title: ADAMTS expression and function in central nervous system injury and disorders.
abstract: The components of the adult extracellular matrix in the central nervous system form a lattice-like structure that is deposited as perineuronal nets, around axon initial segments and as synapse-associated matrix. An abundant component of this matrix is the lecticans, chondroitin sulfate-bearing proteoglycans that are the major substrate for several members of the ADAMTSs (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs) family. Since lecticans are key regulators of neural plasticity, ADAMTS cleavage of lecticans would likely also contribute to neuroplasticity. Indeed, many studies have examined the neuroplastic contribution of the ADAMTSs to damage and recovery after injury and in central nervous system disease. Much of this data supports a role for the ADAMTSs in recovery and repair following spinal cord injury by stimulating axonal outgrowth after degradation of a glial scar and improving synaptic plasticity following seizure-induced neural damage in the brain. The action of the ADAMTSs in chronic diseases of the central nervous system appears to be more complex and less well-defined. Increasing evidence indicates that lecticans participate in synaptic plasticity in neurodegenerative disease states. It will be interesting to examine how ADAMTS expression and action would affect the progression of these diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, United States. Electronic address: pegottschall@uams.edu.
authors.forename: Paul E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Gottschall
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, United States.
authors.forename: Matthew D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Howell
mesh_terms: D051722:ADAM Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D011508:Chondroitin Sulfate Proteoglycans / Q000378:metabolism; D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D011508:Chondroitin Sulfate Proteoglycans; D051722:ADAM Proteins
keywords: Brevican; Chondroitin sulfate; Glial scar; Neuroplasticity; Proteolytic fragment; Seizure; Spinal cord injury