Different Functions of Recombinantly Expressed Domains of Tenascin-C in Glial Scar Formation

This study investigates the role of different Tenascin-C (TnC) protein fragments in glial scar formation after spinal cord injury (SCI). TnC is a protein that's expressed after injuries in the central nervous system. The researchers used astrocyte cultures from mice with and without TnC to test how different TnC fragments affect gap closure, cell growth, and the expression of certain proteins and cytokines. The study suggests that TnC, particularly the FnD fragment, plays a role in delaying astrocyte reaction and restricting their location to the injury border, allowing microglia/macrophages to form a lesion core during early glial scar formation.

• 1
  TnC fragments delay gap closure in astrocyte cultures, primarily by reducing astrocyte proliferation. The most potent fragments were FnD, FnA, and their combination.
• 2
  Astrocyte cultures lacking TnC (TnC-/-) showed higher levels of GFAP (a marker for astrocytes) regardless of treatment with TnC fragments.
• 3
  In vivo, FnD treatment in TnC-/- mice increased the density of activated microglia/macrophages in the injury region, without affecting overall cell proliferation.