Differential expression of the small chondroitin/dermatan sulfate proteoglycans decorin and biglycan after injury of the adult rat brain

Chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans are widespread extracellular matrix proteins and are specifically upregulated after CNS injury at the lesion site. Many proteoglycan core proteins have been described in the rat brain, but detailed analysis of individual proteoglycans expressed after injury are missing. The present study represents an initial attempt to assess the diversity and timing of lesion-induced expression of proteoglycans in order to elucidate their functional role in CNS injury and repair. Using immunocytochemical methods we analysed the expression of decorin and biglycan in the transected postcommissural fornix of the adult rat. Transection of the fornix induced the upregulation of both decorin and biglycan. However, their expression differed with respect to time course, regional extent and cellular localization. The rapid upregulation of decorin within a wide area around the lesion was followed by a massive appearance of biglycan that remained restricted to the transection site. Three months after lesion, differences of the area size of decorin- and biglycan-immunoreactivities were no longer detectable. Both proteoglycans were restricted to the lesion site and the fornix stumps. While decorin was primarily expressed by astrocytes, biglycan was deposited extracellularly in sheet-like structures. The upregulation of both proteoglycans persisted for at least up to 6 months after lesion. These strong but divergent lesion-induced expression patterns indicate important but different roles of decorin and biglycan in CNS injury.