Research progress of chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans in spinal cord injury

Abstract:

Chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans（CSPGs） are components of the extracellular matrix of the central nervous system，and play key roles in the development，function maintenance，and pathological process of the central nervous system. After spinal cord injury，the expression of CSPGs at the injury site is significantly upregulated，which is mainly due to activated astrocytes at the lesion site. Upregulation of CSPGs can restrict axon regeneration，conduction，and re-myelination at the site of spinal cord injury，and can promote the inflammatory response in spinal cord injury，which impedes the recovery of nerve function after spinal cord injury. Therefore，inhibition of CSPGs may be an effective treatment to promote axonal regeneration and functional recovery after spinal cord injury. This study reviews the current status of research on CSPGs in spinal cord injury.