Upregulation of CD44 expression in the spinal cords of rats with clip compression injury

Neurosci Lett. 2004 Aug 26;367(1):133-6. doi: 10.1016/j.neulet.2004.05.101.

Abstract

The expression of the extracellular matrix phosphoglycoprotein CD44 after compression injury of the spinal cord was examined in rats. Western blot analysis of tissues harvested on days 0 (sham), 1, 4 and 7 post-injury showed significant increases in CD44 expression from 1 to 7 days after compression injury compared to sham-operated controls. Immunohistochemistry revealed that CD44 was constitutively expressed in some astrocytes in sham-operated controls. At days 4-7 post-injury, CD44 was intensely expressed in astrocytes in the periphery of lesions, and in myelin sheaths, vessels, and the majority of inflammatory cells including macrophages in core lesions. The finding that expression of CD44 was upregulated after spinal cord injury suggests that CD44 contributes to cell adhesion and glial cell attraction during the early stages after spinal cord injury, and may thus promote remodeling of injured spinal cords.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antigens / metabolism
  • Blotting, Western
  • Ectodysplasins
  • Gene Expression Regulation / physiology*
  • Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / metabolism
  • Hyaluronan Receptors / genetics
  • Hyaluronan Receptors / metabolism*
  • Immunohistochemistry / methods
  • Male
  • Membrane Proteins / metabolism
  • Neuroglia / metabolism
  • Neurons / metabolism
  • Phosphopyruvate Hydratase / metabolism
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Spinal Cord Compression / complications
  • Spinal Cord Compression / genetics
  • Spinal Cord Compression / metabolism*
  • Time Factors
  • Up-Regulation
  • von Willebrand Factor / immunology

Substances

  • Antigens
  • Ectodysplasins
  • Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein
  • Hyaluronan Receptors
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Von Willebrand antigen
  • von Willebrand Factor
  • Phosphopyruvate Hydratase