title: Neuroprotective effect of rapamycin on spinal cord injury via activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.
abstract: The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway plays a crucial role in neural development, axonal guidance, neuropathic pain remission and neuronal survival. In this study, we initially examined the effect of rapamycin on the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway after spinal cord injury, by intraperitoneally injecting spinal cord injured rats with rapamycin over 2 days. Western blot analysis and immunofluorescence staining were used to detect the expression levels of β-catenin protein, caspase-3 protein and brain-derived neurotrophic factor protein, components of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Rapamycin increased the levels of β-catenin and brain-derived neurotrophic factor in the injured spinal cord, improved the pathological morphology at the injury site, reduced the loss of motor neurons, and promoted motor functional recovery in rats after spinal cord injury. Our experimental findings suggest that the neuroprotective effect of rapamycin intervention is mediated through activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway after spinal cord injury.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, First Affiliated Hospital of Liaoning Medical University, Jinzhou, Liaoning Province, China.
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, First Affiliated Hospital of Liaoning Medical University, Jinzhou, Liaoning Province, China.
authors.forename: Yan-Song
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, First Affiliated Hospital of Liaoning Medical University, Jinzhou, Liaoning Province, China.
authors.forename: Ya-Jiang
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, First Affiliated Hospital of Liaoning Medical University, Jinzhou, Liaoning Province, China.
authors.forename: Zhang-Hui
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Wan
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, First Affiliated Hospital of Liaoning Medical University, Jinzhou, Liaoning Province, China.
authors.forename: Tian-Chen
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, First Affiliated Hospital of Liaoning Medical University, Jinzhou, Liaoning Province, China.
authors.forename: Hai-Hong
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Pei-Fu
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, First Affiliated Hospital of Liaoning Medical University, Jinzhou, Liaoning Province, China.
authors.forename: Xi-Fan
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Mei
keywords: NSFC grants; Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway; apoptosis; brain-derived neurotrophic factor; caspase-3; loss of neurons; nerve regeneration; neural regeneration; neuroprotection; rapamycin; spinal cord injury