Small leucine-rich proteoglycans inhibit CNS regeneration by modifying the structural and mechanical properties of the lesion environment

• Published in: Nature communications Vol. 14; no. 1; p. 6814
• Main Authors: Kolb, Julia, Tsata, Vasiliki, John, Nora, Kim, Kyoohyun, Möckel, Conrad, Rosso, Gonzalo, Kurbel, Veronika, Parmar, Asha, Sharma, Gargi, Karandasheva, Kristina, Abuhattum, Shada, Lyraki, Olga, Beck, Timon, Müller, Paul, Schlüßler, Raimund, Frischknecht, Renato, Wehner, Anja, Krombholz, Nicole, Steigenberger, Barbara, Beis, Dimitris, Takeoka, Aya, Blümcke, Ingmar, Möllmert, Stephanie, Singh, Kanwarpal, Guck, Jochen, Kobow, Katja, Wehner, Daniel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group 26.10.2023; Nature Publishing Group UK; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: Central nervous system; Danio rerio; Extracellular matrix; Lesions; Leucine; Mammals; Mechanical properties; Modulators; Nervous system; Proteoglycans; Recovery of function; Regeneration; Spinal cord; Viscoelasticity; Zebrafish
• ISSN: 2041-1723; 2041-1723
• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42339-7

Abstract Extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition after central nervous system (CNS) injury leads to inhibitory scarring in humans and other mammals, whereas it facilitates axon regeneration in the zebrafish. However, the molecular basis of these different fates is not understood. Here, we identify small leucine-rich proteoglycans (SLRPs) as a contributing factor to regeneration failure in mammals. We demonstrate that the SLRPs chondroadherin, fibromodulin, lumican, and prolargin are enriched in rodent and human but not zebrafish CNS lesions. Targeting SLRPs to the zebrafish injury ECM inhibits axon regeneration and functional recovery. Mechanistically, we find that SLRPs confer mechano-structural properties to the lesion environment that are adverse to axon growth. Our study reveals SLRPs as inhibitory ECM factors that impair axon regeneration by modifying tissue mechanics and structure, and identifies their enrichment as a feature of human brain and spinal cord lesions. These findings imply that SLRPs may be targets for therapeutic strategies to promote CNS regeneration.