Schwann cells and paranodal areas accumulated MHCII, MMP-9 and the degraded MBP at the sciatic nerve injury site. Administration of the immunodominant MBP84-104 and MBP68-86 peptides but not of the control peptides in a naïve rat sciatic nerve produced robust mechanical allodynia. Allodynia was accompanied by the T cell infiltration and an increase in MHCII, IL-17A and TNF- levels at the nerve injection site and the segmental ganglia. The pro-nociceptive activity of the synthetic MBP84-104 diminished in athymic nude rats lacking T cells. SB-3CT, an antagonist of MMP-9, inhibited mechanical allodynia, neuroinflammation and spinal sensitization after CCI. Collectively, our novel data implicate, for the first time, MMP-mediated cleavage of MBP and the resulting MBP digest fragments as a major cause of neuropathic pain. Gene extression profiling of total RNAs extracted from rat sciatic nerves, dorsal root ganglion and spinal cords after MBP84-104 peptide injection
Project description:Tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMP) are endogenous inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP). While TIMP2 and TIMP3 inhibit MMPs, TIMP3 also inhibits activation of pro-MMP2 whereas TIMP2 promotes it. Here we assessed the differential role of TIMP2 and TIMP3 in renal injury using the unilateral ureteral obstruction model. Gene microarray assay showed that post-obstruction, the lack of TIMP3 had a greater impact on gene expression of intermediate, late injury- and repair-induced transcripts, kidney selective transcripts and solute carriers. Renal injury in TIMP3-/-, but not in TIMP2-/- mice increased expression of collagen type I/III, connective tissue growth factor, transforming growth factor-β and the downstream Smad2/3 pathway. Interestingly, ureteral obstruction markedly increased MMP2 activation in the kidneys of TIMP3-/- mice which was completely blocked in the kidneys of TIMP2-/- mice. These changes are consistent with enhanced renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis in TIMP3-/- and its reduction in TIMP2-/- mice. The activity of tumor necrosis factor-α converting enzyme, caspase-3 and mitogen activated kinases were elevated in the kidneys of TIMP3-/- but not TIMP2-/- mice, suggesting enhanced activation of apoptotic and pathological signaling pathways only in the obstructed kidney of TIMP3-/- mice. Thus, TIMP2 and TIMP3 play differential and contrasting roles in renal injury, TIMP3 protects from damage whereas TIMP2 promotes injury through MMP2 activation. Kidneys from the wild type (WT), TIMP2-/- and TIMP3-/- mice undergoing sham or unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) procedures
Project description:To shed light on the early processes of immune response to peripheral nerve injury, we first used genome-wide transcriptional profiling and bioinformatics (Ingenuity, NextBio) pathway analyses of the proximal (P; regenerating) and distal (D; degenerating) nerve stumps at day 1 in the sciatic nerve axotomy model in rats. We identified a number of specific immunomodulatory genes and pathways that were regulated shortly post-injury in both the P and D segments, including all members of the interleukin (IL), chemokine, tumor necrosis factor (TNF), matrix metalloproteinase (MMP), toll-like receptor (TLR), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP), ion channel and myosin families. Immunomodulatory calcium-binding S100A8 and S100A9 were the top up-regulated genes in both the D and P segments. In cultured Schwann cells stimulated with the purified S100A8/A9 heterodimer we recorded a high level of similarity of the activated genes and pathways with that of the injured nerve, especially in the activation of the chemokine and cytokine gene networks that support agranulocyte and granulocyte chemotaxis, adhesion, transmigration and rolling signaling pathways. We also confirmed activation of multiple cell death related gene networks supporting TNFR1, natural killer cell receptor and death receptor apoptosis signaling in the D stump, and the gluconeogenesis/glycolysis and cytoskeletal motility signaling in the P stump, corroborated by activation of ERK, PI3K and JNK kinase pathways. As compared to the D segment, multiple additional pathways were more efficiently upregulated in the P stump, including the IL-6 and -17, MMP-9, calcium, activated agranulocyte, leukocyte rolling and glutathione-mediated detoxification signaling pathways. These data suggest that shortly after nerve injury, upregulation of S100A8/A9 is responsible for the expression and release of chemokines and cytokines by Schwann cells, necessary to generate the initial chemotactic gradient and guide the hematogenous immune cells into the injury site. Gene expression profiling of total RNAs extracted from injured and non-injured rat sciatic nerves, and primary rat Schwann cells stimulated with S100A8/A9 proteins
Project description:We used optic nerve injury as a model to study early signaling events in the neuronal soma following axonal injury. Optic nerve injury results in the selective death of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). The time course of cell death takes place over a period of days with the earliest detection of RGC death at about 48 hr post injury. We hypothesized that in the period immediately following axonal injury, there are changes in the soma that signal surrounding glia and neurons and that start programmed cell death. In the current study, we investigated early changes in cellular signaling and gene expression that occur within the first 6 hrs post optic nerve injury. We detected differences in phosphoproteins and gene expression within this time period that we used to interpret temporal events. Our studies revealed that the entire retina has been signaled by the RGC soma within 30 min after optic nerve injury and that pathways that modulate cell death are likely to be active in RGCs within 6 hrs following axonal injury Experiment Overall Design: In the treated animals, axons of the optic nerve were crushed with fine forceps for 10 sec, 1 mm posterior to the globe, under direct visualization, within an intact meningeal sheath. Controls were contralateral eyes from the same animals in each group that had not been injured. After 6 hr eyes were enucleated and processed for tissue sectionin