Neural Regeneration Research ›› 2022, Vol. 17 ›› Issue (2): 362-369.doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.317988

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Downregulation of EphB2 by RNA interference attenuates glial/fibrotic scar formation and promotes axon growth

Jian Wu, Zhen-Yu Zhu, Zhi-Wei Fan, Ying Chen, Ri-Yun Yang, Yi Li*   

  1. Department of Histology and Embryology, Medical College, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China
  • Online:2022-02-15 Published:2021-10-08
  • Contact: Yi Li, PhD, ly1203@ntu.edu.cn.
  • Supported by:
    This work was supported by the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutes of China (PAPD); the Science and Technology Plan Project of Nantong of China, No. JC2020026 (to JW); the National Science Research of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions of China, No. 19KJB310012 (to RYY)

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Abstract: The rapid formation of a glial/fibrotic scar is one of the main factors hampering axon growth after spinal cord injury. The bidirectional EphB2/ephrin-B2 signaling of the fibroblast-astrocyte contact-dependent interaction is a trigger for glial/fibrotic scar formation. In the present study, a new in vitro model was produced by coculture of fibroblasts and astrocytes wounded by scratching to mimic glial/fibrotic scar-like structures using an improved slide system. After treatment with RNAi to downregulate EphB2, changes in glial/fibrotic scar formation and the growth of VSC4.1 motoneuron axons were examined. Following RNAi treatment, fibroblasts and astrocytes dispersed without forming a glial/fibrotic scar-like structure. Furthermore, the expression levels of neurocan, NG2 and collagen I in the coculture were reduced, and the growth of VSC4.1 motoneuron axons was enhanced. These findings suggest that suppression of EphB2 expression by RNAi attenuates the formation of a glial/fibrotic scar and promotes axon growth. This study was approved by the Laboratory Animal Ethics Committee of Jiangsu Province, China (approval No. 2019-0506-002) on May 6, 2019.

Key words: astrocyte, EphB2, fibroblast, glial/fibrotic scar, microfluidic platform, RNAi, spinal cord injury, VSC4.1 motoneuron

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