title: Blockade of P2 nucleotide receptors after spinal cord injury reduced the gliotic response and spared tissue.
abstract: Spinal cord injury (SCI) triggers a sequel of events commonly associated with cell death and dysfunction of glias and neurons surrounding the lesion. Although astrogliosis and glial scar formation have been involved in both damage and repair processes after SCI, their role remains controversial. Our goal was to investigate the effects of the P2 receptors antagonists, PPADS and suramin, in the establishment of the reactive gliosis and the formation of the glial scar. Molecular biology, immunohistochemistry, spared tissue, and locomotor behavioral studies were used to evaluate astrogliosis, in adult female Sprague-Dawley rats treated with P2 antagonists after moderate injury with the NYU impactor device. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR confirmed the presence of P2Y(1,) P2Y(2,) P2Y(4,) P2Y(6,) P2Y(12), and P2X(2) receptors in the adult spinal cord. Immunohistochemistry studies confirmed a significant decrease in GFAP-labeled cells at the injury epicenter as well as a decrease in spared tissue after treatment with the antagonists. Functional open field testing revealed no significant locomotor score differences between treated and control animals. Our work is consistent with studies suggesting that astrogliosis is an important event after SCI that limits tissue damage and lesion spreading.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, Medical Science Campus, PO Box 365067, San Juan, PR, 00936-5067, Puerto Rico.
authors.forename: Ana E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Zayas
authors.forename: Aranza I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Torrado
authors.forename: Odrick R
authors.initials: OR
authors.lastname: Rosas
authors.forename: José M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Santiago
authors.forename: Johnny D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Figueroa
authors.forename: Jorge D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Miranda
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D005911:Gliosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D058919:Purinergic P2 Receptor Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011732:Pyridoxal Phosphate / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D018048:Receptors, Purinergic P2 / Q000235:genetics; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000473:pathology*; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D013498:Suramin / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D058919:Purinergic P2 Receptor Antagonists; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018048:Receptors, Purinergic P2; C077792:pyridoxal phosphate-6-azophenyl-2',4'-disulfonic acid; D011732:Pyridoxal Phosphate; D013498:Suramin