title: Changes in the expression of platelet-derived growth factor in astrocytes in diabetic rats with spinal cord injury.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Prospective mortality studies in the United States revealed that the mortality was elevated in diabetics compared to normal individuals following chronic spinal cord injury (SCI). Our study was conducted to investigate the levels of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) of astrocytes in SCI in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: SCI group, diabetic SCI group, and sham operation control group. We employed STZ-induced diabetic SD rats and a weight-drop contusion SCI model. The rats were sacrificed on day 7 after the induction of SCI. Immunohistochemistry and Western blotting analysis were used to detect the PDGF expression level. Basso, Beattie and Bresnahan locomotor rating scale (BBB) was also used to evaluate the neurological recovery level of the rats.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PDGF positive astrocyte numbers were significantly higher and PDGF staining was more intensive in astrocytes in the SCI group than in the diabetic SCI group (P < 0.05). The diabetic SCI group showed a slower recovery of motor function with a lower BBB score 7 days after acute spinal injury.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PDGF is an important factor for the recovery of neurological function after acute spinal injury and hyperglycemia in diabetic rats could depress the expression of PDGF in injured spinal cord. This may help to explain the slower recovery and higher mortality in diabetics after SCI.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310009, China.
authors.forename: Qiong-hua
authors.initials: QH
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Wei-shan
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Qi-xin
authors.initials: QX
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jian-hong
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xiao-ming
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000378:metabolism*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor