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Synergistic effects of galectin-1 and reactive astrocytes on functional recovery after contusive spinal cord injury

  • Basic Science
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Archives of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Introduction

Galectin-1 (Gal-1), a carbohydrate-binding protein, is differentially expressed by various normal and pathological tissues and appears to be functionally polyvalent. Recent evidence indicates that Gal-1 is involved in the proliferation of adult neural progenitor cells in neurogenic regions during adulthood. However, localization and functional roles of Gal-1 in the adult spinal cord have not been clarified.

Method

Here, we investigated the spatio-temporal profile of endogenous Gal-1 expression by in situ hybridization before and after experimental adult spinal cord injury and examined the correlation of Gal-1 with the fate of dividing cells in vivo, using double-labeling methods. Gal-1 mRNA was detectable at a relatively low level in uninjured spinal cord, but was markedly increased in the gray matter and/or white matter and in the ependyma rostral and caudal to the lesion site after injury.

Results

Co-localization results revealed that Gal-1 was expressed predominantly by GFAP-positive reactive astrocytes. In addition, intrathecal infusion of recombinant Gal-1 enhanced cell division and reactive astrocytosis in the adult spinal cord. To explore further whether Gal-1 and reactive astrocytes provide a synergistic effect on neurological recovery following SCI, we investigated the differences in behavioral analysis between wild-type (WT) and reactive astrocyte-deficient transgenic mice after injury and found neuroprotective effects of Gal-1 appeared to be specifically mediated through reactive astrocytes.

Conclusion

These results indicate that Gal-1 exhibits great potential as a novel neuroprotective agent for the treatment of SCI.

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Acknowledgments

Supported by National Nature Science Foundation of China (No. 30800333). The authors are very grateful to Cuifang Wang for her skilled technical assistance with histological processing and Jing Wang for assistance with behavioral tests.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Orthopaedics, The 2nd Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730030, China

    Hua Han, Yayi Xia, Shuanke Wang, Bin Zhao, Zhengyi Sun & Lingwei Yuan

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  1. Hua Han
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  2. Yayi Xia
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Correspondence to Hua Han.

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Han, H., Xia, Y., Wang, S. et al. Synergistic effects of galectin-1 and reactive astrocytes on functional recovery after contusive spinal cord injury. Arch Orthop Trauma Surg 131, 829–839 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00402-010-1233-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00402-010-1233-x

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