Protein Shows Promise in Spinal cord Injury Repair

⁣ Updated June 23, 2025

A new study ⁢indicates that manipulating cells within blood vessels could offer a novel approach to⁤ spinal cord injury repair. The research, primarily conducted on mice, focused on pericytes, cells found in the smallest blood vessels.

Scientists introduced a recombinant protein to ⁤the injury site, where pericytes had gathered. The protein prompted the pericytes to change shape and alter⁢ their molecular production, effectively creating “cellular bridges.” These bridges then supported the regeneration of axons, the nerve cell extensions responsible for transmitting signals.

Mice treated with a single injection of the growth-factor protein experienced axon regrowth and⁣ regained some movement in their hind limbs. ⁤Further experiments with human cells suggest these findings may not be limited to mice.

Andrea Tedeschi, associate professor of neuroscience at The Ohio State University College of Medicine and senior author of the study, expressed surprise ⁢at the treatment’s effectiveness. “There’s a lot more that can be learned and a lot that can be expanded, but ⁢the more we worked on this, the more stunned we really were by the potency of this single treatment and how⁣ effective it was,” Tedeschi said.She added that the implications extend beyond spinal cord injury, perhaps impacting brain injury, stroke, and neurodegenerative ‍diseases.

The ⁣research highlights the critical role of blood vessel restoration in neurological recovery following spinal cord injuries.

Wenjing Sun, assistant professor of neuroscience at Ohio State and the study’s first author, emphasized the importance of vascular ⁣health. “Spinal cord injuries are severe not only as they prevent transmission of information across the site of the injury, but because all of the⁢ vasculature structure and function is also compromised,” ⁢Sun said. “Even if you are able to reestablish neuronal connectivity from one end to the other, ⁢the overall effect will still not be maximized unless you ‍take care ⁢of everything else that falls apart.”

The study, published in molecular Therapy on April 18, explored the protein platelet-derived growth factor BB (PDGF-BB). While previous research suggested pericytes might hinder spinal cord injury recovery, cancer⁤ research revealed that PDGF-BB exposure ⁤alters pericyte properties, a mechanism tumors use to generate⁣ blood supply. ⁣The team saw potential in leveraging this relationship to stabilize blood vessels around the injury.

Imaging studies confirmed that pericytes migrate to the injury site after a spinal cord is severed, but they ⁤don’t promote the growth of functional blood vessels needed for axon regeneration. In lab experiments, a “carpet” of pericytes treated with PDGF-BB substantially enhanced axon growth from mouse sensory neurons.

Tedeschi explained that the pericytes, combined⁤ with the growth ⁢factor, rearranged fibronectin, a glycoprotein crucial for tissue⁢ repair.The cells also elongated, creating structures more conducive to axon regeneration.”We certainly know these cells are going⁣ to infiltrate and deposit at the⁢ lesion epicenter. These elongated fiber structures that they become are far more permissive ⁣in promoting axons to regenerate from⁣ one end to the other and bypass the injury,” ‍Tedeschi said.

Animal experiments involved injecting PDGF-BB seven days post-injury.Tissue analysis ⁣four weeks later showed robust axon regeneration compared to control mice. “When ‍we looked at formation‍ of these pericyte structures that crossed the injury ⁤site,we saw the treatment promoted the growth ⁤of these bridges. And most if not all of these regenerating axons were able to escape the injury site by riding these cellular bridges that have formed