Single-nucleus RNA sequencing identified cells with ependymal cell-like features enriched in neonatal mice after spinal cord injury

The adult mammalian central nervous system has limited regenerative ability, and spinal cord injury (SCI) often causes lifelong motor disability. While regeneration is limited in adults, injured spinal cord tissue can be regenerated and neural function can be almost completely restored in neonates....

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Neuroscience research 2022-08, Vol.181, p.22-38
Main Authors: Ikeda-Yorifuji, Iyo, Tsujioka, Hiroshi, Sakata, Yasushi, Yamashita, Toshihide
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Cellular transcriptome
Ependymal cells
Neonate
Regeneration
ScRNA-seq
SnRNA-seq
Spinal cord injury
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The adult mammalian central nervous system has limited regenerative ability, and spinal cord injury (SCI) often causes lifelong motor disability. While regeneration is limited in adults, injured spinal cord tissue can be regenerated and neural function can be almost completely restored in neonates. However, difference of cellular composition in lesion has not been well characterized. To gain insight into the age-dependent cellular reaction after SCI, we performed single-nucleus RNA sequencing, analyzing 4076 nuclei from sham and injured spinal cords from adult and neonatal mice. Clustering analysis identified 18 cell populations. We identified previously undescribed cells with ependymal cell-like gene expression profile, the number of which was increased in neonates after SCI. Histological analysis revealed that these cells line the central canal under physiological conditions in both adults and neonates. We confirmed that they were enriched in the lesion only in neonates. We further showed that these cells were positive for the cellular markers of ependymal cells, astrocytes and radial glial cells. This study provides a deeper understanding of neonate-specific cellular responses after SCI, which may determine regenerative capacity. •snRNA-seq revealed previously undescribed cells increase after SCI in neonatal mice.•We defined them as ependymal-like cells based on ependymal cell marker-expression.•Ependymal-like cells and ependymal cells share similar gene ontology-enrichment.•Ependymal-like cells line the central canal of sham group in adult and neonate.•Ependymal-like cells are enriched in the spinal cord lesion only in neonates.
ISSN:0168-0102
1872-8111
DOI:10.1016/j.neures.2022.04.006