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Sweetman H, Rahman M, Vedantam A, Satkunendrarajah K. Subclinical respiratory dysfunction and impaired ventilatory adaptation in degenerative cervical myelopathy. Exp Neurol 2024; 371:114600. [PMID: 37907124 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2023.114600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023]
Abstract
Degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) is a debilitating neurological condition characterized by chronic compression of the cervical spinal cord leading to impaired upper and lower limb function. Despite damage to areas of the cervical spinal cord that house the respiratory network, respiratory dysfunction is not a common symptom of DCM. However, DCM may be associated with respiratory dysfunction, and this can affect the ventilatory response to respiratory challenges during emergence from anesthesia, exercise, or pulmonary disease. Surgical spinal cord decompression, which is the primary treatment for DCM, leads to improved sensorimotor function in DCM; yet its impact on respiratory function is unknown. Here, using a clinically relevant model of DCM, we evaluate respiratory function during disease progression and assess adaptive ventilation to hypercapnic challenge before and after surgical intervention. We show that despite significant and progressive forelimb and locomotor deficits, there was no significant decline in eupneic ventilation from the early to late phases of spinal cord compression. Additionally, for the first time, we demonstrate that despite normal ventilation under resting conditions, DCM impairs acute adaptive ventilatory ability in response to hypercapnia. Remarkably, akin to DCM patients, surgical decompression treatment improved sensorimotor function in a subset of mice. In contrast, none of the mice that underwent surgical decompression recovered their ability to respond to hypercapnic ventilatory challenge. These findings underscore the impact of chronic spinal cord compression on respiratory function, highlighting the challenges associated with ventilatory response to respiratory challenges in individuals with DCM. This research highlights the impact of cervical spinal cord compression on respiratory dysfunction in DCM, as well as the persistence of adaptive ventilatory dysfunction after surgical spinal cord decompression. These results indicate the need for additional interventions to enhance recovery of respiratory function after surgery for DCM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Sweetman
- Department of Neurosurgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA; Clement J. Zablocki Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Mahmudur Rahman
- Department of Neurosurgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Aditya Vedantam
- Department of Neurosurgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA; Clement J. Zablocki Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Kajana Satkunendrarajah
- Department of Neurosurgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA; Clement J. Zablocki Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Milwaukee, WI, USA; Department of Physiology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
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2
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Harrigan ME, Filous AR, Vadala CP, Webb A, Pietrzak M, Sahenk Z, Prüss H, Reiser PJ, Popovich PG, Arnold WD, Schwab JM. Lesion level-dependent systemic muscle wasting after spinal cord injury is mediated by glucocorticoid signaling in mice. Sci Transl Med 2023; 15:eadh2156. [PMID: 38117902 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.adh2156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/22/2023]
Abstract
An incomplete mechanistic understanding of skeletal muscle wasting early after spinal cord injury (SCI) precludes targeted molecular interventions. Here, we demonstrated systemic wasting that also affected innervated nonparalyzed (supralesional) muscles and emerged within 1 week after experimental SCI in mice. Systemic muscle wasting caused muscle weakness, affected fast type 2 myofibers preferentially, and became exacerbated after high (T3) compared with low (T9) thoracic paraplegia, indicating lesion level-dependent ("neurogenic") mechanisms. The wasting of nonparalyzed muscle and its rapid onset and severity beyond what can be explained by disuse implied unknown systemic drivers. Muscle transcriptome and biochemical analysis revealed a glucocorticoid-mediated catabolic signature early after T3 SCI. SCI-induced systemic muscle wasting was mitigated by (i) endogenous glucocorticoid ablation (adrenalectomy) and (ii) pharmacological glucocorticoid receptor (GR) blockade and was (iii) completely prevented after T3 relative to T9 SCI by genetic muscle-specific GR deletion. These results suggest that neurogenic hypercortisolism contributes to a rapid systemic and functionally relevant muscle wasting syndrome early after paraplegic SCI in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus E Harrigan
- Department of Neurology, Spinal Cord Injury Division (Paraplegiology), College of Medicine, Ohio State University, Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- Medical Scientist Training Program, College of Medicine, Ohio State University, Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- Neuroscience Research Institute, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- Belford Center for Spinal Cord Injury, Ohio State University, Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Angela R Filous
- Department of Neurology, Spinal Cord Injury Division (Paraplegiology), College of Medicine, Ohio State University, Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- Neuroscience Research Institute, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- Belford Center for Spinal Cord Injury, Ohio State University, Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Christopher P Vadala
- Department of Neurology, Spinal Cord Injury Division (Paraplegiology), College of Medicine, Ohio State University, Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- Neuroscience Research Institute, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- Belford Center for Spinal Cord Injury, Ohio State University, Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Amy Webb
