Cerebrospinal fluid-contacting neurons affect the expression of endogenous neural progenitor cells and the recovery of neural function after spinal cord injury

Abstract

Objective

To explore the relationship between cerebrospinal fluid-contacting neurons (CSF-cNs) and endogenous neural progenitor cells (ENPCs) and whether CSF-cNs are involved in nerve repair after spinal cord injury (SCI).

Methods

Cholera toxin B-horseradish peroxidase complex (CB-HRP) and cholera toxin B conjugated with saporin (CB-SAP) were injected into the lateral ventricles of spinal cord injured rats to mark and destroy the CSF-cNs. Then the rats in the experimental group were injured by SCI. Observe the content and co-expression of CSF-cNs and ENPCs in rats of each group, and observe the recovery of motor function after SCI in each group.

Results

After the destruction of CSF-cNs, the number of ENPCs decreased significantly in the long term after the surgery, and the recovery of motor function also deteriorated as compared to the group with intact CSF-cNs. Meanwhile some cells in the spinal cord express both the biological marker of CSF-cNs and ENPCs.

Conclusion

This study shows that the population of ENPCs and motor function recovery in SCI rats declined after the destruction of CSF-cNs, suggesting that CSF-cNs affect the ENPCs population and may be involved in the recovery of neural function after SCI.

Keywords:

• Spinal cord injury
• neural progenitor cell
• cerebrospinal fluid-contacting neuron

Author contributions

Qing Li and Lei-luo Yang designed the study. Li Chen, Wen-bo Zhao, and Jing Shan participated in SCI modeling and immunofluorescence. Yu-qi He, Xue-xing Shi and Zong-long Lin participated in SCI modeling, BBB data analysis, and Slant board movement score analysis. Yu-qi He and Xue-xing Shi wrote the manuscript. Qing Li and Lei-luo Yang revised the manuscript. All authors have read and approved final version of the manuscript.

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Xiao-wei Dou (Guizhou Medical University) for technical support for the present study. We would also like to thank all the laboratory members of Clinical Research Center of Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University for their encouragement and generous support for the present study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [grant number 81960234], the Science and Technology Bureau of Guizhou, China [grant number 2016-7404 and [2018]5779-7], and the Science and Technology Bureau of Guiyang, China [grant number 2018,1-88].