Intramuscular insulin-like growth factor-1 gene therapy modulates reactive microglia after traumatic brain injury

HERRERA, MACARENA LORENA; BANDÍN, SANDRA; CHAMPARINI, LEANDRO GABRIEL; HEREÑÚ, CLAUDIA BEATRIZ; BELLINI, MARIA JOSE

BRAIN RESEARCH BULLETIN

PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD

Año: 2021 vol. 175 p. 196 - 196

0361-9230

eactive gliosis is a key feature and an important pathophysiological mechanism underlying chronic neurodegeneration following traumatic brain injury (TBI). In this study, we have explored the effects of intramuscular IGF-1 gene therapy on reactive gliosis and functional outcome after an injury of the cerebral cortex. Young adult male rats were intramuscularly injected with a recombinant adenoviral construct harboring the cDNA of human IGF-1 (RAd-IGF1), with a control vector expressing green fluorescent protein (RAd-GFP) or PBS as control. Three weeks after the intramuscular injections of adenoviral vectors, animals were subjected to a unilateral penetrating brain injury. The data revealed that RAd-IGF1 gene therapy significantly increased serum IGF1 levels and improved working memory performance after one week of TBI as compared to PBS or RAd-GFP lesioned animals. At the same time, when we analyzed the effects of therapy on glial scar formation, the treatment with RAd-IGF1 did not mod