# Functional role of satellite glial cells in axon regeneration

> **NIH NIH R01** · WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $430,908

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
Identifying strategies to increase the speed and extent of axon regeneration is important for central nervous
system injuries, where axon regeneration usually fails. In contrast, peripheral sensory neurons with cell body
in dorsal root ganglia can switch to a regenerative state after axon injury to promote regeneration and
functional recovery. Studies on the effect of nerve injury on sensory neurons have revealed multiple neuronal
intrinsic signaling mechanisms that promote axon regeneration. However, virtually nothing is known about the
contribution of satellite glial cells (SGC) that envelop the neuronal soma in the nerve repair process. A better
understanding of the role of SGC is important and highly significant. In this proposal, we outline experiments
to uncover the transcriptional changes elicited in SGC following nerve injury and establish the mechanisms
by which SGC contribute to sensory neurons' regenerative abilities.
 SGC form a sheath that completely surround sensory neurons, resulting in each neuron together with
its satellite cell sheath constituting a discrete functional unit. We know that SGCs are altered structurally and
functionally under pathological conditions associated with chronic pain and communication between sensory
neurons and SGC plays a critical role in nociception. Based on our preliminary studies, we have now reason
to believe that SGC play a previously unrecognized role in peripheral nerve regeneration. We will reveal the
transcriptional profile of SGC in response to nerve injury using single cell sequencing approaches and
determine if SGC subtypes exist. We will use human DRG to determine the transcriptional profile of human
SGC and their role in axon growth using co-culture approaches. These experiments will allow us to reveal if
findings made in the mouse model system are predictive of the physiology of human neurons. We have also
established a neuron-SGC co-culture system that allows us to visualize and quantify how SGC envelop
sensory neuron soma and determine SGC's role in sensory axon growth and regeneration. Finally, we will
build on our findings that SGC upregulate genes related to lipid metabolism after injury to test if de novo fatty
acid synthesis in SGC affect gene expression and axon regeneration following nerve injury. We will focus on
Fatty acid synthase (Fasn), the key enzyme in de novo fatty acid synthesis, which we found is upregulated in
SGC after nerve injury. Fasn synthesizes palmitic acid, which is the substrate for the synthesis of more
complex fatty acids, such as ether linked phospholipids (including plasmalogens). Plasmalogens are enriched
in the brain and play important roles in cell signaling and differentiation and are implicated in neurological
disorders. We will use genetic and lipidomics approaches to determine how lipid metabolism in SGC
contribute to the axon regeneration process. Through these experiments, we will uncover the contribution of
SGC and plasmalogens to nerv...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9913648
- **Project number:** 1R01NS111719-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Valeria Cavalli
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $430,908
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2019-12-01 → 2024-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9913648

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9913648, Functional role of satellite glial cells in axon regeneration (1R01NS111719-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-11 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9913648. Licensed CC0.

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