Systematic analysis of purified astrocytes after spinal cord injury unveils lncRNA Zeb2os as a novel molecular target for astrogliosis
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT:
ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus
PROVIDER: GSE153721 | GEO | 2021/02/08
REPOSITORIES: GEO
Similar Datasets
Project description:Astrocytes are the predominant component of the scar and play crucial roles in spinal cord injury (SCI) at acute injury stage. Understanding the complex reactive astroglial contributions to SCI pathophysiologies is important for developing therapeutic strategies. To understand the mechanisms of astrogliosis in SCI, and to identify novel molecular targets to improve the injury environment and axonal regeneration, we have studied gene expression changes in SCI epicenter tissue using RNA-Seq at chronic stages (1 month and 3 months) in mouse moderate contusive injury models. Importantly, we have also FACS purified cells successfully from adult spinal cord using transgenic mice and generated RNA-Seq results for both acute (7 days) and chronic (1 month and 3 months) injury stages. The SCI RNA-Seq analysis provided valuable information on the gene expression in injury environment and astrocytes after SCI. In addition to protein coding genes, we were the first to systematically analyze the expression profiles of Long Noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in SCI and purified astrocytes. We have tested a number of candidates and found gene of interest Zeb2os which is a highly conserved lncRNA in human. Zeb2os expression has high correlation with an essential transcription factor (TF) in astrogliosis, Stat3, and its antisense protein coding gene Zeb2. Furthermore, our ChIP-seq experiment showed STAT3 bound to Zeb2 promoter region, thus Zeb2os may regulate Zeb2 and Stat3 directly or indirectly and STAT3 may regulate Zeb2 expression. Moreover, we have demonstrated for the first time by shRNA gene knockdown (KD) and functional assays that Zeb2os plays an important functional role in astrogliosis. We found Zeb2os KD in primary astrocytes affected a number of downstream genes by RNA-Seq, for example, Gfap, Zeb2, and Stat3 level decreased and reduced astrocyte proliferation.
2021-02-08 | GSE153720 | GEO
Project description:Astrocytes are the predominant component of the scar and play crucial roles in spinal cord injury (SCI) at acute injury stage. Understanding the complex reactive astroglial contributions to SCI pathophysiologies is important for developing therapeutic strategies. To understand the mechanisms of astrogliosis in SCI, and to identify novel molecular targets to improve the injury environment and axonal regeneration, we have studied gene expression changes in SCI epicenter tissue using RNA-Seq at chronic stages (1 month and 3 months) in mouse moderate contusive injury models. Importantly, we have also FACS purified cells successfully from adult spinal cord using transgenic mice and generated RNA-Seq results for both acute (7 days) and chronic (1 month and 3 months) injury stages. The SCI RNA-Seq analysis provided valuable information on the gene expression in injury environment and astrocytes after SCI. In addition to protein coding genes, we were the first to systematically analyze the expression profiles of Long Noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in SCI and purified astrocytes. We have tested a number of candidates and found gene of interest Zeb2os which is a highly conserved lncRNA in human. Zeb2os expression has high correlation with an essential transcription factor (TF) in astrogliosis, Stat3, and its antisense protein coding gene Zeb2. Furthermore, our ChIP-seq experiment showed STAT3 bound to Zeb2 promoter region, thus Zeb2os may regulate Zeb2 and Stat3 directly or indirectly and STAT3 may regulate zeb2 expression. Moreover, we have demonstrated for the first time by shRNA gene knockdown (KD) and functional assays that Zeb2os plays an important functional role in astrogliosis. We found Zeb2os KD in primary astrocytes affected a number of downstream genes by RNA-Seq, for example, Gfap, Zeb2, and Stat3 level decreased and reduced astrocyte proliferation.
2021-02-08 | GSE153085 | GEO
Project description:Spinal cord injury (SCI) is one of the most devastating neural injuries without effective therapeutic solutions. Astrocytes are the predominant component of the scar. Understanding the complex contributions of reactive astrocytes to SCI pathophysiologies is fundamentally important for developing therapeutic strategies. We have studied the molecular changes in the injury environment and the astrocyte-specific responses by astrocyte purification from injured spinal cords from acute to chronic stages. In addition to protein-coding genes, we have systematically analyzed the expression profiles of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) (>200 bp), which are regulatory RNAs that play important roles in the CNS. We have identified a highly conserved lncRNA, Zeb2os, and demonstrated using functional assays that it plays an important role in reactive astrogliosis through the Zeb2os/Zeb2/Stat3 axis. These studies provide valuable insights into the molecular basis of reactive astrogliosis and fill the knowledge gap regarding the function(s) of lncRNAs in astrogliosis and SCI.
| S-EPMC7920574 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Systematic analysis of purified astrocytes after spinal cord injury unveils lncRNA Zeb2os as a novel molecular target for astrogliosis
| PRJNA643794 | ENA
Project description:Systematic analysis of purified astrocytes after spinal cord injury unveils lncRNA Zeb2os as a novel molecular target for astrogliosis [ChIP-Seq]
| PRJNA641406 | ENA
Project description:Systematic analysis of purified astrocytes after spinal cord injury unveils lncRNA Zeb2os as a novel molecular target for astrogliosis [RNA-Seq]
| PRJNA643800 | ENA
Project description:Astrocytes are the most populous glial cells in the central nervous system (CNS). They are essential to CNS physiology and play important roles in the maintenance of homeostasis, development of synaptic plasticity, and neuroprotection. Nevertheless, under the influence of certain factors, astrocytes may also exert detrimental effects through a process of reactive astrogliosis. Previous studies have shown that astrocytes have more than one type of polarization. Two types have been extensively researched. One is a damaging change that occurs under inflammation and has been termed A1 astrocyte, while the other is a restorative change that occurs under ischemic induction and was termed A2 astrocyte. Researchers are now increasingly paying attention to the role of astrocytes in spinal cord injury (SCI), degenerative diseases, chronic pain, neurological tumors, and other CNS disorders. In this review, we discuss (a) the characteristics of polarized astrocytes, (b) the relationship between astrocyte polarization and SCI, and (c) new implications of reactive astrogliosis for future SCI therapies.
