title: Effect of VEGF and CX43 on the promotion of neurological recovery by hyperbaric oxygen treatment in spinal cord-injured rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a serious health issue that may result in high health care costs, with additional social and psychological burdens. Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) treatment has been found to be beneficial for neurological recovery; however, the underlying mechanisms are yet to be characterized.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanisms of HBO treatment in SCI by measuring the expression levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and Connexin43 (CX43) in the injured spinal cord tissue.
  
  
  METHODS
  An experiment animal study of rats undergoing SCI and HBO treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  The spinal cord injury model was established in rats, which were randomly divided into the following four groups: (1) the sham-operated group (SH), (2) the sham-operated and hyperbaric oxygen treatment group (SH+HBO), (3) the spinal cord injury group (SCI), and (4) the spinal cord injury and hyperbaric oxygen treatment group (SCI+HBO). For groups of SH+HBO and SCI+HBO, the animals received 1 hour of HBO at 2.0 ATA in 100% O2 twice per day for 3 days and then daily for the following days consecutively after surgery. After operation, neurological assessments were performed, the spinal cord tissue samples were harvested for histopathological evaluation, Western blot and real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The Basso-Bettie-Bresnahan scores were significantly improved in the SCI+HBO group compared with the SCI group on the postoperative 7th and 14th days. The histology scores were significantly decreased by HBO treatment compared with that in the SCI group on the postoperative 3rd, 7th, and 14th days. Western blot analysis and real-time polymerase chain reaction revealed that the expression level of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the SCI+HBO group was significantly increased compared with the SCI group. The protein expression level of CX43 and its mRNA level in the SCI+HBO group were significantly decreased on the postoperative 3rd and 7th days, whereas its expression was significantly increased by HBO treatment on the postoperative 14th day compared with the SCI group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HBO treatment improved neurological recovery when applied after SCI. The expression level changes of VEGF and CX43 may contribute to the further understanding on the molecular mechanisms of HBO treatment on SCI.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hyperbaric Oxygen, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, 8 Gong Ti South Road, Chaoyang District Beijing 100020, China.
authors.forename: Xuehua
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Shenzhou Hospital, Shenyang Medical College, 20 North nine Road, Heping District Shenyang 110002, China.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, 8 Gong Ti South Road, Chaoyang District Beijing 100020, China.
authors.forename: Zhiwei
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Hyperbaric Oxygen, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, 8 Gong Ti South Road, Chaoyang District Beijing 100020, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Hyperbaric Oxygen, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, 8 Gong Ti South Road, Chaoyang District Beijing 100020, China.
authors.forename: Chunjin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, 8 Gong Ti South Road, Chaoyang District Beijing 100020, China. Electronic address: gksqj2012@yahoo.cn.
authors.forename: Qingjun
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Su
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018031:Connexin 43 / Q000378:metabolism*; D006931:Hyperbaric Oxygenation; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000378:metabolism; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D018031:Connexin 43; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
keywords: Connexin43; Hyperbaric oxygen treatment; Spinal cord injury; Vascular endothelial growth factor