title: Substance P reduces apoptotic cell death possibly by modulating the immune response at the early stage after spinal cord injury.
abstract: Previously, we have reported that substance P (SP) enhanced functional recovery from spinal cord injury (SCI) possibly by the anti-inflammatory modulation associated with the induction of M2-type macrophages at the injured lesion. In this study, we explored the cytokine expression profiles and apoptotic cell death in the lesion site of the SCI after an immediate intravenous injection of SP. SP injection increased the levels of interleukin-4 (IL-4), IL-6, and IL-10 at day 1 after the SCI approximately by 2-, 9-, and 10-folds when compared with the control SCI, respectively. On the basis of double immunofluorescence staining with IL-10 and CD11b, activated macrophages or microglia expressing IL-10 appeared in the margin of the lesion site at day 1 only after the SP injection. This SP-mediated alteration in the lesion microenvironment was shown to be associated with the lower cell death of neuronal cells at day 1 and oligodendrocytes at day 5 by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay, which was also accompanied by a decrease in caspase-3 activation. These findings suggest that SP may reduce the inflammation-induced secondary cell death, possibly through immune modulation at an early stage after the SCI.
authors.affiliation: aDepartment of Genetic Engineering, College of Life Science and Graduate School of Biotechnology, Kyung Hee University, Yong In, Korea bCenter for Stem Cell Biology and Tissue Engineering, Key Laboratory for Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering, Ministry of Education cDepartment of Anatomy, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong dDepartment of Pathobiology, The Key Laboratory of Educational Ministry, Jilin University, Changchun, China.
authors.forename: Mei Hua
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Ji Eun
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Guang Fan
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Chi
authors.forename: Woosung
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Mingzi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Eunkyung
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Youngsook
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Son
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D007249:Inflammation / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000276:immunology*; D013373:Substance P / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D016207:Cytokines; D013373:Substance P