title: Vaccination stimulates retinal ganglion cell regeneration in the adult optic nerve.
abstract: We examined whether vaccination of adult rats with spinal cord homogenate (SCH) can promote regeneration of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) after microcrush lesion of the optic nerve. Injured animals vaccinated with SCH showed axon growth into the optic nerve and such regeneration was not observed in animals vaccinated with liver homogenate (LH). Regeneration was not a consequence of neuroprotection since our vaccine did not protect RGCs from axotomy-induced cell death. Sera of vaccinated animals were tested for antibodies against myelin-associated glycoprotein, NogoA, Nogo-66 receptor, or chondroitin sulphate proteoglycans (CSPG), but no significant levels were detected. Antibodies to myelin basic protein were present in the serum of some SCH-vaccinated animals. In culture, serum from SCH-vaccinated animals promoted RGC growth on myelin but not on CSPG. Our results show that the effect of the pro-regenerative vaccine is mediated by antibodies to SCH. However, we were not able to detect a significant immune reaction to growth inhibitory proteins, suggesting alternative mechanisms for the success of vaccination to promote regeneration.
authors.affiliation: Département de pathologie et biologie cellulaire, Université de Montréal, H3C 3J7, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ellezam
authors.forename: Johanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bertrand
authors.forename: Pauline
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dergham
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: McKerracher
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D019771:Axotomy; D002457:Cell Extracts / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D020439:Growth Cones / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D006131:Growth Inhibitors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000276:immunology; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000276:immunology; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D016501:Neurites / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D009900:Optic Nerve / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D014611:Vaccination
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D002457:Cell Extracts; D006131:Growth Inhibitors; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein