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Restoration of Microglia-Dependent Signaling Networks Drives Tissue Repair and Functional Recovery After Spinal Cord Injury in Microglia-Depleted Mice

delete2025-12-17
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PRE
AI
J
Jiang, Qi
K
Kapczinski, Flavio
X
Xiaojing Pan
S
Shiyuan Xue
J
Jiang, Qiling
X
Xiao Yan
X
Xiaoyang Xu
D
Die Hu *
H
Haitao Fu *
DOI:10.1002/glia.70117delete
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Abstract

Abstract

En 中文
Regulatory mechanisms underlying microglia-dependent restorative effects during the early stages following spinal cord injury (SCI) remain uncertain. In adult mice, microglia depletion exacerbates injury and impairs functional recovery, suggesting that microglia play a protective role after SCI. We performed RNA sequencing on four spinal cord conditions (uninjured, injured, microglia-depleted uninjured, and microglia-depleted injured) to identify the core transcriptional signature of microglia-dependent restorative functions after SCI. Bioinformatics analysis identified 16 genes as critical microglia-dependent reparative regulators. Furthermore, our findings demonstrated that manipulating select genes and restoring core microglia-dependent signaling pathways resulted in a significant reduction in lesion size, increased neuronal survival, enhanced axonal regeneration, and promoted substantial locomotor recovery in a SCI model with microglia depletion. Our findings identify key transcriptional networks that regulate microglia reparative properties in the acute phases after SCI and suggest novel microglia-dependent strategies for SCI treatment.
Keywords:
microglia
RNA sequencing
spinal cord injury

Journal

Glia cover
Glia
IF:
5.1
Papers:
4.5K
Citations:
1.5W

Organization

Q
Qingdao University
Scholars:
3.1W
Papers: 2.1W
Citations: 3.7W