Combined therapy of methylprednisolone and brain-derived neurotrophic factor promotes axonal regeneration and functional recovery after spinal cord injury in rats  

作　　者：李立新 徐启武 吴幼章 胡卫星 顾培元 傅震 

机构地区：[1]Department of Neurosurgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China [2]Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200042, China

出　　处：《Chinese Medical Journal》2003年第3期95-99,共5页中华医学杂志（英文版）

基　　金：ThisworkwassupportedpartlybyagrantfromtheNaturalScienceResearchFoundationofJiangsuProvince ,China (No 990 14 5 )

摘　　要：Objective To investigate the effects of combination therapy with methylprednisolone (MP) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) on axonal remyelination and functional recovery after spinal cord injury in rats. Methods Forty-five rats were randomly divided into three groups: Group A received MP and BDNF; group B received MP and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF); and group C received CSF only. Contusion injury to adult rat spinal cord was produced at the T10 vertebra level followed by immediate intravenous MP or CSF, and was thereafter infused intrathecally with BDNF or CSF for 6 weeks. Axonal remyelination and functional recovery was observed using RT-PCR, immunohistochemistry and open field locomotion. Results An increase of 28.4%±2.3% in the expression of proteolipid protein (PLP) gene, an endogenous indicator of axonal remyelination, was demonstrated in group A 24 hours after injury. Ten weeks later, there were significant decreases in hematogenous inflammatory cellular infiltration in groups A and B compared to C (P<0.05). Concomitantly, a significant amount of axonal remyelination was observed in group A compared to groups B and C (P<0.05). Furthermore, combination therapy using MP and BDNF in group A resulted in stimulation of hindlimb activity as well as improvement in the rate of functional recovery in open field locomotion (P<0.05). Conclusions Combined therapy of MP and BDNF can improve functional recovery through mechanisms that include attenuating inflammatory cellular infiltration and enhancing axonal remyelination at the injury site. Such a combination may be an effective approach for treatment of spinal cord injury.Objective To investigate the effects of combination therapy with methylprednisolone (MP) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) on axonal remyelination and functional recovery after spinal cord injury in rats. Methods Forty-five rats were randomly divided into three groups: Group A received MP and BDNF; group B received MP and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF); and group C received CSF only. Contusion injury to adult rat spinal cord was produced at the T10 vertebra level followed by immediate intravenous MP or CSF, and was thereafter infused intrathecally with BDNF or CSF for 6 weeks. Axonal remyelination and functional recovery was observed using RT-PCR, immunohistochemistry and open field locomotion. Results An increase of 28.4%±2.3% in the expression of proteolipid protein (PLP) gene, an endogenous indicator of axonal remyelination, was demonstrated in group A 24 hours after injury. Ten weeks later, there were significant decreases in hematogenous inflammatory cellular infiltration in groups A and B compared to C (P<0.05). Concomitantly, a significant amount of axonal remyelination was observed in group A compared to groups B and C (P<0.05). Furthermore, combination therapy using MP and BDNF in group A resulted in stimulation of hindlimb activity as well as improvement in the rate of functional recovery in open field locomotion (P<0.05). Conclusions Combined therapy of MP and BDNF can improve functional recovery through mechanisms that include attenuating inflammatory cellular infiltration and enhancing axonal remyelination at the injury site. Such a combination may be an effective approach for treatment of spinal cord injury.

关 键 词：spinal cord injuries METHYLPREDNISOLONE brain-derived neurotrophic factor 

分 类 号：R651.2[医药卫生—外科学]