title: The neuroprotective effects of Reg-2 following spinal cord transection injury.
abstract: This study was designed to elucidate the potential neuroprotective effects of Reg-2 (regeneration gene protein 2) in a rodent model of spinal cord transection injury at the ninth thoracic level. Reg-2 at 100 and 500 μg, recombinant rat ciliary neurotrophic factor, or vehicle were delivered intrathecally using Alzet miniosmotic pumps. We found that Reg-2 treatment significantly reduced neuronal death in the spinal cord. There was also an attenuation of inflammation at the injury site and an increase in white matter sparing and retained myelination. Retrograde tracing revealed that Reg-2 protected axons of long descending pathways at 6 weeks post-SCI, and the number of FluoroGold-labeled neurons in spinal and supraspinal regions was also significantly increased. Immunofluorescent staining confirmed that the spared white matter contained neurofilament-positive axons. Moreover, behavioral improvements were revealed by Basso Beattie Bresnahan locomotor rating scores and grid-walk analysis. These results suggest that Reg-2 might promote functional recovery by increasing axonal growth, inhibiting neuronal apoptosis, and attenuating spinal cord secondary injury after SCI.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical College, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Marong
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jian-Ying
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Shu-Cai
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Ling
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Rudd
authors.forename: Zhi-Ying
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: David T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Yew
authors.forename: Shu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Han
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001369:Axons / Q000502:physiology; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016923:Cell Death / Q000502:physiology; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae; D020934:Ciliary Neurotrophic Factor / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D007278:Injections, Spinal; D037181:Lectins, C-Type / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000502:physiology*; D009433:Neural Inhibition / Q000502:physiology; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000073718:Pancreatitis-Associated Proteins; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000293:injuries
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D020934:Ciliary Neurotrophic Factor; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D000073718:Pancreatitis-Associated Proteins; C000612142:Reg2 protein, rat