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Ridlen R, McGrath K, Gorrie CA. Animal models of compression spinal cord injury. J Neurosci Res 2022; 100:2201-2212. [PMID: 36121155 PMCID: PMC9825893 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.25120] [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] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 08/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Compression spinal cord injuries are a common cause of morbidity in people who experience a spinal cord injury (SCI). Either as a by-product of a traumatic injury or due to nontraumatic conditions such as cervical myelitis, compression injuries are growing in prevalence clinically and many attempts of animal replication have been described within the literature. These models, however, often focus on the traumatic side of injury or mimic short-term injuries that are not representative of the majority of compression SCI. Of this, nontraumatic spinal cord injuries are severely understudied and have an increased prevalence in elderly populations, adults, and children. Therefore, there is a need to critically evaluate the current animal models of compression SCI and their suitability as a method for clinically relevant data that can help reduce morbidity and mortality of SCI. In this review, we reviewed the established and emerging methods of animal models of compression SCI. These models are the clip, balloon, solid spacer, expanding polymer, remote, weight drop, calibrated forceps, screw, and strap methods. These methods showed that there is a large reliance on the use of laminectomy to induce injury. Furthermore, the age range of many studies does not reflect the elderly and young populations that commonly suffer from compression injuries. It is therefore important to have techniques and methods that are able to minimize secondary effects of the surgeries, and are representative of the clinical cases seen so that treatments and interventions can be developed that are specific.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reggie Ridlen
- School of Life SciencesUniversity of Technology SydneyUltimoNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Kristine McGrath
- School of Life SciencesUniversity of Technology SydneyUltimoNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Catherine A. Gorrie
- School of Life SciencesUniversity of Technology SydneyUltimoNew South WalesAustralia
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Baumann HJ, Mahajan G, Ham TR, Betonio P, Kothapalli CR, Shriver LP, Leipzig ND. Softening of the chronic hemi-section spinal cord injury scar parallels dysregulation of cellular and extracellular matrix content. J Mech Behav Biomed Mater 2020; 110:103953. [PMID: 32957245 PMCID: PMC7509206 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2020.103953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2019] [Revised: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 06/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Regeneration following spinal cord injury (SCI) is challenging in part due to the modified tissue composition and organization of the resulting glial and fibrotic scar regions. Inhibitory cell types and biochemical cues present in the scar have received attention as therapeutic targets to promote regeneration. However, altered Young's modulus of the scar as a readout for potential impeding factors for regeneration are not as well-defined, especially in vivo. Although the decreased Young's modulus of surrounding tissue at acute stages post-injury is known, the causation and outcomes at chronic time points remain largely understudied and controversial, which motivates this work. This study assessed the glial and fibrotic scar tissue's Young's modulus and composition (scar morphometry, cell identity, extracellular matrix (ECM) makeup) that contribute to the tissue's stiffness. The spatial Young's modulus of a chronic (~18-wks, post-injury) hemi-section, including the glial and fibrotic regions, were significantly less than naïve tissue (~200 Pa; p < 0.0001). The chronic scar contained cystic cavities dispersed in areas of dense nuclei packing. Abundant CNS cell types such as astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and neurons were dysregulated in the scar, while epithelial markers such as vimentin were upregulated. The key ECM components in the CNS, namely sulfated proteoglycans (sPGs), were significantly downregulated following injury with concomitant upregulation of unsulfated glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) and hyaluronic acid (HA), likely altering the foundational ECM network that contributes to tissue stiffness. Our results reveal the Young's modulus of the chronic SCI scar as well as quantification of contributing elastic components that can provide a foundation for future study into their role in tissue repair and regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah J Baumann
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Akron, Akron, OH, 44325, USA
| | - Gautam Mahajan
- Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH, 44115, USA
| | - Trevor R Ham
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, OH, 44325, USA
| | - Patricia Betonio
- School of Nursing, The University of Akron, Akron, OH, 44325, USA
| | - Chandrasekhar R Kothapalli
- Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH, 44115, USA
| | - Leah P Shriver
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Akron, Akron, OH, 44325, USA; Department of Biology, The University of Akron, Akron, OH, 44325, USA
| | - Nic D Leipzig
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, OH, 44325, USA; Department of Chemical, Biomolecular, and Corrosion Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, OH, 44325, USA.
