title: Valproic acid preserves motoneurons following contusion in organotypic spinal cord slice culture.
abstract: Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a devastating condition causing neuronal loss. A key challenge in treatment of SCI is how to retain neurons after injury. Valproic acid (VPA) is a drug recently has been appreciated for its neuroprotective and neurotrophic properties in various SCI models. In this study the role of VPA was assessed in organotypic spinal cord slice culture following the contusion.
  
  
  
  The lumbar enlargement of adult rat was cut transversely and slices were cultured. Seven days after culturing, injury was induced by dropping a 0.5 gram weight from 3 cm height on the slice surface. One hour after injury, the VPA was administered at 1, 5 and 10 µM concentrations. Afterward, at day 1 and 3 post injury (DPI: 1 and 3) propidium iodide (PI) and immunohistochemistry staining were performed to evaluate the cell death, NeuN and β-Tubulin expression, respectively.
  
  
  
  The PI staining of slices at DPI: 1 and 3 following treatment with VPA revealed significant decreases in the cell death in all three concentrations comparing to the non-treated group. Also immunostaining showed VPA only at 5 µM concentration considerably rescued ventral horn' MNs from death and protected the neuronal integrity.
  
  
  
  The results of this study indicate applying VPA one hour after injury can prevent the death of a majority of cells, importantly MNs and preserve the neuronal integrity. Since the first 24 hours after SCI is a critical period for employing any treatment, VPA can be considered as an option for further evaluation.
authors: a Department of Animal Biology , Faculty of Biological Sciences, Kharazmi University , Tehran , Iran.|b Neuroscience Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran.
authors: Sareh
authors: S
authors: Pandamooz
authors: b Neuroscience Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran.
authors: Mohammad Saied
authors: MS
authors: Salehi
authors: a Department of Animal Biology , Faculty of Biological Sciences, Kharazmi University , Tehran , Iran.
authors: Mohammad
authors: M
authors: Nabiuni
authors: c NeuroBiology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran.
authors: Leila
authors: L
authors: Dargahi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D034961:Antigens, Nuclear / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016923:Cell Death; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D014404:Tubulin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014635:Valproic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D034961:Antigens, Nuclear; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; C546339:Rbfox3 protein, rat; D014404:Tubulin; D014635:Valproic Acid
keywords: Contusion; Spinal cord; Traumatic injury; Valproic acid