Beneficial effects of the melanocortin alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone on clinical and neurophysiological recovery after experimental spinal cord injury.
OBJECTIVE
Melanocortins, peptides related to melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH) and corticotropin (ACTH), exhibit neurotrophic and neuroprotective activity in several established models of peripheral and central nervous system damage. The beneficial effects of melanocortins on functional recovery after experimental brain damage and central demyelinating diseases have prompted us to investigate alpha MSH treatment in a weight drop model of traumatic spinal cord injury in rats.


METHODS
In two independent randomized blinded experiments, treatment with either alpha MSH (75 micrograms/kg of body weight administered subcutaneously every 48 h for 3 weeks after trauma) or single high-dose (30 mg/kg, 30 min after injury) methylprednisolone was compared with saline treatment in rats subjected to a moderately severe 20-gcm weight drop injury. Spinal cord function was monitored using behavioral, electrophysiological, and histological parameters.


RESULTS
In both experiments, alpha MSH significantly improved recovery, as illustrated by Tarlov scores, thoracolumbar height, and amplitude of rubrospinal motor evoked potentials. The magnitude of the alpha MSH effect on motor performance was comparable with the one observed after treatment with methylprednisolone.


CONCLUSIONS
The reproducible neurological and electrophysiological improvement in spinal cord function of animals treated with alpha MSH suggests a new lead in the treatment of traumatic spinal cord injury.
van de Meent
H
H
Department of Medical Pharmacology, Rudolf Magnus Institute for Neurosciences, Utrecht University, The Netherlands.
Hamers
F P
FP
Lankhorst
A J
AJ
Joosten
E A
EA
Gispen
W H
WH
D000818:Animals; D019054:Evoked Potentials, Motor / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000494:pharmacology; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009460:Neurologic Examination / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000521:alpha-MSH / Q000494:pharmacology*
D000521:alpha-MSH; D008775:Methylprednisolone