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Jones CF, Clarke EC. Engineering approaches to understanding mechanisms of spinal column injury leading to spinal cord injury. Clin Biomech (Bristol, Avon) 2019; 64:69-81. [PMID: 29625748 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinbiomech.2018.03.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2017] [Revised: 02/16/2018] [Accepted: 03/24/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The mechanical interactions occurring between the spinal column and spinal cord during an injury event are complex and variable, and likely have implications for the clinical presentation and prognosis of the individual. METHODS The engineering approaches that have been developed to better understand spinal column and cord interactions during an injury event are discussed. These include injury models utilising human and animal cadaveric specimens, in vivo anaesthetised animals, finite element models, inanimate physical systems and combinations thereof. FINDINGS The paper describes the development of these modelling approaches, discusses the advantages and disadvantages of the various models, and the major outcomes that have had implications for spinal cord injury research and clinical practice. INTERPRETATION The contribution of these four engineering approaches to understanding the interaction between the biomechanics and biology of spinal cord injury is substantial; they have improved our understanding of the factors contributing to the spinal column disruption, the degree of spinal cord deformation or motion, and the resultant neurological deficit and imaging features. Models of the injury event are challenging to produce, but technological advances are likely to improve these models and, consequently, our understanding of the mechanical context in which the biological injury occurs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire F Jones
- Spinal Research Group, Centre for Orthopaedics and Trauma Research, Adelaide Medical School, The University of Adelaide, Australia; School of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Adelaide, Australia
| | - Elizabeth C Clarke
- Institute for Bone and Joint Research, Kolling Institute, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Australia.
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Alizadeh A, Dyck SM, Karimi-Abdolrezaee S. Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury: An Overview of Pathophysiology, Models and Acute Injury Mechanisms. Front Neurol 2019; 10:282. [PMID: 30967837 PMCID: PMC6439316 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2019.00282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 603] [Impact Index Per Article: 120.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2018] [Accepted: 03/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) is a life changing neurological condition with substantial socioeconomic implications for patients and their care-givers. Recent advances in medical management of SCI has significantly improved diagnosis, stabilization, survival rate and well-being of SCI patients. However, there has been small progress on treatment options for improving the neurological outcomes of SCI patients. This incremental success mainly reflects the complexity of SCI pathophysiology and the diverse biochemical and physiological changes that occur in the injured spinal cord. Therefore, in the past few decades, considerable efforts have been made by SCI researchers to elucidate the pathophysiology of SCI and unravel the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms of tissue degeneration and repair in the injured spinal cord. To this end, a number of preclinical animal and injury models have been developed to more closely recapitulate the primary and secondary injury processes of SCI. In this review, we will provide a comprehensive overview of the recent advances in our understanding of the pathophysiology of SCI. We will also discuss the neurological outcomes of human SCI and the available experimental model systems that have been employed to identify SCI mechanisms and develop therapeutic strategies for this condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arsalan Alizadeh
- Regenerative Medicine Program, Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, Spinal Cord Research Center, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Scott Matthew Dyck
- Regenerative Medicine Program, Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, Spinal Cord Research Center, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Soheila Karimi-Abdolrezaee
- Regenerative Medicine Program, Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, Spinal Cord Research Center, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
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Abdullahi D, Annuar AA, Mohamad M, Aziz I, Sanusi J. Experimental spinal cord trauma: a review of mechanically induced spinal cord injury in rat models. Rev Neurosci 2018; 28:15-20. [PMID: 27845888 DOI: 10.1515/revneuro-2016-0050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2016] [Accepted: 09/13/2016] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
It has been shown that animal spinal cord compression (using methods such as clips, balloons, spinal cord strapping, or calibrated forceps) mimics the persistent spinal canal occlusion that is common in human spinal cord injury (SCI). These methods can be used to investigate the effects of compression or to know the optimal timing of decompression (as duration of compression can affect the outcome of pathology) in acute SCI. Compression models involve prolonged cord compression and are distinct from contusion models, which apply only transient force to inflict an acute injury to the spinal cord. While the use of forceps to compress the spinal cord is a common choice due to it being inexpensive, it has not been critically assessed against the other methods to determine whether it is the best method to use. To date, there is no available review specifically focused on the current compression methods of inducing SCI in rats; thus, we performed a systematic and comprehensive publication search to identify studies on experimental spinalization in rat models, and this review discusses the advantages and limitations of each method.
