Premarin improves outcomes of spinal cord injury in male rats through stimulating both angiogenesis and neurogenesis.
OBJECTIVE
To ascertain whether Premarin improves spinal cord injury outcomes in male rats by stimulating both angiogenesis and neurogenesis.


METHODS
Chi Mei Medical Center research laboratory.


METHODS
Male Sprague-Dawley rats 240-258 g.


METHODS
Anesthetized rats, after the onset of spinal cord injury, were divided into two groups and given the vehicle solution (1 mL/kg of body weight) or Premarin (1 mg/kg of body weight). Saline or Premarin solutions were administered intravenously and immediately after spinal cord injury.


RESULTS
Premarin (an estrogen sulfate) causes attenuation of spinal cord injury-induced spinal cord infarction and hind limb locomotor dysfunction. Spinal cord injury-induced apoptosis as well as activated inflammation was also significantly Premarin-reduced. In injured spinal cord, angiogenesis, neurogenesis, and production of an antiinflammatory cytokine were all Premarin therapy-promoted.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results indicate that Premarin therapy may protect against spinal cord apoptosis after spinal cord injury through mechanisms stimulating both angiogenesis and neurogenesis in male rats.
Chen
Sheng-Hsien
SH
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan. 891201@mail.chimei.org.tw
Yeh
Chao-Hung
CH
Lin
Mike Yang-Sheng
MY
Kang
Chieh-Yi
CY
Chu
Chin-Chen
CC
Chang
Fong-Ming
FM
Wang
Jhi-Joung
JJ
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D004253:DNA Nucleotidylexotransferase / Q000187:drug effects; D004967:Estrogens / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004966:Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000187:drug effects*; D055495:Neurogenesis / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood
D004967:Estrogens; D004966:Estrogens, Conjugated (USP); D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016753:Interleukin-10; D004253:DNA Nucleotidylexotransferase