Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40295901›Full record

ArticleBMC neuroscience2025

Body weight-supported treadmill training reduces glial scar overgrowth in SCI rats by decreasing the reactivity of astrocytes during the subacute phase.

Jili Cai, Yu Wang, Chenyuan Zhai, Kunmao Jiang, Zun Wang, Lu Fang, Xiangzhe Li, Chenchen Zhu, Wentao Liu, Tong Wang and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC neuroscience, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Jili Cai *Rehabilitation Medicine Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, China.
Yu Wang *Rehabilitation Medicine Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, China.
Chenyuan Zhai *Department of Rehabilitation, Suzhou Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou, 215008, China.
Kunmao JiangJiangsu Key Laboratory of Neurodegeneration, Department of Pharmacology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, Jiangsu, China.
Zun WangRehabilitation Medicine Department, School of Acupuncture and Tuina, School of Health and Rehabilitation, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China.
Lu FangRehabilitation Medicine Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, China.
Xiangzhe LiRehabilitation Medicine Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, China.
Chenchen ZhuRehabilitation Medicine Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, China.
Wentao LiuJiangsu Key Laboratory of Neurodegeneration, Department of Pharmacology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, Jiangsu, China.
Tong WangRehabilitation Medicine Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, China. wangtong60621@163.com.
Qi WuDepartment of Rehabilitation, Hengyang Medical School, The First Affiliated Hospital, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, China. wuqi87@126.com.

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China 82172541National Natural Science Foundation of China 82302877Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province 2023JJ30549
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSpinal cord injury is followed by glial scar formation, which was long seen mainly as a physical barrier preventing axonal regeneration. Glial scar astrocytes lead to glial scar formation and produce inhibitory factors to prevent axons from growing through the scar, while inhibiting the conversion of reactive astrocytes into glial scar-forming astrocytes may represent an ideal treatment for CNS injury. Exercise is a non-invasive and effective therapeutic intervention for clinical rehabilitation of spinal cord injury. However, its precise therapeutic mechanisms still need to be continuously explored.

methods30 rats were randomly assigned to three groups (Sham, SCI, SCI + BWSTT; n = 10 rats per group). In this study, we employed the BBB scales and gait analysis system to examine the behavioral functions of the rats in each group. Furthermore, we utilized immunoblotting of spinal cord tissue at the injury site, in addition to histological staining and immunofluorescence staining, to explore glial scar aggregation and axonal regeneration in each group of rats.

resultsOur results revealed that hindlimb motor function was significantly improved in SCI rats after a sustained subacute period of BWSTT, accompanied by the promotion of histological repair and nerve regeneration. Subsequent immunofluorescence staining and immunoblotting showed diminished astrocyte reactivity in the region surrounding the spinal cord injury as well as reduced expression and distribution of collagen fibers near the lesion after BWSTT. Additionally, a significant decrease in the expression of MMP-2/9, which is closely related to astrocyte migration, was observed in the vicinity of spinal cord tissue lesions.

conclusionOur study demonstrates that a sustained BWSTT intervention during the subacute phase of spinal cord injury can effectively reduce astrocyte reactivity and glial scarring overgrowth, thereby facilitating functional recovery after SCI.

Indexed as

AstrocytesCicatrixPhysical Conditioning, AnimalSpinal Cord InjuriesAnimalsBody WeightDisease Models, AnimalMaleNerve RegenerationNeurogliaRatsRats, Sprague-DawleyRecovery of FunctionSpinal CordAstrocyte reactivityBody weight-supported treadmill trainingGlial scarMatrix metalloproteinase-2/9Spinal cord injury

Identifiers

PMID40295901
PMCPMC12039159

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.