Mutual regulation of microglia and astrocytes after Gas6 inhibits spinal cord injury

Following a spinal cord injury, the body's natural response includes inflammation and scar tissue formation, which unfortunately can hinder nerve tissue repair. This study explores how two types of brain cells, microglia and astrocytes, interact in this process. The research found that a protein called Gas6, along with its receptor Axl, are reduced after a spinal cord injury. Introducing Gas6 appears to lessen the activation of both microglia and astrocytes, reducing inflammation and scar formation. By using Gas6 to modulate the activity of these cells, the study suggests a potential therapeutic strategy to improve spinal cord injury outcomes by fostering tissue repair and regaining motor function.

• 1
  After spinal cord injury, microglia polarize into pro-inflammatory phenotypes (MG1 and MG3), while astrocytes polarize into reactive and scar-forming phenotypes, with Gas6 and Axl expression significantly down-regulated in both cell types.
• 2
  Gas6 inhibits the polarization of reactive astrocytes by suppressing the activation of the Yes-associated protein signaling pathway, which in turn inhibits the polarization of pro-inflammatory microglia by suppressing the activation of the NF-κB/p65 and JAK/STAT signaling pathways.
• 3
  In vivo experiments demonstrated that Gas6 inhibited the polarization of pro-inflammatory microglia and reactive astrocytes, promoting tissue repair and motor function recovery in the injured spinal cord.