Qi-Lin Cao, M.D., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Neurological Surgery
Research Description
The research goal of my laboratory is to using cell transplantation, neurotrophic factors, and gene therapy to promote remyelination and functional recovery after the spinal cord injury (SCI). Demyelination contributes to the dysfunction of the traumatically injured spinal cord in both humans and experimental animals. Remyelination of demyelinated, but otherwise intact axons, could be an important repair strategy for the treatment of SCI.
The research of my laboratory focuses on: 1) the molecular signaling involving in oligodendrocyte cell death after SCI and the mechanism to protect oligodendrocyte from SCI-induced cell death and therefore, decreasing demyelination after SCI, 2) the molecular mechanisms of differentiation and maturation of oligodendrocyte, 3) how to promote remyelination from endogenous and engrafted oligodendrocyte precursor cell (OPC) to facilitate functional recovery in the SCI animal models.
Specifically, we are studying the molecular mechanisms how Notch signaling and growth factors such as CNTF, Neuregulin inhibit and promote the differentiation and myelination of OPC, respectively. We will apply the findings from these basic studies to more clinic SCI animal model. Combination of blocking inhibitory Notch signaling, increasing expression of growth factors known to potentiate oligodendrocyte differentiation and maturation, and transplantation of OPC will be used to promote remyelination in clinically relevant model of rat contusive SCI whose injury severity was adjusted to cause enough loss of myelin and/or axons to result in specific behavioral and electrophysiological deficits but also sufficient sparing of demyelinated axons to enable remyelination. Objective and sensitive electrophysiological and behavioral tests will be used to examine the functional outcomes. Collectively, we hope that these experiments will provide important groundwork for those and other studies seeking to identify myelin-based therapies for spinal cord injured patients and also other myelin dysfunction diseases such multiple sclerosis.