Genetics Research

KEY FINDING: Treadmill exercise reduces the lesion cavity size and the number of ED1-positive cells (macrophages) in the injured spinal cord.

KEY FINDING: Chronic SCI patients exhibit impaired circulating monocyte function, including diminished TLR4 expression, increased LPS-induced TNF-α production, and defective phagocytosis.

KEY FINDING: Exosomes derived from MSCs have anti-inflammatory effects, reducing pro-inflammatory cytokines and promoting an anti-inflammatory environment conducive to functional recovery after SCI.

KEY FINDING: There is an asymmetric gene expression induced by the injury, with a higher regulation in the rostral segment of genes involved in ECM remodeling, adhesion and cell migration.

KEY FINDING: Microglia were rapidly lost in the lesion core, while blood-borne macrophages dominated, showing an intermediate activation phenotype.

KEY FINDING: A 50 kdyne contusion SCI in young male mice resulted in decreased body mass and loss of mass in plantaris and gastrocnemius muscles.

KEY FINDING: DTMP shows the highest significant correlations to expression levels found in healthy animals across all microglial activation transcriptomes, indicating a modulation towards a healthy state.

KEY FINDING: ApoE4 mice showed worse locomotor function and coordination after SCI compared to ApoE3 mice, as measured by the Basso Mouse Scale (BMS) and ladder rung walk test (LRWT).

KEY FINDING: SCI leads to increased lncRNA H19 and decreased miR-370-3p expression.

KEY FINDING: NL1 is upregulated in the L4–L6 spinal dorsal horn in Vglut2-cre+/−mouse subjected to spared nerve injury (SNI).