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The relationship between inflammation and regeneration in larval Xenopus limbs
Author(s) -
Mescher Anthony L.,
Neff Anton W.,
King Michael W.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.25.1_supplement.487.1
Subject(s) - regeneration (biology) , inflammation , xenopus , biology , blastema , metamorphosis , immune system , microbiology and biotechnology , limb development , anatomy , immunology , gene , larva , genetics , embryo , ecology
Understanding why anurans lose the capacity for epimorphic limb regeneration as they approach metamorphosis may yield insights into the poor regenerative ability of human organs. We have shown previously that limb amputation in larvae at regeneration‐incomplete developmental stages produces a greater degree of local inflammation, as measured by expression of various inflammation‐related genes. Certain agents that exacerbate inflammation at the amputation wound inhibit regeneration at earlier larval stages when control limbs regenerate completely. This inhibition involves failure to express various genes for limb patterning rather than genes for cell reprogramming or dedifferentiation. To further examine the role of inflammation in amphibian limb regeneration we have treated Xenopus larvae in the immediate post‐amputation period with selected anti‐inflammatory drugs. Beclomethasone was found to inhibit limb regeneration at normally regeneration‐complete stages (a result also reported for teleost tail regeneration), suggesting that inflammation is required at least initially for successful regeneration. Two COX‐2 inhibitors and other inhibitors of immune signaling were found to enhance regeneration in older larvae, as indicated by more complete limb patterns. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that immune or inflammation‐related events in the limb stumps of regeneration‐incomplete Xenopus larvae interfere with new limb patterning. This work was supported by National Science Foundation Grant IOS‐0814399.