Spatiotemporal patterns of Gem expression after rat spinal cord injury

• The expression profile of Gem after SCI was firstly confirmed.
• Gem was suggested to be implicated in glial proliferation after SCI.
• Our results extended the study of Gem in the nervous system.
• Our study provided a new molecular pathway of the mechanisms of SCI.

Gem is an atypical protein of the Ras superfamily that plays a role in regulating voltage-gated Ca2+ channels and cytoskeletal reorganization. To elucidate the certain expression and biological function in central nervous system (CNS), we performed an acute spinal cord contusion injury model in adult rats. Western blot analysis showed a marked up-regulation of Gem after spinal cord injury (SCI). Immunohistochemistry revealed wide distribution of Gem in spinal cord, including neurons and glial cells. Double immunofluorescent staining for proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and phenotype-specific markers indicated increases of Gem expression in proliferating microglia and astrocytes. Our data suggest that Gem may be implicated in the proliferation of microglia and astrocytes after SCI.