Lesion-remote astrocytes govern microglia-mediated white matter repair II

RNA sequencing was applied to examine changes in gene expression in astrocytes in spared tissue regions both rostral and caudal to the injury site in a mouse model of incomplete spinal cord injury (ISCI) over multiple post-injury time points. The RiboTag method was used to isolate astrocyte ribosome-associated mRNAs from the spinal cord of wild type mice and mice with astrocyte-specific conditional gene deletion (cKO) of a known transcriptional regulators of reactivity, STAT3 (Stat3 knockout: Stat3-cKO). Overall design: Astrocyte ribosome-associated mRNAs and bulk RNA from IP input were isolated from the rostral and caudal spared tissue regions of the wild type and Stat3-astro-cKO Ribotag mouse spinal cord at 3,7,14,and 28 days post-SCI. Equivalent spinal cord tissues were examined from genotype matched healthy (uninjured) control mice.