title: Functional Recovery of Carbon Nanotube/Nafion Nanocomposite in Rat Model of Spinal Cord Injury.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Acute spinal cord injury (ASCI) can lead to paraplegia or quadriplegia, the treatment of which has been a major problem. New therapeutic approaches in developing carbon nanotubes (CNT) functionalized with the Nafion nanocomposite, a sulfonated tetrafluoroethylene copolymer, have been shown to increase the length of selected neurites in vitro.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We hypothesized that the administration of the CNT/Nafion nanocomposite after experimental SCI will promote regeneration of axons into the lesion cavity and the functional recovery of the hind limbs in a rat model.
  
  
  METHODS
  To evaluate this hypothesis through this experimental research paper, transection SCI was induced at the T9-T10 vertebral level in adult female rats. One week after transection, the epicenter of the lesion was injected with 25 lL of vehicle (saline), or 1 lg/mL, 10 lg/mL, or 100 lg/mL of CNT/Nafion nanocomposite. Behavioral analysis was carried out by assessing tail flick, chronic pain or mechanical allodynia, motor coordination, and the results of the rotarod test performed pre- and post-surgery, on days 3, 7, 14, 21 and 28, using the tail flick analysis, Noldus CatWalk gait analysis, open-field locomotor test, and Rotarod test. At 28 days post-injection, the rats were euthanized and spinal cord tissue was extracted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that post-SCI, administration of the CNT/Nafion nanocomposite resulted in decreased lesion volume, increased neurofilament-positive fibers and corticospinal tract fibers in the lesion, and no increase in reactive gliosis (P < 0.001). Additionally, post-SCI administration of CNT/Nafion nanocomposite induced a modest improvement in hind limb locomotor recovery without inducing hyperalgesia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data suggest that the CNT/Nafion nanocomposite may be an effective material to promote axonal repair and regeneration after SCI.
authors: a Chemical Injuries Research Center, Baqiyatallah Medical Sciences University (BMSU) , Tehran , Iran.
authors: Saber
authors: S
authors: Imani
authors: b Department of Biology , Shahid Beheshti Medical University , Tehran , Iran.
authors: Zahra
authors: Z
authors: Zagari
authors: c Department of Biology , Payame Noor University , Yazd , Iran.
authors: Saeid
authors: S
authors: Rezaei Zarchi
authors: d Department of Pharmacology & Neuroscience Research Center , Shahid Beheshti Medical University , Tehran , Iran.
authors: Masomeh
authors: M
authors: Jorjani
authors: e Department of Biology , Faculty of Science, Payame NOOR University , Tehran , Iran.
authors: Sima
authors: S
authors: Nasri
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D005465:Fluorocarbon Polymers / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005684:Gait / Q000187:drug effects; D006930:Hyperalgesia / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D053761:Nanocomposites / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D016501:Neurites / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000187:drug effects*; D045442:Rotarod Performance Test; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D058630:Spinal Cord Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D005465:Fluorocarbon Polymers; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; C040402:perfluorosulfonic acid
keywords: Nafion; Spinal cord injury; carbon nanotubes; functional recovery