Inhibition of astrocyte hemichannel improves recovery from spinal cord injury

Spinal cord injuries often lead to lasting disabilities because the damaged spinal cord cannot fully recover. One way to lessen the impact of such injuries is to limit the spread of secondary damage that occurs after the initial trauma. This study explores connexin 43 (Cx43), a protein found in spinal cord cells called astrocytes, as a potential contributor to this secondary damage. The researchers developed a special antibody, named MHC1, that can block Cx43 from forming hemichannels, which are structures that can release harmful substances. The findings suggest that blocking Cx43 hemichannels after a spinal cord injury can reduce secondary damage, limit the formation of scar tissue, and improve the recovery of motor functions.

• 1
  MHC1 inhibits the activation of Cx43 hemichannels in both primary spinal astrocytes and astrocytes in situ.
• 2
  Administration of MHC1 after SCI significantly improved hind limb locomotion function.
• 3
  MHC1 treatment decreased gliosis and lesion sizes, increased white and gray matter sparing, and improved neuronal survival.