A Noncanonical Neuroligin 3-Centered Complex Promotes Functional Recovery of Spinal Cord Injury

• Transcriptomic analysis of transplanted hUC-MSCs in the spinal cord microenvironment identified NLGN3 as a key neuronal cell adhesion molecule promoting SCI repair. • Neuron-specific restoration of Nlgn3 alone in injured spinal cords is sufficient to achieve therapeutic effects comparable to MSC transplantation. • NLGN3 forms a noncanonical complex with synaptic vesicle proteins Sar1a and Hspa8 to modulate synaptic strength and promote neural circuit reconstruction. • Combinatorial restoration of Nlgn3 with Sar1a or Hspa8 synergistically enhances functional recovery after SCI, suggesting a novel therapeutic strategy.