title: Gonadotropin-releasing hormone treatment improves locomotor activity, urinary function and neurofilament protein expression after spinal cord injury in ovariectomized rats.
abstract: It was reported that the hypothalamic decapeptide, gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) produces neurotrophic effects and that the spinal cord possesses GnRH receptors. The aim of the present study was to determine whether administration of GnRH improves locomotor activity, urinary function and neurofilament (NFs) protein expression after spinal cord injury (SCI) in ovariectomized rats. SCI was induced by balloon inflation model resulting in paraplegia. Locomotion was evaluated according to the Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan Scale. Rats were subjected to bladder compression, twice daily until bladder reflex was established. NFs of 68, 160 and 200 kDa from spinal cords were analyzed by electrophoresis. GnRH (60 μg/kg) or physiologic NaCl solution was administered at 1 day after SCI and then daily for 15 days and the functional evaluation was realized for 5 weeks. Our results indicate that locomotor activity, restoration of urinary dysfunction and NFs expression of 160 and 200 kDa were improved in SCI animals given GnRH compared to those without treatment. These findings suggest that GnRH acts as a neurotrophic factor and may be used as a potential therapeutic agent for treatment of SCI.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Centro de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes, Av. Universidad 940 C.P. 20131 Aguascalientes, Mexico.
authors.forename: Denisse
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Calderón-Vallejo
authors.forename: J Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Quintanar
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects*; D016900:Neurofilament Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D010052:Ovariectomy; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000187:drug effects*; D012018:Reflex / Q000187:drug effects; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D014554:Urination / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D016900:Neurofilament Proteins; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone