title: Expression of heat shock protein (HSP)-25 and HSP-32 in the rat spinal cord reconstructed with Neurogel.
abstract: We recently showed a successful reconstruction of the cat spinal cord using NeuroGel a polymer hydrogel bridge between the two spinal stumps. The polymer graft supports axonal elongation, myelination and angiogenesis up to 21 months, Wallerian degeneration was diminished and gliotic scarring was prevented. In the present study, we report the expression patterns of two stress proteins, (HSPs) HSP-25 and HSP-32 after spinal cord hemisection with and without reparative surgery with NeuroGel. Double immunofluorescence using cell specific markers for neurons, astrocytes and oligodendrocytes (OL), in combination with antibodies for HSP-25 and 32 showed that mainly neurons express both proteins. Both HSPs displayed different temporal expression patterns in the reconstructed spinal cords with a concomitant reduction of secondary damage. In conclusion, Neurogel reconstruction of the spine during the acute phase considerably reduces secondary damage resulting in a rapid and stable regenerative response.
authors.affiliation: Organogel Canada Ltee, 1400 Parc Technologique Blvd, GIP 4R7, Quebec, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Stéphane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Woerly
authors.forename: Oluwole
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Awosika
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Chioma
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Agbo
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gomez-Pinilla
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: de Vellis
authors.forename: Araceli
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Espinosa-Jeffrey
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D055551:HSP27 Heat-Shock Proteins; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006419:Heme Oxygenase (Decyclizing) / Q000378:metabolism*; D020100:Hydrogels; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D016900:Neurofilament Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D055551:HSP27 Heat-Shock Proteins; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins; C486114:Hspb1 protein, rat; D020100:Hydrogels; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D016900:Neurofilament Proteins; D006419:Heme Oxygenase (Decyclizing); C491523:Hmox1 protein, rat