Transplantation of porous tubes following spinal cord transection improves hindlimb function in the rat.
METHODS
Experimental.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the effects of a porous tube transplant in spinal cord transected rats.


METHODS
Acadia University, Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada.


METHODS
Female rats were randomly assigned to three experimental groups: control (Con, n=8), spinal cord transected (Tx, n=5) and spinal cord transected with transplant (TxTp, n=7). The rats in the TxTp and Tx groups received a complete spinal cord transection at the T10 level and the TxTp group immediately received a porous tube transplant.


RESULTS
Locomotor activity rated on the Basso, Beattie, Bresnahan scale improved significantly in the TxTp animals over the 4 weeks such that final scores were 21, 1.4 and 7.1 for the Con, Tx and TxTp groups, respectively. As expected, the muscle to body mass ratios of the hindlimb skeletal muscles of the Tx group were decreased (soleus 35%, plantaris 29% and gastrocnemius 29%) and this was also observed in the TxTp group (soleus 33%, plantaris 23% and gastrocnemius 30%). Cytochrome c oxidase (CYTOX) activity in the plantaris was decreased by Tx but maintained in the TxTp group (Con=82.2, Tx=44.8 and TxTp=72.8 U/min/g).


CONCLUSIONS
Four weeks after the spinal cord transection, plantaris CYTOX activity and locomotor function improved with porous tube implantation.


BACKGROUND
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council.
Reynolds
L F
LF
School of Recreation Management and Kinesiology, Acadia University, Canada.
Bren
M C
MC
Wilson
B C
BC
Gibson
G D
GD
Shoichet
M S
MS
Murphy
R J L
RJ
D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D020233:Gait Disorders, Neurologic / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D006614:Hindlimb / Q000294:innervation / Q000503:physiopathology; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008124:Locomotion / Q000502:physiology; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000294:innervation / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D009133:Muscular Atrophy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000601:surgery; D009416:Nerve Regeneration; D010264:Paraplegia / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D015415:Biomarkers; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV