In vivo analysis of injury sites presenting full or attenuated pericyte-derived scarring after spinal cord injury (SCI)

A subpopulation of pericytes expressing the Glast-CreERT2 transgene (Type A pericytes) has recently been identified as the main source of stromal scar tissue that forms after SCI. Identification of molecules associated with pericyte-derived scarring may offer new therapeutic targets to facilitate axon regeneration following central nervous system (CNS) injury. We conducted genome-wide RNA sequencing of (i) uninjured spinal cord segments and (ii) lesion sites presenting full or attenuated pericyte-derived scarring 14 days after SCI.

近期研究证实，表达Glast-CreERT2转基因（Glast-CreERT2 transgene）的周细胞（pericytes）亚群（被命名为A型周细胞），是脊髓损伤（spinal cord injury, SCI）后基质瘢痕组织的主要来源。鉴定与周细胞源性瘢痕形成相关的分子，可为促进中枢神经系统（central nervous system, CNS）损伤后的轴突再生提供全新的治疗靶点。本研究对（1）未损伤脊髓节段，以及（2）脊髓损伤后14天、呈现完全或减弱型周细胞源性瘢痕的损伤灶，开展了全基因组RNA测序（genome-wide RNA sequencing）。