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, College of Medicine, Ohio State University, Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Maciej Pietrzak
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, College of Medicine, Ohio State University, Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Zarife Sahenk
- Center for Gene Therapy, Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH 43205, USA
- Department of Pediatrics and Neurology, Nationwide Children's Hospital and Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43205, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH 43205, USA
| | - Harald Prüss
- Department of Neurology and Experimental Neurology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin, 10117 Berlin, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Peter J Reiser
- Division of Biosciences, College of Dentistry, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Phillip G Popovich
- Neuroscience Research Institute, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- Belford Center for Spinal Cord Injury, Ohio State University, Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Ohio State University, Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - W David Arnold
- NextGen Precision Health, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65212, USA
| | - Jan M Schwab
- Department of Neurology, Spinal Cord Injury Division (Paraplegiology), College of Medicine, Ohio State University, Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- Neuroscience Research Institute, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- Belford Center for Spinal Cord Injury, Ohio State University, Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Ohio State University, Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Ohio State University, Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
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Yilihamu EEY, Fan X, Yang Z, Feng S. A novel mouse model of central cord syndrome. Neural Regen Res 2023; 18:2751-2756. [PMID: 37449640 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.373718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Patients with potential spinal stenosis are susceptible to central cord syndrome induced by blunt trauma. Suitable animal models are helpful for studying the pathogenesis and treatment of such injuries. In this study, we established a mouse model of acute blunt traumatic spinal cord injury by compressing the C6 spinal cord with 5 and 10 g/mm2 compression weights to simulate cervical central cord syndrome. Behavioral testing confirmed that this model exhibited the characteristics of central cord syndrome because motor function in the front paws was impaired, whereas basic motor and sensory functions of the lower extremities were retained. Hematoxylin-eosin staining showed that the diseased region of the spinal cord in this mouse model was restricted to the gray matter of the central cord, whereas the white matter was rarely affected. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a hypointense signal in the lesion after mild and severe injury. In addition, immunofluorescence staining showed that the degree of nerve tract injury in the spinal cord white matter was mild, and that there was a chronic inflammation reaction. These findings suggest that this mouse model of central cord syndrome can be used as a model for preclinical research, and that gray matter is most vulnerable to injury in central cord syndrome, leading to impaired motor function.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Xiangchuang Fan
- Department of Orthopedics, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong Province, China
| | - Zimeng Yang
- Department of Orthopedics, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong Province; Department of Orthopedics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Shiqing Feng
- Department of Orthopedics, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong Province, China
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Stewart AN, Gensel JC, Jones L, Fouad K. Challenges in Translating Regenerative Therapies for Spinal Cord Injury. Top Spinal Cord Inj Rehabil 2023; 29:23-43. [PMID: 38174141 PMCID: PMC10759906 DOI: 10.46292/sci23-00044s] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Regenerating the injured spinal cord is a substantial challenge with many obstacles that need to be overcome to achieve robust functional benefits. This abundance of hurdles can partly explain the limited success when applying regenerative intervention treatments in animal models and/or people. In this article, we elaborate on a few of these obstacles, starting with the applicability of animal models and how they compare to the clinical setting. We then discuss the requirement for combinatorial interventions and the associated problems in experimental design, including the addition of rehabilitative training. The article expands on differences in lesion sizes and locations between humans and common animal models, and how this difference can determine the success or failure of an intervention. An additional and frequently overlooked problem in the translation of interventions that applies beyond the field of neuroregeneration is the reporting bias and the lack of transparency in reporting findings. New data mandates are tackling this problem and will eventually result in a more balanced view of the field. Finally, we will discuss strategies to negotiate the challenging course of successful translation to facilitate successful translation of regeneration promoting interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew N. Stewart
- Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - John C. Gensel
- Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Linda Jones
- Department of Occupational Therapy, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Karim Fouad
- Department of Physical Therapy, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
