title: Leukemia inhibitory factor promotes recovery of locomotor function following spinal cord injury in the mouse.
abstract: We describe an easy, minimal, rapid, and reproducible model of mouse spinal cord injury (SCI) that results in permanent paralysis involving one hind limb. We used this model to evaluate whether the paralysis can be prevented using two known neuroprotective drugs, namely leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) and minocycline (MIN). Mice in the control vehicle (VEH) and MIN groups with SCI had negligible recovery of locomotor behavior. In contrast, the LIF groups showed a statistically significant improvement in locomotor behavior. Maximal recovery was observed when LIF was administered 2, 8, and 24 h after lesion, while no significant recovery was observed when LIF treatment commenced 1 week after the lesion. Unbiased stereological estimates revealed significantly higher numbers of myelinated axons below the lesion in the maximal recovery LIF groups. We conclude that LIF may be a useful treatment for recovery from paralysis after SCI.
authors.affiliation: Motor Neuron Disease and Paralysis Research Laboratory, Howard Florey Institute, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia.
authors.forename: Da Wei
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Zang
authors.forename: Surindar S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Cheema
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000187:drug effects; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D053605:Leukemia Inhibitory Factor; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008911:Minocycline / Q000494:pharmacology; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects*; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects*; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010243:Paralysis / Q000517:prevention & control; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000187:drug effects; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6; D053605:Leukemia Inhibitory Factor; C507838:Lif protein, mouse; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D008911:Minocycline