title: Comparative neuroprotective effects of methylprednisolone and rosiglitazone, a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ following spinal cord injury.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the neuroprotective effects of methylprednisolone (MPSS) and rosiglitazone (ROSG) following spinal cord injury (SCI).
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was carried out at the Institute of Orthopedics, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China between June 2009 and March 2010. One hundred and twenty Sprague-Dawley rats after SCI were divided into 4 different groups (30/group): i) SCI-vehicle group, ii) MPSS group, iii) ROSG group, and iv) sham saline group. The following 5 aspects were evaluated: 1) spinal cord inflammation and tissue injury; 2) neutrophil infiltration; 3) cell apoptosis; 4) the expression of proinflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-β; and 5) the expression of tissue Bax, Bcl-2, and HSP70 proteins in situ.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Notably, ROSG showed similar neuroprotective effects to MPSS, and significantly decreased spinal cord damage, apoptosis, and cytokine expression. There were no significant differences between the MPSS or ROSG-treated groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Administration of ROSG after SCI reduces the development of inflammation and tissue injury associated with spinal cord trauma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, No. 188 Shizi Street, Suzhou 215006, China.
authors.forename: Qin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Chen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Tiansi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Qin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Huilin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D050884:HSP72 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling / Q000379:methods; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D047495:PPAR gamma / Q000378:metabolism*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D000077154:Rosiglitazone; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D045162:Thiazolidinediones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013997:Time Factors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D050884:HSP72 Heat-Shock Proteins; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D047495:PPAR gamma; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D045162:Thiazolidinediones; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D000077154:Rosiglitazone; D008775:Methylprednisolone