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Liu F, Huang Y, Wang H. Rodent Models of Spinal Cord Injury: From Pathology to Application. Neurochem Res 2023; 48:340-361. [PMID: 36303082 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-022-03794-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Revised: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Spinal cord injury (SCI) often has devastating consequences for the patient's physical, mental and occupational health. At present, there is no effective treatment for SCI, and appropriate animal models are very important for studying the pathological manifestations, injury mechanisms, and corresponding treatment. However, the pathological changes in each injury model are different, which creates difficulties in selecting appropriate models for different research purposes. In this article, we analyze various SCI models and introduce their pathological features, including inflammation, glial scar formation, axon regeneration, ischemia-reperfusion injury, and oxidative stress, and evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of each model, which is convenient for selecting suitable models for different injury mechanisms to study therapeutic methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fuze Liu
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, No. 1 Shuaifuyuan, Beijing, 100730, People's Republic of China
| | - Yue Huang
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, No. 1 Shuaifuyuan, Beijing, 100730, People's Republic of China
| | - Hai Wang
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, No. 1 Shuaifuyuan, Beijing, 100730, People's Republic of China.
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Freria CM, Graham L, Azimi A, Lu P. Adaptation of a cervical bilateral contusive spinal cord injury for study of skilled forelimb function. Exp Neurol 2023; 360:114275. [PMID: 36379273 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2022.114275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Revised: 10/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
We present an updated, clinically relevant model of moderately severe bilateral cervical level 6 contusive spinal cord injury (SCI) in the rat. This model is more clinically relevant than previous models due it its severity, yet animals readily survive the lesion. The C6 bilateral lesion is administered to Fischer 344 rats using the Infinite Horizons impactor adjusted to a 200 kdyne force with a 3.5 mm impactor head. The lesion results in loss of 60 ± 10% of the spinal cord area, including virtually the entire dorsal half of the spinal cord and complete interruption of the main corticospinal tract. Skilled forelimb performance declines by 60 ± 10% compared to the pre-operative baseline and deficits are sustained over time. This model is a substantial step closer to mimicking the most common level (cervical) and more severe form of SCI in humans and should provide a superior tool for assessing the likelihood that experimental interventions may promote motor recovery after SCI in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila Marques Freria
- Dept. of Neurosciences, University of California - San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America.
| | - Lori Graham
- Dept. of Neurosciences, University of California - San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Ali Azimi
- Dept. of Neurosciences, University of California - San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Paul Lu
- Veterans Administration San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, United States of America; Dept. of Neurosciences, University of California - San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America.
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Zheng G, Zhang H, Tail M, Wang H, Walter J, Skutella T, Unterberg A, Zweckberger K, Younsi A. Assessment of hindlimb motor recovery after severe thoracic spinal cord injury in rats: classification of CatWalk XT® gait analysis parameters. Neural Regen Res 2022; 18:1084-1089. [PMID: 36254997 PMCID: PMC9827780 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.355763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Assessment of locomotion recovery in preclinical studies of experimental spinal cord injury remains challenging. We studied the CatWalk XT® gait analysis for evaluating hindlimb functional recovery in a widely used and clinically relevant thoracic contusion/compression spinal cord injury model in rats. Rats were randomly assigned to either a T9 spinal cord injury or sham laminectomy. Locomotion recovery was assessed using the Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan open field rating scale and the CatWalk XT® gait analysis. To determine the potential bias from weight changes, corrected hindlimb (H) values (divided by the unaffected forelimb (F) values) were calculated. Six weeks after injury, cyst formation, astrogliosis, and the deposition of chondroitin sulfate glycosaminoglycans were assessed by immunohistochemistry staining. Compared with the baseline, a significant spontaneous recovery could be observed in the CatWalk XT® parameters max intensity, mean intensity, max intensity at%, and max contact mean intensity from 4 weeks after injury onwards. Of note, corrected values (H/F) of CatWalk XT® parameters showed a significantly less vulnerability to the weight changes than absolute values, specifically in static parameters. The corrected CatWalk XT® parameters were positively correlated with the Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan rating scale scores, cyst formation, the immunointensity of astrogliosis and chondroitin sulfate glycosaminoglycan deposition. The CatWalk XT® gait analysis and especially its static parameters, therefore, seem to be highly useful in assessing spontaneous recovery of hindlimb function after severe thoracic spinal cord injury. Because many CatWalk XT® parameters of the hindlimbs seem to be affected by body weight changes, using their corrected values might be a valuable option to improve this dependency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guoli Zheng
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Hao Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Mohamed Tail
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Hao Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Johannes Walter
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Thomas Skutella
- Department of Neuroanatomy, Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Andreas Unterberg
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Klaus Zweckberger
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Alexander Younsi
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany,Correspondence to: Alexander Younsi, .
