title: Curcumin promotes the spinal cord repair via inhibition of glial scar formation and inflammation.
abstract: Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a serious clinical situation without any effective therapy to date. Traumatic SCI triggers a complex pathological process including inflammatory response and glial scar formation. In this study, we demonstrated that curcumin, a natural product which functions as an anti-inflammatory agent, inhibited the activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 and NF-kappa B in the injured spinal cord. Curcumin treatment greatly reduced the astrogliosis in SCI mice and significantly decreased the expression of IL-1β and NO, as well as the number of Iba1(+) inflammatory cells at the lesion site. Notably, more residual axons and neurons were protected and significantly improved functional recovery was observed in the curcumin-treated mice, compared to the mice without curcumin treatment. These findings indicate that curcumin promotes spinal cord repair through inhibiting glial scar formation and inflammation and suggests the therapeutic potential of curcumin for SCI.
authors: Department of Orthopedics, First Clinical Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, PR China.
authors: Yu-Fu
authors: YF
authors: Wang
authors: Department of Orthopedics, First Clinical Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, PR China.
authors: Jia-Ning
authors: JN
authors: Zu
authors: Faculty of Biomedicine, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, PR China.
authors: Jing
authors: J
authors: Li
authors: Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
authors: Chao
authors: C
authors: Chen
authors: Department of Orthopedics, First Clinical Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, PR China.
authors: Chun-Yang
authors: CY
authors: Xi
authors: Department of Orthopedics, First Clinical Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, PR China. Electronic address: yanjlg4@aliyun.com.
authors: Jing-Long
authors: JL
authors: Yan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D003474:Curcumin / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005911:Gliosis; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000378:metabolism; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D016328:NF-kappa B; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor; C494087:Stat3 protein, mouse; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D003474:Curcumin
keywords: Astrogliosis; Curcumin; Inflammation; NF-kappa B; Signal transducer and activator of transcription -3; Spinal cord injury