# Regulation of myelination after spinal cord injury

> **NIH NIH R01** · OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $435,102

## Abstract

This project will study how oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) are regulated after spinal cord injury (SCI)
in mice. OPCs can differentiate into remyelinating oligodendrocytes (OLs) in the adult CNS, but what signals
promote this transformation are unclear in the setting of adult CNS trauma. Most studies of OPC function and
myelination use chemical demyelination or neonatal cell culture models, which do not mimic the in vivo
environment of the contused adult spinal cord. Thus, this project is relevant to the NIH mission since it will
encompass basic science studies to discern mechanisms of spontaneous OL regeneration and myelin repair
after SCI. Experiments will use a clinically relevant model of spinal contusion to evaluate mechanisms
regulating OPC survival, proliferation and differentiation into new OLs after SCI. Without myelin, the ability of
spared or regenerating axons to conduct action potentials will be severely hampered or completely blocked.
We will use reporter mice and Cre-Lox systems to inhibit glutamate release from axons or specific intracellular
signaling molecules to determine if these mechanisms regulate OPC functions after SCI. We will also use a
novel model to induce demyelination after SCI to determine if and when OPC repair is greatest or when it is
impaired, as our new pilot data suggest it may be impaired over time post-injury. If successful, this project will
provide novel insight into how OPCs and myelination are regulated in the adult injured nervous system and
may provide new therapeutic targets to improve functional recovery from SCI by enhancing both axon
myelination.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9938704
- **Project number:** 5R01NS100522-03
- **Recipient organization:** OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** DANA M MCTIGUE
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $435,102
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-06-01 → 2023-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9938704

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9938704, Regulation of myelination after spinal cord injury (5R01NS100522-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9938704. Licensed CC0.

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