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Combined Chondroitinase And Klf7 Expression Reduce Net Retraction Of Sensory And Cst Axons From Sites Of Spinal Injury, Zimei Wang, Kristen N. Winsor, Evan Hess, Murray G. Blackmore, Christopher Nienhaus

Biomedical Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Axon regeneration in the central nervous system is limited both by inhibitory extracellular cues and by an intrinsically low capacity for axon growth in some CNS populations. Chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPGs) are well-studied inhibitors of axon growth in the CNS, and degradation of CSPGs by chondroitinase has been shown to improve the extension of injured axons. Alternatively, axon growth can be improved by targeting the neuron-intrinsic growth capacity through forced expression of regeneration-associated transcription factors. For example, a transcriptionally active chimera of Krüppel-like Factor 7 (KLF7) and a VP16 domain improves axon growth when expressed in corticospinal tract neurons. Here …