Neural Regeneration Research ›› 2021, Vol. 16 ›› Issue (2): 382-387.doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.290910

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Dynamic changes in the systemic immune responses of spinal cord injury model mice

Tian-Yun Gao1, #, Fei-Fei Huang1, #, Yuan-Yuan Xie1, Wen-Qing Wang1, Liu-Di Wang1, Dan Mu2, Yi Cui3, Bin Wang1, *   

  1. 1 Clinical Stem Cell Center, the Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China; 2 Department of Radiology, the Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China; 3 Reproductive and Genetic Center of National Research Institute for Family Planning, Beijing, China
  • Online:2021-02-15 Published:2020-12-04
  • Contact: Bin Wang, MD, wangbin022800@126.com. #Both authors contributed equally to this work.
  • Supported by:
    This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, Nos. 81571213 (to BW), 81800583 (to YYX), 81601539 (to DM), and 81601084 (to YC); the National Key Research and Development Program of China, No. 2017YFA0104304 (to BW); the Nanjing Medical Science and Technique Development Foundation of China, Nos. QRX17006 (to BW), QRX17057 (to DM); the Key Project Supported by Medical Science and Technology Development Foundation, Nanjing Department of Health and the Nanjing Medical Science of China, No. 201803024 (to TYG) and Innovation Platform, No. ZDX16005 (to BW).

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Abstract: Intraspinal inflammatory and immune responses are considered to play central roles in the pathological development of spinal cord injury. This study aimed to decipher the dynamics of systemic immune responses, initiated by spinal cord injury. The spinal cord in mice was completely transected at T8. Changes in the in vivo inflammatory response, between the acute and subacute stages, were observed. A rapid decrease in C-reactive protein levels, circulating leukocytes and lymphocytes, spleen-derived CD4+ interferon-γ+ T-helper cells, and inflammatory cytokines, and a marked increase in neutrophils, monocytes, and CD4+CD25+FOXP3+ regulatory T-cells were observed during the acute phase. These systemic immune alterations were gradually restored to basal levels during the sub-acute phase. During the acute phase of spinal cord injury, systemic immune cells and factors showed significant inhibition; however, this inhibition was transient, and the indicators of these serious disorders gradually returned to baseline levels during the subacute phase. All experiments were performed in accordance with the institutional animal care guidelines, approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of Experimental Animal Center of Drum Tower Hospital, China (approval No. 2019AE01040) on June 25, 2019.

Key words: C-reactive protein, immune dysfunction, inflammation, inflammatory cytokines, regulatory T-cells, spinal cord injury, systemic immune response, T-helper cells