The acute administration of eicosapentaenoic acid is neuroprotective after spinal cord compression injury in rats.
The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of treatment with eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) after spinal cord compression injury in adult rats. Saline or EPA (250 nmol/kg) was administered intravenously 30 min after compression injury. Locomotor recovery was assessed daily using the BBB open-field locomotor score. One week after injury, animals were sacrificed and the spinal cord tissue containing the compression epicenter, and the adjacent rostral and caudal segments, was immunostained using specific markers for neurons, oligodendrocytes, axonal injury, and macrophages/microglia. Administration of EPA resulted in decreased axonal injury and increased neuronal and oligodendrocyte survival, in the lesion epicenter and adjacent tissue. The behavioural assessment mirrored the neuroprotective effects and showed a significantly improved functional recovery in animals treated with EPA compared to the saline-treated controls over the 7-day period. These observations suggest that EPA has neuroprotective properties when administered after spinal cord trauma.
Lim
Siew-Na
SN
Centre for Neuroscience and Trauma, Blizard Institute of Cell and Molecular Science, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, 4 Newark Street, London, UK.
Huang
Wenlong
W
Hall
Jodie C E
JC
Ward
Rachael E
RE
Priestley
John V
JV
Michael-Titus
Adina T
AT
D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000473:pathology; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D009043:Motor Activity; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009836:Oligodendroglia / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020127:Recovery of Function; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy*
D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid