Fellowship for Matin Hemati Gourabi: Targeting Metabolism to Promote Axon Regeneration After SCI

Abstract The permanent disability after spinal cord injury (SCI) is related to the failure of axon regeneration and reconstruction of neuronal circuits. To date, there is no effective treatment for achieving complete axon regeneration following SCI. After SCI, metabolic adaptations are necessary to fulfill the energy requirement of neurons at various stages of SCI ranging from the acute phase to the chronic phase. Metabolism changes are closely related to the survival of neurons but, there are few studies showing the impacts of metabolism changes especially glucose metabolism on neuronal regeneration and motor recovery after SCI which is a problem worthy of attention. In the central nervous system, glycogen stored in astrocytes serves as a critical source of energy for neurons during periods of increased neuronal activity. The regulation of glycogen metabolism involved precise regulation of glycogen balance in the astrocytes, vital for meeting energy demands under pathological conditions. However, the effect of astrocytic glycogen metabolic changes on axonal regeneration and recovery in the context of SCI have not been studied. I hypothesize that astrocytic glycogen synthesis (GYS1) under pathological conditions such as SCI, plays a pivotal role in axonal regeneration and locomotor recovery.