Some adult vertebrate species,such as newts,axolotls and zebrafish,have the ability to regenerate their central nervous system(CNS).However,the factors that establish a permissive CNS environment for correct morphol...Some adult vertebrate species,such as newts,axolotls and zebrafish,have the ability to regenerate their central nervous system(CNS).However,the factors that establish a permissive CNS environment for correct morphological and functional regeneration in these species are not well understood.Recent evidence supports a role for retinoid signaling in the intrinsic ability of neurons,in these regeneration-competent species,to regrow after CNS injury.Previously,we demonstrated that a specific retinoic acid receptor(RAR)subtype,RARβ,mediates the effects of endogenous retinoic acid(RA)on neuronal growth and guidance in the adult newt CNS after injury.Here,we now examine the expression of the retinoid X receptor RXRα(a potential heterodimeric transcriptional regulator with RARβ),in newt tail and spinal cord regeneration.We show that at 21 days post-amputation(dpa),RXRαis expressed at temporally distinct periods and in non-overlapping spatial domains compared to RARβ.Whereas RARβprotein levels increase,RXRαproteins level decrease by 21 dpa.A selective agonist for RXR,SR11237,prevents both this downregulation of RXRαand upregulation of RARβand inhibits tail and caudal spinal cord regeneration.Moreover,treatment with a selective antagonist for RARβ,LE135,inhibits regeneration with the same morphological consequences as treatment with SR11237.Interestingly,LE135 treatment also inhibits the normal downregulation of RXRαin tail and spinal cord tissues at 21 dpa.These results reveal a previously unidentified,indirect regulatory feedback loop between these two receptor subtypes in regulating the regeneration of tail and spinal cord tissues in this regeneration-competent newt.展开更多
基金supported by Natural Sciences and Engineering Council of Canada Discovery Grant to RLC and GES
文摘Some adult vertebrate species,such as newts,axolotls and zebrafish,have the ability to regenerate their central nervous system(CNS).However,the factors that establish a permissive CNS environment for correct morphological and functional regeneration in these species are not well understood.Recent evidence supports a role for retinoid signaling in the intrinsic ability of neurons,in these regeneration-competent species,to regrow after CNS injury.Previously,we demonstrated that a specific retinoic acid receptor(RAR)subtype,RARβ,mediates the effects of endogenous retinoic acid(RA)on neuronal growth and guidance in the adult newt CNS after injury.Here,we now examine the expression of the retinoid X receptor RXRα(a potential heterodimeric transcriptional regulator with RARβ),in newt tail and spinal cord regeneration.We show that at 21 days post-amputation(dpa),RXRαis expressed at temporally distinct periods and in non-overlapping spatial domains compared to RARβ.Whereas RARβprotein levels increase,RXRαproteins level decrease by 21 dpa.A selective agonist for RXR,SR11237,prevents both this downregulation of RXRαand upregulation of RARβand inhibits tail and caudal spinal cord regeneration.Moreover,treatment with a selective antagonist for RARβ,LE135,inhibits regeneration with the same morphological consequences as treatment with SR11237.Interestingly,LE135 treatment also inhibits the normal downregulation of RXRαin tail and spinal cord tissues at 21 dpa.These results reveal a previously unidentified,indirect regulatory feedback loop between these two receptor subtypes in regulating the regeneration of tail and spinal cord tissues in this regeneration-competent newt.