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Amemori T, Ruzicka J, Romanyuk N, Jhanwar-Uniyal M, Sykova E, Jendelova P. Comparison of intraspinal and intrathecal implantation of induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neural precursors for the treatment of spinal cord injury in rats. Stem Cell Res Ther 2015; 6:257. [PMID: 26696415 PMCID: PMC4688936 DOI: 10.1186/s13287-015-0255-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2015] [Revised: 11/11/2015] [Accepted: 12/02/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Stem cell treatment provides a promising therapy for patients with spinal cord injury (SCI). However, the applied stem cells exert their effects in different manners that are dependent on the route used for administration. Methods In the present study, we administered neural precursors derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS-NPs) either intraspinally into the lesion center or intrathecally into the subarachnoid space of rats with a balloon-induced spinal cord compression lesion. Functional locomotor performance, cell survival, astrogliosis, axonal sprouting and the expression of endogenous neurotrophic growth factors were evaluated using behavioral tests (BBB, flat beam test, rotarod, plantar test), morphometric analysis, immunohistochemistry and qPCR. Results Both treatments facilitated the functional locomotor recovery of rats with SCI. iPS-NPs injected intraspinally survived well for 2 months and were positive for MAP2, while cells grafted intrathecally were undetectable at the site of administration or in the spinal cord tissue. Intraspinal implantation increased gray and white matter sparing and axonal sprouting and reduced astrogliosis, while intrathecal application resulted only in an improvement of white matter sparing and an increase in axonal sprouting, in parallel with no positive effect on the expression of endogenous neurotrophic growth factor genes or glial scar reduction. Conclusions Intrathecally grafted iPS-NPs had a moderate therapeutic benefit on SCI through a paracrine mechanism that does not require the cells to be present in the tissue; however, the extended survival of i.s. grafted cells in the spinal cord may promote long-term spinal cord tissue regeneration. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13287-015-0255-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takashi Amemori
- Department of Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Videnska 1083, 142 20, Prague 4, Czech Republic.
| | - Jiri Ruzicka
- Department of Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Videnska 1083, 142 20, Prague 4, Czech Republic. .,Department of Neuroscience, 2nd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Plzenska 130/221, 150 00, Prague 5, Czech Republic.
| | - Nataliya Romanyuk
- Department of Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Videnska 1083, 142 20, Prague 4, Czech Republic.
| | | | - Eva Sykova
- Department of Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Videnska 1083, 142 20, Prague 4, Czech Republic. .,Department of Neuroscience, 2nd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Plzenska 130/221, 150 00, Prague 5, Czech Republic.
| | - Pavla Jendelova
- Department of Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Videnska 1083, 142 20, Prague 4, Czech Republic. .,Department of Neuroscience, 2nd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Plzenska 130/221, 150 00, Prague 5, Czech Republic.
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Spinal cord injury models: a review. Spinal Cord 2014; 52:588-95. [PMID: 24912546 DOI: 10.1038/sc.2014.91] [Citation(s) in RCA: 160] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2013] [Revised: 04/23/2014] [Accepted: 05/05/2014] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Animal spinal cord injury (SCI) models have proved invaluable in better understanding the mechanisms involved in traumatic SCI and evaluating the effectiveness of experimental therapeutic interventions. Over the past 25 years, substantial gains have been made in developing consistent, reproducible and reliable animal SCI models. STUDY DESIGN Review. OBJECTIVE The objective of this review was to consolidate current knowledge on SCI models and introduce newer paradigms that are currently being developed. RESULTS SCI models are categorized based on the mechanism of injury into contusion, compression, distraction, dislocation, transection or chemical models. Contusion devices inflict a transient, acute injury to the spinal cord using a weight-drop technique, electromagnetic impactor or air pressure. Compression devices compress the cord at specific force and duration to cause SCI. Distraction SCI devices inflict graded injury by controlled stretching of the cord. Mechanical displacement of the vertebrae is utilized to produce dislocation-type SCI. Surgical transection of the cord, partial or complete, is particularly useful in regenerative medicine. Finally, chemically induced SCI replicates select components of the secondary injury cascade. Although rodents remain the most commonly used species and are best suited for preliminary SCI studies, large animal and nonhuman primate experiments better approximate human SCI. CONCLUSION All SCI models aim to replicate SCI in humans as closely as possible. Given the recent improvements in commonly used models and development of newer paradigms, much progress is anticipated in the coming years.
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