title: Synergistic effects of galectin-1 and reactive astrocytes on functional recovery after contusive spinal cord injury.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  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.
  
  
  METHODS
  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.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicate that Gal-1 exhibits great potential as a novel neuroprotective agent for the treatment of SCI.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Orthopaedics, The 2nd Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730030, China. orthohuahan@126.com
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Yayi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.forename: Shuanke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Zhengyi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Lingwei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yuan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology; D037483:Galectin 1 / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008124:Locomotion / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D037483:Galectin 1; D012333:RNA, Messenger