Hy. Yang et al., A SUBPOPULATION OF REACTIVE ASTROCYTES AT THE IMMEDIATE SITE OF CEREBRAL CORTICAL INJURY, Experimental neurology, 146(1), 1997, pp. 199-205
We have identified an early-appearing intermediate filament-associated
protein (IFAP-70/280 kDa) in radial glia and their immediate derivati
ves. This IFAP is absent in the adult CNS. In this study, we examined
the reexpression of this early glial differentiation trait in rat reac
tive astrocytes induced by stab injury of the cerebrum. Double-label i
mmunofluorescence microscopy demonstrated that by 36 h postlesion, IFA
P-70/280 kDa was present in a few GFAP-positive astrocytes in the area
adjacent to the wound. As the gliotic reaction progressed, the number
ofIFAP-positive reactive astrocytes increased and by 5-6 days postles
ion, IFAP-70/280 kDa was present in most of the hypertrophied astrocyt
es in tissue immediately adjacent to the wound. By 8 days postlesion,
while the number of IFAP-negative reactive astrocytes away from the wo
und diminished, the IFAP-containing reactive astrocytes close to the w
ound persisted. Concurrently, they began to change from a stellate for
m to an elongated shape, with their longitudinal axes radiating from t
he wound. The immunoreactivity of this IFAP started to diminish at 20
days postlesion, and by 30 days postlesion, it was not observed in the
remaining gliotic cells. These results demonstrate that reactive astr
ocytes induced by stab-wound injury can be divided into two subtypes:
persistent IFAP-70/280 kDa-containing cells which are close to the wou
nd in the area of the glial scar and transient IFAP-70/280 kDa-negativ
e cells which are farther from the wound. The reappearance of IFAP-70/
280 kDa also suggests that some reactive astrocytes have the capacity
to recapitulate early developmental stages. (C) 1997 Academic Press.