Endogenous Radial Glial Cells Support Regenerating Axons After Spinal
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Cellular, molecular, and developmental neuroscience 871 Endogenous radial glial cells support regenerating axons after spinal cord transection Hiroshi Nomuraa, Howard Kimb, Andrea Mothea, Tasneem Zahirb, Iris Kulbatskia, Cindi M. Morsheadc, Molly S. Shoichetb and Charles H. Tatora During the development of central nervous system, radial NeuroReport 21:871–876 c 2010 Wolters Kluwer Health | glial cells support target-specific neuronal migration. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. We recently reported that after implantation of chitosan NeuroReport 2010, 21:871–876 channels with complete spinal cord transection, the tissue bridging the spinal cord stumps contained axons and radial Keywords: channel implantation, chitosan, radial glial cell, spinal cord injury, spinal cord transection glial cells. The purpose of this study was to clarify the role of the radial glial cells in the tissue bridges. Chitosan aToronto Western Research Institute, Toronto Western Hospital, bDepartment of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry and cDepartment of Surgery and channels were implanted in rats with thoracic spinal Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Toronto, Terrence Donnelly Centre for cord transection. After 14 weeks, all animals had tissue Cellular and Biomolecular Research, Toronto, Ontario, Canada bridges in the channels that contained many radial glial Correspondence to Charles H. Tator, MD, PhD, Toronto Western Research cells in longitudinal arrangement, some of which were Institute, Toronto Western Hospital, Room 12-423, McLaughlin Wing, 399 Bathurst Street, Toronto, Ontario M5T 2S8, Canada in contact with axons in the bridges. We suggest that Tel: + 1 416 603 5889; fax: + 1 416 603 5298; e-mail:[email protected] radial glial cells can guide regenerating axons across Received 25 May 2010 accepted 25 June 2010 the bridge in the channel after spinal cord transection. Introduction bridge containing many transplanted cells and host During the development of central nervous system axons. Most of the transplanted cells in the bridge differen- (CNS), neuroepithelial-derived radial glial cells develop tiated into mature phenotypes such as oligodendro- two unique characteristics: as a scaffold to support target- cytes or astrocytes [13,15]. We found that implantation of directed neuronal migration [1–3], and as neural pre- chitosan channels without the precursor cells after spinal cursor cells [4–6]. Radial glial cells are a feature of the cord transection also created a tissue bridge composed developing CNS, and only a few persist in the adult [7]. mainly of collagen and containing host axons [13]. Inter- They are capable of differentiating into astrocytes, estingly, we found that there were many radial glial cells oligodendrocytes, neurons, and macrophages in the in the tissue bridge after implantation of the channels appropriate niche within the adult mammalian CNS seeded with precursor cells, and most of these radial glial [5,8]. A recent study showed that after spinal cord injury cells did not arise from the transplanted cells [13]. Thus, in the adult rat, radial glial cells were derived from subpial we speculate that endogenous radial glial cells migrated astrocytes, and then extended into the damaged white into the bridges from the host spinal cord stumps. matter, likely participating in restoration of neural tissue The purpose of this study was to clarify the role of radial and regeneration [9]. However, the specific function of glial cells in the tissue bridge created by implantation radial glial cells in adults is still unknown. In contrast, of an extramedullary chitosan channel after complete in birds and amphibians, radial glial cells are always pre- spinal cord transection. This analysis of the role of the sent, contributing to neurogenesis, providing neurotrophic radial glial cells in the tissue bridges was carried out after support such as insulin-like growth factor-1, and playing a implantation of chitosan channels without trans- role in regeneration [7,10,11]. planted cells and was compared with rats with spinal cord transection but without channels. To repair the experimental spinal cord injury, our group has applied synthetic guidance channels to promote axonal regeneration across the lesion site [12–15]. Many Materials and methods biomaterials have been used to create synthetic guidance Production of channels channels. We have focused on channels composed of The chitosan channels were produced as reported earlier chitosan, a biodegradable polysaccharide [16], because [13,16]. The channels were 10 mm in length, approxi- of its excellent biocompatibility [13,15,17]. Recently, we mately 4.1 mm in outer diameter with wall thickness reported that implantation of extramedullary chitosan of 0.2 mm. They were sterilized with g radiation and channels seeded with neural stem/progenitor cells after then coated with 5 mg/ml of laminin solution (Invitrogen, complete spinal cord transection created a large tissue Burlington, Ontario, Canada). 