title: N-benzyloxycarbonyl-Val-Ala-Asp-fluoromethylketone reduces severity of experimental spinal cord injury.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of N-benzyloxycarbonyl-Val-Ala-Asp-fluoromethylketones (z-VAD-fmk) 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 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 z-VAD-fmk, a potent broad specific caspase inhibitor, significantly reduced the degree of (1) spinal cord inflammation and tissue injury (histological score), (2) neutrophil infiltration (myeloperoxidase activity), (3) nitrotyrosine formation, and (4) apoptosis (TUNEL staining and Bax and Bcl-2 expression). In a separate set of experiments, z-VAD-fmk significantly ameliorated the recovery of limb function (evaluated by motor recovery score). Taken together, our results clearly demonstrate that treatment with z-VAD-fmk 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, Italy.
authors.forename: Tiziana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Genovese
authors.forename: Emanuela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mazzon
authors.forename: Emanuela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Esposito
authors.forename: Carmelo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Muià
authors.forename: Rosanna
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Di Paola
authors.forename: Concetta
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Crisafulli
authors.forename: Placido
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bramanti
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cuzzocrea
mesh_terms: D000590:Amino Acid Chloromethyl Ketones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D015153:Blotting, Western; D006801:Humans; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D007249:Inflammation; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000378:metabolism; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy*; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000590:Amino Acid Chloromethyl Ketones; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; C096713:benzyloxycarbonylvalyl-alanyl-aspartyl fluoromethyl ketone; D009195:Peroxidase