The transcription factor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-delta promotes oligodendrocyte differentiation and myelin formation in vitro and is prevalent throughout the brain and spinal cord. Its expression after injury, however, has not been examined. Thus, we used a spinal contusion model to examine the spatiotemporal expression of PPAR-delta in naïve and injured spinal cords from adult rats. As previously reported, PPAR-delta was expressed by neurons and oligodendrocytes in uninjured spinal cords; PPAR-delta was also detected in NG2 cells (potential oligodendrocyte progenitors) within the white matter and gray matter. After spinal cord injury (SCI), PPAR-delta mRNA and protein were present early and increased over time. Overall PPAR-delta+ cell numbers declined at 1 day post injury (dpi), likely reflecting neuron loss, and then rose through 14 dpi. A large proportion of NG2 cells expressed PPAR-delta after SCI, especially along lesion borders. PPAR-delta+ NG2 cell numbers were significantly higher than naive by 7 dpi and remained elevated through at least 28 dpi. PPAR-delta+ oligodendrocyte numbers declined at 1 dpi and then increased over time such that >20% of oligodendrocytes expressed PPAR-delta after SCI compared with approximately 10% in uninjured tissue. The most prominent increase in PPAR-delta+ oligodendrocytes was along lesion borders where at least a portion of newly generated oligodendrocytes (bromodeoxyuridine+) were PPAR-delta+. Consistent with its role in cellular differentiation, the early rise in PPAR-delta+ NG2 cells followed by an increase in new PPAR-delta+ oligodendrocytes suggests that this transcription factor may be involved in the robust oligodendrogenesis detected previously along SCI lesion borders.
Pubmed ID: 20058304 RIS Download
Publication data is provided by the National Library of Medicine ® and PubMed ®. Data is retrieved from PubMed ® on a weekly schedule. For terms and conditions see the National Library of Medicine Terms and Conditions.
This unknown targets BrdU
View all literature mentionsThis unknown targets
View all literature mentionsThis unknown targets
View all literature mentions