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Levetiracetam Attenuates the Spinal Cord Injury Induced by Acute Trauma via Suppressing the Expression of Perforin. COMPUTATIONAL AND MATHEMATICAL METHODS IN MEDICINE 2022; 2022:7218666. [PMID: 35633929 PMCID: PMC9135510 DOI: 10.1155/2022/7218666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Revised: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The spinal cord injury (SCI) is one of the major reasons causing the motor dysfunctions of the patients. At present, few therapeutic strategies can effectively improve the symptom of SCI. Levetiracetam has been confirmed to alleviate the injury of nerve cells, while its functions in SCI remains unclear. In this study, C57BL/6J mice were used to establish SCI models to observe the effect of levetiracetam on SCI. The mice were fed with 180 mg/kg levetiracetam when suffering from SCI, and Basso mouse score (BMS) and CatWalk-assisted gait analysis were used to observe the motor functions of the mice. Nissl staining and TUNEL staining were used to observe the injury of nerve cells. The abundance of inflammatory factors was measured by ELISA. The permeability of blood-spinal cord barrier (BSCB) in mice was detected with macrophage infiltration analysis. Moreover, the abundance of perforin in the tissues was detected by western blot. The results showed that the SCI mice treated with levetiracetam exhibited lighter motor dysfunction compared with the mice treated with saline. Levetiracetam can effectively reduce the inflammatory reactions and alleviate apoptosis of the nerve cells. Moreover, levetiracetam remarkably decreased the BSCB permeability of SCI mice. Besides, it was also found that levetiracetam can significantly inhibit the expression of perforin. In conclusion, this study suggests that levetiracetam can attenuate the injury of BSCB to block the progression of SCI via suppressing the expression of perforin.
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Anatomical and behavioral outcomes following a graded hemi-contusive cervical spinal cord injury model in mice. Behav Brain Res 2022; 419:113698. [PMID: 34856301 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2021.113698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Revised: 11/20/2021] [Accepted: 11/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND A graded hemi-contusion spinal cord injury produces complex anatomical deformation of the spinal cord parenchyma. The relationship between lesion severity and behavioral consequences in a novel contusion mouse model remains unknown. PURPOSE We aimed to establish a graded cervical hemi-contusion spinal cord injury model in mice and investigate the correlation between graded anatomical damage to the spinal cord and resulting behavioral impairments. METHODS Thirty-two mice were divided into groups of 1.2 mm, 1.5 mm and sham. The tip of an impactor with a diameter of 1 mm was utilized to compress the left dorsal cord of C5 by 1.2 mm or 1.5 mm at a speed of 300 mm/s. Forelimb motor function was evaluated using rearing, grooming and grip-strength tests before and after the injuries. Histologically the area of white matter sparing, gray matter sparing and lesion area were quantified at 6-week-post-injury. RESULTS Behavioral assessments showed a more severe forelimb functional deficit in 1.5 mm contusion displacements relative to 1.2 mm contusion displacements after injury. The 1.2 mm hemi-contusion mainly caused damage to the dorsal fasciculus, ventral and dorsal horn, while the 1.5 mm hemi-contusion lead to additional damage extending to ventral fasciculus. Sparing of the gray and white matter at the epicenter was 36.8 ± 2.4% and 12.4 ± 2.6% in the 1.2 mm group, and 27.6 ± 4.0% and 4.1 ± 2.2% in the 1.5 mm group, respectively. Furthermore, the lesion area was 20.8 ± 3.0% and 36.0 ± 2.1% in the 1.2 mm and 1.5 mm groups, respectively. There was a significant correlation between the performance in the grooming test and white matter sparing, and between grip-test strength and gray matter sparing. CONCLUSION The present study demonstrates that a hemi-contusion cervical spinal cord injury in mice can be graded by contusion displacement and that there is a correlation between anatomical and behavioral outcomes. This study provides a means for determining the severity of lesions in a contusion mouse model.
