title: Attenuation of spinal cord ischemia-reperfusion injury by specific α-2a receptor activation with dexmedetomidine.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite surgical adjuncts, paralysis remains a devastating complication after thoracoabdominal aortic interventions. Dexmedetomidine, a selective α-2a agonist commonly used for sedation in the critical care setting, has been shown to have protective effects against ischemia-reperfusion injuries in multiple organ systems. We hypothesized that treatment with dexmedetomidine would attenuate spinal cord ischemia-reperfusion injury via α-2a receptor activation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adult C57BL/6 mice underwent sternotomy, followed by occlusion of the aortic arch for 4 minutes. Eight experimental mice received pretreatment with intraperitoneal dexmedetomidine (25 μg/kg) and at 12-hour intervals after reperfusion. Eight control mice received an equivalent amount of 0.9% normal saline. Five mice underwent the same procedure with dexmedetomidine (25 μg/kg) and atipamezole (250 μg/kg), an α-2a receptor antagonist. Functional analysis of the mice was obtained at 12-hour intervals and scored using the Basso Mouse Scale for Locomotion until 60 hours. All mice were euthanized at 60 hours. Their spinal cords were removed en bloc and were stained with hematoxylin and eosin to assess cytoarchitecture and neuronal viability.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mice treated with the α-2a agonist demonstrated preserved motor function compared with ischemic controls and with mice treated with the α-2a antagonist in addition to the agonist. Functional differences in the dexmedetomidine group were statistically significant from 24 hours through the remainder of the experiment (P < .05). In addition, the treated mice had preserved cytoarchitecture, decreased vacuolization, and improved neuronal viability compared with ischemic control mice and mice concurrently treated with atipamezole, the dexmedetomidine α-2a antagonist.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Treatment of mice with the α-2a agonist dexmedetomidine preserves motor function and neuronal viability after aortic cross-clamping. In addition, mice exhibited almost complete reversal of the protective effect with the administration of the α-2a receptor antagonist atipamezole. Dexmedetomidine appears to attenuate spinal cord ischemia-reperfusion injury via α-2a receptor-mediated agonism.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There remains a significant risk of paraplegia after thoracoabdominal aortic interventions. This complication is devastating to the patient and the health care system. Pharmacologic adjuncts to further decrease this complication have been studied; however, few viable options exist. The α-2a agonists have been shown to improve outcomes after strokes but have not been studied in spinal cord ischemia. We show that dexmedetomidine, a commonly used α-2a agonist in the operating room, can preserve neurologic function in mice after aortic cross-clamping. Although the protective mechanism of dexmedetomidine remains unknown, it might prove to be beneficial in reducing the incidence of paraplegia after aortic interventions.
authors: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University of Colorado, Aurora, Colo, USA. marshall.bell@ucdenver.edu
authors: Marshall T
authors: MT
authors: Bell
authors: Ferenc
authors: F
authors: Puskas
authors: Phillip D
authors: PD
authors: Smith
authors: Viktor A
authors: VA
authors: Agoston
authors: David A
authors: DA
authors: Fullerton
authors: Xianzhong
authors: X
authors: Meng
authors: Michael J
authors: MJ
authors: Weyant
authors: T Brett
authors: TB
authors: Reece
mesh_terms: D058647:Adrenergic alpha-2 Receptor Agonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D020927:Dexmedetomidine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000188:drug therapy*; D020760:Spinal Cord Ischemia / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D058647:Adrenergic alpha-2 Receptor Agonists; D020927:Dexmedetomidine