title: Spinal axon regeneration evoked by replacing two growth cone proteins in adult neurons.
abstract: In contrast to peripheral nerves, damaged axons in the mammalian brain and spinal cord rarely regenerate. Peripheral nerve injury stimulates neuronal expression of many genes that are not generally induced by CNS lesions, but it is not known which of these genes are required for regeneration. Here we show that co-expressing two major growth cone proteins, GAP-43 and CAP-23, can elicit long axon extension by adult dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons in vitro. Moreover, this expression triggers a 60-fold increase in regeneration of DRG axons in adult mice after spinal cord injury in vivo. Replacing key growth cone components, therefore, could be an effective way to stimulate regeneration of CNS axons.
authors.affiliation: Cogent Neuroscience, 4425 Ben Franklin Boulevard, Durham, North Carolina 27704, USA.
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Bomze
authors.forename: K R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Bulsara
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Iskandar
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Caroni
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Skene
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D019771:Axotomy; D002148:Calmodulin-Binding Proteins; D002469:Cell Separation; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D019922:GAP-43 Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression; D020439:Growth Cones / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C489363:Basp1 protein, mouse; D002148:Calmodulin-Binding Proteins; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D019922:GAP-43 Protein; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins