title: Neuroinflammation as Fuel for Axonal Regeneration in the Injured Vertebrate Central Nervous System.
abstract: Damage to the central nervous system (CNS) is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in elderly, as repair after lesions or neurodegenerative disease usually fails because of the limited capacity of CNS regeneration. The causes underlying this limited regenerative potential are multifactorial, but one critical aspect is neuroinflammation. Although classically considered as harmful, it is now becoming increasingly clear that inflammation can also promote regeneration, if the appropriate context is provided. Here, we review the current knowledge on how acute inflammation is intertwined with axonal regeneration, an important component of CNS repair. After optic nerve or spinal cord injury, inflammatory stimulation and/or modification greatly improve the regenerative outcome in rodents. Moreover, the hypothesis of a beneficial role of inflammation is further supported by evidence from adult zebrafish, which possess the remarkable capability to repair CNS lesions and even restore functionality. Lastly, we shed light on the impact of aging processes on the regenerative capacity in the CNS of mammals and zebrafish. As aging not only affects the CNS, but also the immune system, the regeneration potential is expected to further decline in aged individuals, an element that should definitely be considered in the search for novel therapeutic strategies.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Neural Circuit Development and Regeneration, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Section, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Ilse
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-3313-6022
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bollaerts
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Neural Circuit Development and Regeneration, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Section, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jessie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Van Houcke
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Neural Circuit Development and Regeneration, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Section, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Lien
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-0779-0570
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Andries
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Neural Circuit Development and Regeneration, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Section, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Lies
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-3329-3474
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: De Groef
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Neural Circuit Development and Regeneration, Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Section, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Lieve
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-0186-1411
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Moons
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000378:metabolism*; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000293:injuries / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000378:metabolism*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000378:metabolism; D009416:Nerve Regeneration; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D009900:Optic Nerve / Q000473:pathology; D015027:Zebrafish