Role of Vimentin in Injuries of the Central Nervous System

A special place in neurobiology is occupied by the studies on glial activity during the development of central nervous system pathologies. Debates about the dangers or benefits of glia have been ongoing, as well as the searching for ways to pharmacologically correct the glial activation pathways. It still remains unclear whether we should completely disable glia in the regeneration process or, conversely, if activation of some glial functions is necessary. Vimentin, a structural component of the cytoskeleton, has been shown to exhibit dual functionality. Some studies have shown that, as a structural component of the glial scar, vimentin enhances the consolidation of the damaged area thereby preventing axonal growth and impairing motor function recovery. Other studies, on the contrary, describe vimentin as a secreted protein attracting the nerve fibers and promoting the regeneration of damaged axons. To date, the role of vimentin in central nervous system (CNS) injuries remains poorly understood and existing findings are highly contradictory. The purpose of this review is to summarize recent research on the role of vimentin in CNS injury modeling.