title: Glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta inhibition reduces secondary damage in experimental spinal cord trauma.
abstract: Glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) has recently been identified as an ubiquitous serine-threonine protein kinase that participates in a multitude of cellular processes and plays an important role in the pathophysiology of a number of diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of GSK-3beta inhibition on the degree of experimental spinal cord trauma induced by the application of vascular clips (force of 24 g) to the dura via a four-level T5-T8 laminectomy. Spinal cord injury (SCI) in mice resulted in severe trauma characterized by edema, neutrophil infiltration, production of a range of inflammatory mediators, tissue damage, and apoptosis. Treatment of the mice with 4-benzyl-2-methyl-1,2,4-thiadiazolidine-3,5-dione (TDZD-8), a potent and selective GSK-3beta inhibitor, significantly reduced the degree of 1) spinal cord inflammation and tissue injury (histological score); 2) neutrophil infiltration (myeloperoxidase activity); 3) inducible nitric-oxide synthase, nitrotyrosine, and cyclooxygenase-2 expression; and 4) and apoptosis (terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling staining and Bax and Bcl-2 expression). In a separate set of experiments, TDZD-8 significantly ameliorated the recovery of limb function (evaluated by motor recovery score). Taken together, our results clearly demonstrate that treatment with TDZD-8 reduces the development of inflammation and tissue injury associated with spinal cord trauma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine and Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Messina, Torre Biologica, Policlinico Universitario Via C. Valeria, Gazzi 98100 Messina Italy. salvator@unime.it
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cuzzocrea
authors.forename: Tiziana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Genovese
authors.forename: Emanuela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mazzon
authors.forename: Concetta
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Crisafulli
authors.forename: Rosanna
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Di Paola
authors.forename: Carmelo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Muià
authors.forename: Marika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Collin
authors.forename: Emanuela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Esposito
authors.forename: Placido
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bramanti
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Thiemermann
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D038362:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D000071679:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology*; D013830:Thiadiazoles / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: C494356:4-benzyl-2-methyl-1,2,4-thiadiazolidine-3,5-dione; D013830:Thiadiazoles; D000071679:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta; C000605507:Gsk3b protein, mouse; D038362:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3