Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience (Mar 2021)

Myelin Debris Stimulates NG2/CSPG4 Expression in Bone Marrow-Derived Macrophages in the Injured Spinal Cord

  • Yang Liu,
  • Yang Liu,
  • Yang Liu,
  • Grace Hammel,
  • Minjun Shi,
  • Minjun Shi,
  • Zhijian Cheng,
  • Zhijian Cheng,
  • Sandra Zivkovic,
  • Xiaoqi Wang,
  • Pingyi Xu,
  • Xijing He,
  • Bing Guo,
  • Yi Ren,
  • Li Zuo

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fncel.2021.651827
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 15

Abstract

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Although the increased expression of members of the chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan family, such as neuron-glial antigen 2 (NG2), have been well documented after an injury to the spinal cord, a complete picture as to the cellular origins and function of this NG2 expression has yet to be made. Using a spinal cord injury (SCI) mouse model, we describe that some infiltrated bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMΦ) are early contributors to NG2/CSPG4 expression and secretion after SCI. We demonstrate for the first time that a lesion-related form of cellular debris generated from damaged myelin sheaths can increase NG2/CSPG4 expression in BMDMΦ, which then exhibit enhanced proliferation and decreased phagocytic capacity. These results suggest that BMDMΦ may play a much more nuanced role in secondary spinal cord injury than previously thought, including acting as early contributors to the NG2 component of the glial scar.

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