Brain protection by methylprednisolone in rats with spinal cord injury.
Traumatic spinal cord injury is clinically treated by high doses of methylprednisolone. However, the effect of methylprednisolone on the brain in spinal cord injury patients has been little investigated. This experimental study examined Bcl-2 and Bax protein expression and Nissl staining to evaluate an apoptosis-related intracellular signaling event and final neuron death, respectively. Spinal cord injury produced a significant apoptotic change and cell death not only in the spinal cord but also in the supraventricular cortex and hippocampal cornu ammonis 1 region in the rat brains. The treatment of methylprednisolone increased the Bcl-2/Bax ratio and prevented neuron death for 1-7 days after spinal cord injury. These findings suggest that rats with spinal cord injury show ascending brain injury that could be restricted through methylprednisolone management.
Chang
Chia-Mao
CM
Department of Neurosurgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan.
Lee
Ming-Hsueh
MH
Wang
Ting-Chung
TC
Weng
Hsu-Huei
HH
Chung
Chiu-Yen
CY
Yang
Jen-Tsung
JT
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D019610:Cytoprotection / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D008775:Methylprednisolone