Abnormal Reaction to Central Nervous System Injury in Mice Lacking Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein and Vimentin

• Published in: The Journal of cell biology Vol. 145; no. 3; pp. 503 - 514
• Main Authors: Pekny, Milos, Johansson, Clas B., Eliasson, Camilla, Stakeberg, Josefina, Wallén, Åsa, Perlmann, Thomas, Lendahl, Urban, Betsholtz, Christer, Berthold, Claes-Henric, Frisén, Jonas
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Rockefeller University Press 03.05.1999; The Rockefeller University Press
• Subjects: Animals; Astrocytes; Astrocytes - chemistry; Astrocytes - physiology; Astrocytes - ultrastructure; Blood vessels; Brain Injuries - genetics; Brain Injuries - metabolism; Cell Division - physiology; Cellular biology; Central nervous system; Cicatrix - metabolism; Endothelial cells; Endothelium, Vascular - cytology; Endothelium, Vascular - metabolism; Ependyma - cytology; Ependyma - metabolism; Gene Expression - physiology; Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein - genetics; Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein - metabolism; Injuries; Intermediate Filament Proteins - metabolism; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mice, Knockout; Microscopy, Electron; Nerve Tissue Proteins; Nervous system; Nestin; Neurons; Physical trauma; Proteins; Regular; Rodents; Scars; Spinal cord; Spinal Cord Injuries - genetics; Spinal Cord Injuries - metabolism; Vasodilation - physiology; Vimentin; Vimentin - genetics; Vimentin - metabolism; Wounds, Stab - genetics; Wounds, Stab - metabolism
• ISSN: 0021-9525; 1540-8140
• DOI: 10.1083/jcb.145.3.503

In response to injury of the central nervous system, astrocytes become reactive and express high levels of the intermediate filament (IF) proteins glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), vimentin, and nestin. We have shown that astrocytes in mice deficient for both GFAP and vimentin (GFAP-/-vim-/-) cannot form IFs even when nestin is expressed and are thus devoid of IFs in their reactive state. Here, we have studied the reaction to injury in the central nervous system in GFAP-/-, vimentin-/-, or GFAP-/-vim-/- mice. Glial scar formation appeared normal after spinal cord or brain lesions in GFAP-/- or vimentin-/- mice, but was impaired in GFAP-/-vim-/- mice that developed less dense scars frequently accompanied by bleeding. These results show that GFAP and vimentin are required for proper glial scar formation in the injured central nervous system and that some degree of functional overlap exists between these IF proteins.