<scp>LPC18</scp> :0 Secreted by Exogenous Neural Stem Cells Potentiates Neurogenesis and Functional Recovery via <scp>GPR55</scp> ‐Mediated Signalling in Spinal Cord Injury
Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a devastating condition with limited therapeutic options. Although neural stem cell (NSC) transplantation shows regenerative potential, its efficacy is constrained by the hostile post-injury microenvironment. Here, we employed untargeted metabolomics to investigate metabolic reprogramming induced by NSC-loaded multichannel collagen scaffolds in a rat SCI model. NSC transplantation significantly enhanced functional recovery and structural remodelling, concomitant with elevated neurogenesis and attenuated gliosis. Metabolomic profiling identified lysophosphatidylcholine 18:0 (LPC18:0) as a key NSC-derived metabolite. Mechanistically, LPC18:0 promoted the differentiation of endogenous NSCs into neurons via the GPR55/AKT/GSK3β signalling axis, as validated by receptor-specific inhibition. In vivo administration of LPC18:0 improved motor function, axonal regeneration and recruitment of immature neurons. These findings reveal a novel metabolic mechanism underlying NSC-based therapy, positioning LPC18:0/GPR55/AKT/GSK3β signalling as a therapeutic target for SCI recovery.
Authors
- Bin Wang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3981-8849)
- Chenxu Tai
- Pingping Shen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1072-784X)
- Mina Yang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7431-6380)
- Yuanyuan Xie (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8482-9948)
- Lijun Tu
- Dong Chen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7627-9560)
- Shuo Liu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9236-6912)
- Yan‐Ning Wang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1520-3428)
- Hui Yang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3054-5688)
- Congwang Xu
- Yue Jiang
Institutions
- Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine (CN)
- Nanjing Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital (CN)
- Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital (CN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Cell Proliferation
- Published
- 2025-11-16
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1111/cpr.70146
- Primary Topic
- Neurogenesis and neuroplasticity mechanisms
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00