The present invention has found that the Mts1 protein is expressed in white matter
astrocytes in the spinal cord. Such expression is significantly increased following
sciatic nerve injury or dorsal root injury, particularly in astrocytes surrounding
dorsal funiculus containing the central processes of the injured primary sensory
neurons. The present invention has further demonstrated that Mts1 proteins administered
extracellularly promote neurite outgrowth from neuronal cells. Based on these surprising
findings, the present invention provides compositions and methods that are useful
for the treatment of various neurological conditions characterized by death, degeneration
or injury of neuronal cells.