0959-4965 c 2010 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins DOI: 10.1097/WNR.0b013e32833d9695 Copyright © Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited. 872 NeuroReport 2010, Vol 21 No 13 Animals fusion was then performed in all animals from T6-T10 with Twenty-five adult female Sprague–Dawley rats (Charles surgical wire, and the operative field was covered by a River, St Constant, Quebec, Canada) weighing 200–320 g synthetic expanded polytetrafluoroethylene membrane were used in this study. The animal protocols were (Preclude Goretex Dura Substitute, Gore, Gift from Gore approved by the Animal Care Committee of the Research and Associates, Inc., Flagstaff, Arizona, USA) to prevent Institute of the University Health Network in accor- extradural scarring and invasion of fibrous tissue. dance with policies established by the Canadian Council on Animal Care. The rats with spinal cord transection Tissue preparation (described below) were divided into two groups: the Fourteen weeks after channel implantation, the rats channel group received implantation of a laminin-coated were transcardially perfused with 4% paraformaldehyde. channel followed by spinal fixation as described below A 2 cm length of spinal cord encompassing the implanted (N = 12), and the control group had spinal cord transec- channel or transection site was carefully removed. Four tion followed by spinal fusion but without implantation animals in each group were randomly selected for of a channel (N = 11). All animals were maintained for immunohistochemistry of frozen sections. The sections 14 weeks after spinal cord transection. Two uninjured were cryoprotected with 30% sucrose in 0.1 M phos- animals were transcardially perfused with 4% paraformal- phate buffer at 41C and then frozen and embedded in dehyde to obtain sections of the uninjured spinal cord. frozen section medium compound (Stephens Scientific, Riverdale, New Jersey, USA). Parasagittal sections with a Spinal cord transection and channel implantation thickness of 20 mm were cut on a cryostat and mounted 1 Channels were implanted after spinal cord transection at on cold ( – 20 C) slides. The mid-thoracic spinal cord the T8 level and spinal fixation was performed as shown was removed from the two uninjured spinal cords, and Fig. 1a and described earlier [12,13]. Briefly, a laminect- parasagittal sections were made from one and transverse omy was performed at the levels of T7, 8, and 9, and sections were made from the other in the same way as the duramater was longitudinally incised in the midline. described above. The spinal cord at T8 and the adjacent nerve roots were completely divided, and then each stump was inserted into Immunohistochemistry one end of the channel. After insertion, the distance The following antibodies were used: mouse anti-3CB2 between the stumps was approximately 3 mm. The control monoclonal immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibody (3CB2; group had spinal cord transection only (Fig. 1b). A spinal Hybridoma Bank, University of Iowa, Iowa, USA) to Fig. 1 (a) (b) (c) (d) 14 weeks, dorsal view 14 weeks, lateral view (e) (f) 14 weeks, dorsal view 14 weeks, lateral view Surgical procedure for extramedullary chitosan channel implantation after spinal cord transection (a) or control with spinal cord transection alone (b). The channel is 10 mm in length and the distance between the stumps is approximately 3 mm. At 14 weeks, gross appearance of the implanted channel (c and d) or control group after spinal cord transection alone (e and f), from the dorsal and lateral aspects. In each panel, rostral is on the left. (a) Dorsal view of the transected spinal cord stumps placed within the transparent chitosan channel and the spinal fusion with wire. (b) Dorsal view of the transected spinal cord stumps. The wire for spinal fusion can be observed. (c and d) There is a tissue bridge inside the channels in the channel group. (e and f) In the spinal cord transection alone control, there is pale connective tissue between the stumps. Copyright © Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited. Radial glial support regenerating axons Nomura et al. 873 visualize radial glial cells [18]; mouse anti-RC1 mono- Results clonal IgM antibody (RC1; Hybridoma Bank) to visualize Tissue bridges radial glial cells [18]; mouse antirat nestin monoclonal At 14 weeks after channel implantation, all animals in antibody (nestin; BD Bioscience Pharmingen, Mississauga, the channel implantation group