Browsing by Author "Wang, Hongxing"

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    A Compact Blast-Induced Traumatic Brain Injury Model in Mice
    (Oxford University Press, 2016-02) Wang, Hongxing; Zhang, Yi Ping; Cai, Jun; Shields, Lisa B. E.; Tuchek, Chad A.; Shi, Riyi; Li, Jianan; Shields, Christopher B.; Xu, Xiao-Ming; Neurological Surgery, School of Medicine
    Blast-induced traumatic brain injury (bTBI) is a common injury on the battlefield and often results in permanent cognitive and neurological abnormalities. We report a novel compact device that creates graded bTBI in mice. The injury severity can be controlled by precise pressures that mimic Friedlander shockwave curves. The mouse head was stabilized with a head fixator, and the body was protected with a metal shield; shockwave durations were 3 to 4 milliseconds. Reflective shockwave peak readings at the position of the mouse head were 12 6 2.6 psi, 50 6 20.3 psi, and 100 6 33.1 psi at 100, 200, and 250 psi predetermined driver chamber pressures, respectively. The bTBIs of 250 psi caused 80% mortality, which decreased to 27% with the metal shield. Brain and lung damage depended on the shockwave duration and amplitude. Cognitive deficits were assessed using the Morris water maze, Y-maze, and open-field tests. Pathological changes in the brain included disruption of the blood-brain barrier, multifocal neuronal and axonal degeneration, and reactive gliosis assessed by Evans Blue dye extravasation, silver and Fluoro-Jade B staining, and glial fibrillary acidic protein immunohistochemistry, respectively. Behavioral and pathological changes were injury severity-dependent. This mouse bTBI model may be useful for investigating injury mechanisms and therapeutic strategies associated with bTBI.
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    Neuroprotective effects of interleukin 10 in spinal cord injury
    (Frontiers Media, 2023-07-10) Li, Juan; Wang, Pei; Zhou, Ting; Jiang, Wenwen; Wu, Hang; Zhang, Shengqi; Deng, Lingxiao; Wang, Hongxing; Neurological Surgery, School of Medicine
    Spinal cord injury (SCI) starts with a mechanical and/or bio-chemical insult, followed by a secondary phase, leading progressively to severe collapse of the nerve tissue. Compared to the peripheral nervous system, injured spinal cord is characterized by weak axonal regeneration, which leaves most patients impaired or paralyzed throughout lifetime. Therefore, confining, alleviating, or reducing the expansion of secondary injuries and promoting functional connections between rostral and caudal regions of lesion are the main goals of SCI therapy. Interleukin 10 (IL-10), as a pivotal anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory cytokine, exerts a wide spectrum of positive effects in the treatment of SCI. The mechanisms underlying therapeutic effects mainly include anti-oxidative stress, limiting excessive inflammation, anti-apoptosis, antinociceptive effects, etc. Furthermore, IL-10 displays synergistic effects when combined with cell transplantation or neurotrophic factor, enhancing treatment outcomes. This review lists pleiotropic mechanisms underlying IL-10-mediated neuroprotection after SCI, which may offer fresh perspectives for clinical translation.
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    Regeneration of Propriospinal Axons in Rat Transected Spinal Cord Injury through a Growth-Promoting Pathway Constructed by Schwann Cells Overexpressing GDNF
    (MDPI, 2024-07-08) Du, Xiaolong; Zhang, Shengqi; Khabbaz, Aytak; Cohen, Kristen Lynn; Zhang, Yihong; Chakraborty, Samhita; Smith, George M.; Wang, Hongxing; Yadav, Amol P.; Liu, Naikui; Deng, Lingxiao; Neurological Surgery, School of Medicine
    Unsuccessful axonal regeneration in transected spinal cord injury (SCI) is mainly attributed to shortage of growth factors, inhibitory glial scar, and low intrinsic regenerating capacity of severely injured neurons. Previously, we constructed an axonal growth permissive pathway in a thoracic hemisected injury by transplantation of Schwann cells overexpressing glial-cell-derived neurotrophic factor (SCs-GDNF) into the lesion gap as well as the caudal cord and proved that this novel permissive bridge promoted the regeneration of descending propriospinal tract (dPST) axons across and beyond the lesion. In the current study, we subjected rats to complete thoracic (T11) spinal cord transections and examined whether these combinatorial treatments can support dPST axons’ regeneration beyond the transected injury. The results indicated that GDNF significantly improved graft–host interface by promoting integration between SCs and astrocytes, especially the migration of reactive astrocyte into SCs-GDNF territory. The glial response in the caudal graft area has been significantly attenuated. The astrocytes inside the grafted area were morphologically characterized by elongated and slim process and bipolar orientation accompanied by dramatically reduced expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein. Tremendous dPST axons have been found to regenerate across the lesion and back to the caudal spinal cord which were otherwise difficult to see in control groups. The caudal synaptic connections were formed, and regenerated axons were remyelinated. The hindlimb locomotor function has been improved.