title: In Vivo Neuroprotective Effect of Histidine-Tryptophan-Ketoglutarate Solution in an Ischemia/Reperfusion Spinal Cord Injury Animal Model.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Paraplegia is a devastating complication following operations on the thoracoabdominal aorta. We investigated whether histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate (HTK) solution could reduce the extent of ischemia/reperfusion (IR) spinal cord injuries in a rat model using a direct delivery method.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-four Sprague-Dawley male rats were randomly divided into four groups. The sham group (n=6) underwent a sham operation, the IR group (n=6) underwent only an aortic occlusion, the saline infusion group (saline group, n=6) underwent an aortic occlusion and direct infusion of cold saline into the occluded aortic segment, and the HTK infusion group (HTK group, n=6) underwent an aortic occlusion and direct infusion of cold HTK solution into the occluded aortic segment. An IR spinal cord injury was induced by transabdominal clamping of the aorta distally to the left renal artery and proximally to the aortic bifurcation for 60 minutes. A neurological evaluation of locomotor function was performed using the modified Tarlov score after 48 hours of reperfusion. The spinal cord was harvested for histopathological and immunohistochemical examinations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The spinal cord IR model using direct drug delivery in rats was highly reproducible. The Tarlov score was 4.0 in the sham group, 1.17±0.75 in the IR group, 1.33±1.03 in the saline group, and 2.67±0.81 in the HTK group (p=0.04). The histopathological analysis of the HTK group showed reduced neuronal cell death.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Direct infusion of cold HTK solution into the occluded aortic segment may reduce the extent of spinal cord injuries in an IR model in rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Chungnam National University Hospital, Chungnam National University School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Shin Kwang
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Chungnam National University Hospital, Chungnam National University School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Min-Woong
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Chungnam National University Hospital, Chungnam National University School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Youn Ju
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Rhee
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Chungnam National University School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Cuk-Seong
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Chungnam National University School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Byeong Hwa
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Jeon
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Chungnam National University Hospital, Chungnam National University School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Sung Joon
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Chungnam National University Hospital, Chungnam National University School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Hyun Jin
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Chungnam National University Hospital, Chungnam National University School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Myung Hoon
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Na
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Chungnam National University Hospital, Chungnam National University School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Jae-Hyeon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Yu
keywords: Reperfusion injury; Spinal cord