Dorsal root ganglion axons facilitate and guide cortical neural outgrowth: In vitro modeling of spinal cord injury axonal regeneration

A comprehensive look at the psychoneuroimmunoendocrinology of spinal cord injury and its progression: mechanisms and clinical opportunities

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a devastating and disabling medical condition generally caused by a traumatic event (primary injury). This initial trauma is accompanied by a set of biological mechanisms directed to ameliorate neural damage but also exacerbate initial damage (secondary injury). The alterations that occur in the spinal cord have not only local but also systemic consequences and virtually all organs and tissues of the body incur important changes after SCI, explaining the progression and detrimental consequences related to this condition. Psychoneuroimmunoendocrinology (PNIE) is a growing area of research aiming to integrate and explore the interactions among the different systems that compose the human organism, considering the mind and the body as a whole. The initial traumatic event and the consequent neurological disruption trigger immune, endocrine, and multisystem dysfunction, which in turn affect the patient's psyche and well-being. In the present review, we will explore the most important local and systemic consequences of SCI from a PNIE perspective, defining the changes occurring in each system and how all these mechanisms are interconnected. Finally, potential clinical approaches derived from this knowledge will also be collectively presented with the aim to develop integrative therapies to maximize the clinical management of these patients.

Resveratrol promotes axonal regeneration after spinal cord injury through activating Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway

Background: Spinal cord injury (SCI) is characterized by autonomic dysreflexia, chronic pain, sensory and motor deficits. Resveratrol has shown potential neuroprotective function in several neurodegenerative diseases’ models. However, if resveratrol could improve the function recovery after SCI and the further mechanism have not been investigated.

Methods: SCI rat model was established through laminectomy at lamina T9-10 aseptically. Basso, beattie and bresnahan (BBB) and inclined plane score, sensory recovery, spinal cord content, and inflammatory factors were measured. The levels of GAP43, NF421, GFAP, Bax, Bcl-2 and caspase-3 were measured using immunohistochemical staining. Tunel staining was applied to detect apoptosis level.

Results: Resveratrol significantly improved the function recovery, promoted axonal regeneration, suppressed apoptosis after SCI. The activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway was achieved by resveratrol. XAV939 significantly reversed the influence of resveratrol on function recovery, axonal regeneration, apoptosis after SCI.

Conclusions: Resveratrol could promote the function recovery and axonal regeneration, improve histological damage, inhibit apoptosis level after SCI through regulating Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. This research expanded the regulatory mechanism of resveratrol in SCI injury.