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Zhang H, Xu J, Saijilafu. The effects of GelMA hydrogel on nerve repair and regeneration in mice with spinal cord injury. ANNALS OF TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE 2021; 9:1147. [PMID: 34430588 PMCID: PMC8350630 DOI: 10.21037/atm-21-2874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Background To determine the effects of gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) hydrogel on nerve repair and regeneration in mice with spinal cord injury (SCI). Methods A total of 30 ICR mice (6–8 weeks old) were randomly assigned into the control group, the model group, and the experimental group via the random digits table method. There were 10 mice in each group. All mice underwent a T8 laminectomy. For mice in the experimental group and the model group, after the T8 laminectomy, SCI models were constructed by clamping the mice spinal cord tissue for 1 minute using an aneurysm clip (25 g). Additionally, the SCI area of each mouse in the experimental group was locally injected with 0.05–0.7 mL GelMA hydrogel [10% (w/v)] and photocrosslinking was initiated under a blue light source with a wavelength of 405 nm. The exercise performance of each mouse was tested via the bedside mobility scale (BMS) on post-operative days 1, 3, 7, and 14. After 14 days, mice were sacrificed and the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) sensory neurons were isolated and cultured for 3 days in vitro. The axon lengths of the neurons were then evaluated. Immunohistochemical staining was performed to assess the development of syringomyelia in the area. Western blots (WB) and immunofluorescence staining were performed to quantify the expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), growth associated protein (GAP)43, and nestin in the DRG neurons from each group of mice. Results Compared with mice in the control group, mice in the SCI model group showed a notable decrease in exercise ability, while the exercise ability of mice in the experimental group recovered markedly after treatment with GelMA hydrogel. Administration of GelMA hydrogel lengthened the axon of DRG neurons in mice and reduced the area of syringomyelia. Furthermore, GelMA hydrogel inhibited scar formation and promoted the recovery of neurological function by upregulating GAP43 and nestin expression and downregulating GFAP expression. Conclusions In mice with SCI, local injection of GelMA hydrogel strongly inhibited scar formation, reduced the area of syringomyelia, and promoted nerve regeneration and recovery of limb movement function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongcheng Zhang
- Department of Orthopaedics, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Jinhui Xu
- Department of Orthopedic Oncology, Changzheng Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Saijilafu
- Department of Orthopaedics, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China.,Orthopaedic Institute, Medical College, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
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Cellular therapy for treatment of spinal cord injury in Zebrafish model. Mol Biol Rep 2021; 48:1787-1800. [PMID: 33459959 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-020-06126-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2020] [Accepted: 12/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Spinal cord injury is a serious problem with a high rate of morbidity and mortality for all persons, especially young people (15-25 years old). Due to the large burden and the costs incurred on the government, finding the best therapeutic approach is necessary. In this respect, treatment strategies based on the disease mechanism can be effective. After the first trauma of spinal cord cascades, cellular events happen one after the other known as secondary trauma. The mechanism of secondary events of spinal cord injury could be helpful for target therapy as trying to stop the secondary trauma. Herein, some medical and surgical therapy has been introduced and cell therapy strategy was considered as a recent method. Actually, cell therapy is defined as the application of different cells including mesenchymal stem cells, embryonic stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells, and some others to replace or reconstruct the damaged tissues and restore their functions. However, as a newly emerged therapeutic method, cell therapy should be used through various subclinical studies in animal models to assess the efficacy of the treatment under controlled conditions. In this review, the role of Zebrafish as a recommended model has been discussed and combinatory approach as the probably most useful treatment has been suggested.
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