Age-Dependent Modulation of Cortical Transcriptomes in Spinal Cord Injury and Repair

PLoS ONE, 2012 · DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0049812 · Published: December 7, 2012

Simple Explanation

This study investigates how aging affects gene expression in the brain after spinal cord injury (SCI) and whether a potential treatment (AST) can still be effective in older animals. The researchers compared gene activity in the sensorimotor cortex of young and old rats after SCI, with and without AST treatment, at different time points (1, 7, and 35 days post-injury). The results suggest that aging significantly alters the brain's response to SCI, but the AST treatment can help older brains regain gene expression patterns similar to those seen in younger, recovering animals.

Study Duration

35 days post-operation

Participants

36 young (2 months old) and 36 geriatric (22 months old) female Wistar rats

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
Aging significantly alters the cortical transcriptomes triggered by SCI, with little overlap in lesion-regulated genes between young and old animals.
2
While some biological processes like lipid metabolism are commonly regulated in both age groups after SCI, others, such as complement cascade activation, are specific to aged animals.
3
AST treatment in aged rats modulated cortical gene expression to resemble regeneration-associated profiles of young animals, including upregulation of growth and transcription factors.

Research Summary

This study used genome-scale transcriptional profiling to identify distinct age-dependent expression profiles in rat sensorimotor cortex during acute, subacute and chronic phases of spinal cord injury (SCI). The study found that aging significantly affects the cortical transcriptomes triggered by SCI, with minimal overlap between lesion-regulated genes in young and old animals, and identified biological processes specific to each age group. The study demonstrated that anti-scarring treatment (AST) modulated cortical gene expression in old rats to resemble regeneration-associated profiles of young animals, supporting the feasibility of AST therapy in elderly patients.

Practical Implications

Therapeutic Potential for Elderly SCI Patients

The findings suggest that anti-scarring treatment (AST) could be a viable therapeutic option for elderly patients with spinal cord injuries, as it can promote regeneration-associated gene expression even in aged brains.

Age-Specific Treatment Strategies

The identification of distinct age-dependent expression profiles after SCI highlights the need for tailored treatment strategies that consider the specific biological processes affected by aging.

Understanding the Role of Complement Activation

The study's finding that complement cascade activation is specific to aged animals after SCI suggests that targeting this pathway could be a potential therapeutic approach to improve outcomes in older patients.

Study Limitations

1
The study was conducted on rats, and the results may not be directly applicable to humans.
2
The study focused on gene expression in the sensorimotor cortex, and further research is needed to investigate the effects of aging and AST on other brain regions.
3
The study only examined the effects of AST at 35 days post-operation, and further research is needed to assess the long-term effects of the treatment.

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