| S-EPMC7455824 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Astrocytes play a key role in the response to injury and noxious stimuli, but its role in myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury remains largely unknown. Here we determined whether manipulation of spinal astrocyte activity affected myocardial I/R injury and the underlying mechanisms. By ligating the left coronary artery to establish an in vivo I/R rat model, we observed a 1.7-fold rise in glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) protein level in spinal cord following myocardial I/R injury. Inhibition of spinal astrocytes by intrathecal injection of fluoro-citrate, an astrocyte inhibitor, decreased GFAP immunostaining and reduced infarct size by 29% relative to the I/R group. Using a Designer Receptor Exclusively Activated by Designer Drugs (DREADD) chemogenetic approach, we bi-directionally manipulated astrocyte activity employing GFAP promoter-driven Gq- or Gi-coupled signaling. The Gq-DREADD-mediated activation of spinal astrocytes caused transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) activation and neuropeptide release leading to a 1.3-fold increase in infarct size, 1.2-fold rise in serum norepinephrine level and higher arrhythmia score relative to I/R group. In contrast, Gi-DREADD-mediated inhibition of spinal astrocytes suppressed TRPV1-mediated nociceptive signaling, resulting in 35% reduction of infarct size and 51% reduction of arrhythmia score from I/R group, as well as lowering serum norepinephrine level from 3158 ± 108 to 2047 ± 95 pg/mL. Further, intrathecal administration of TRPV1 or neuropeptide antagonists reduced infarct size and serum norepinephrine level. These findings demonstrate a functional role of spinal astrocytes in myocardial I/R injury and provide a novel potential therapeutic approach targeting spinal cord astrocytes for the prevention of cardiac injury.
| S-EPMC10139732 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BACKGROUND:Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a destructive disease that incurs huge personal and social costs, and there is no effective treatment. Although the pathogenesis and treatment mechanism of SCI has always been a strong scientific focus, the pathogenesis of SCI is still under investigation. AIM:To determine the key genes based on the modularization of in-depth analysis, in order to identify the repair mechanism of astrocytes and non-astrocytes in SCI. METHODS:Firstly, the differences between injured and non-injured spinal cord of astrocyte (HA), injured and non-injured spinal cord of non-astrocyte (FLOW), injured spinal cord of non-injured astrocyte (HA) and non-injured spinal cord of non-astrocyte (FLOW), and non-injured spinal cord of astrocyte (HA) and non-astrocyte (FLOW) were analyzed. The total number of differentially expressed genes was obtained by merging the four groups of differential results. Secondly, the genes were co-expressed and clustered. Then, the enrichment of GO function and KEGG pathway of module genes was analyzed. Finally, non-coding RNA, transcription factors and drugs that regulate module genes were predicted using hypergeometric tests. RESULTS:In summary, we obtained 19 expression modules involving 5216 differentially expressed genes. Among them, miR-494, XIST and other genes were differentially expressed in SCI patients, and played an active regulatory role in dysfunction module, and these genes were recognized as the driving genes of SCI. Enrichment results showed that module genes were significantly involved in the biological processes of inflammation, oxidation and apoptosis. Signal pathways such as NF-kappa B/A20, AMPK and MAPK were significantly regulated. In addition, non-coding RNA pivot (including miR-136-5p and let-7d-5p, etc.) and transcription factor pivot (including NFKB1, MYC, etc.) were identified as significant regulatory dysfunction modules. CONCLUSION:Overall, this study uncovered a co-expression network of key genes involved in astrocyte and non-astrocyte regulation in SCI. These findings helped to reveal the core dysfunction modules, potential regulatory factors and driving genes of the disease, and to improve our understanding of its pathogenesis.
| S-EPMC7062612 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The deregulation of serine protease activity is a common feature of neurological injury, but little is known regarding their mechanisms of action or whether they can be targeted to facilitate repair. In this study we demonstrate that the thrombin receptor (Protease Activated Receptor 1, (PAR1)) serves as a critical translator of the spinal cord injury (SCI) proteolytic microenvironment into a cascade of pro-inflammatory events that contribute to astrogliosis and functional decline. PAR1 knockout mice displayed improved locomotor recovery after SCI and reduced signatures of inflammation and astrogliosis, including expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), vimentin, and STAT3 signaling. SCI-associated elevations in pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1β and IL-6 were also reduced in PAR1-/- mice and co-ordinate improvements in tissue sparing and preservation of NeuN-positive ventral horn neurons, and PKCγ corticospinal axons, were observed. PAR1 and its agonist's thrombin and neurosin were expressed by perilesional astrocytes and each agonist increased the production of IL-6 and STAT3 signaling in primary astrocyte cultures in a PAR1-dependent manner. In turn, IL-6-stimulated astrocytes increased expression of PAR1, thrombin, and neurosin, pointing to a model in which PAR1 activation contributes to increased astrogliosis by feedforward- and feedback-signaling dynamics. Collectively, these findings identify the thrombin receptor as a key mediator of inflammation and astrogliosis in the aftermath of SCI that can be targeted to reduce neurodegeneration and improve neurobehavioral recovery.
| S-EPMC4930708 | biostudies-literature