The expression of CAP1 after traumatic brain injury and its role in astrocyte proliferation

Adenylate cyclase-associated protein 1 (CAP1), a member of cyclase-associated proteins involved in the regulation of actin filaments, was recently reported to play a role in the pathology of sciatic nerves injury. However, the distribution and function of CAP1 in the central nervous system (CNS) remain unclear. To investigate whether CAP1 is involved in CNS injury and repair, we used an acute traumatic brain injury (TBI) model in adult rats. Western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry showed a significant upregulation of CAP1 in ipsilateral peritrauma cortex compared with the contralateral and sham-operated ones. Double immunofluorescence staining showed that CAP1 was co-expressed with glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). In addition, we detected that Ki-67 had colocalization with GFAP and CAP1 after TBI. In vitro, during the process of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced primary astrocyte proliferation, we observed enhanced expression of CAP1. Specially, CAP1-specific siRNA-transfected primary astrocytes show significantly decreased ability for proliferation. Together, all these data indicated that the change of CAP1 protein expression was associated with astrocyte proliferation after the trauma of the central nervous system (CNS).