The Expression implication of GDNF in ventral horn and associated remote cortex in rhesus monkeys with hemisected spinal cord injury.
OBJECTIVE
Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) can effectively promote axonal regeneration, limit axonal retraction, and produce a statistically significant improvement in motor recovery after spinal cord injury (SCI). However, the role in primate animals with SCI is not fully cognized.


METHODS
18 healthy juvenile rhesuses were divided randomly into six groups, observed during the periods of 24 hr, 7 days, 14 days, 1 month, 2 months, and 3 months after T11 hemisecting. The GDNF localization, changes in the injured region, and the remote associate cortex were detected by immunohistochemical staining.


RESULTS
Immunohistochemical staining showed that GDNF was located in the cytoplasm and the neurite of the neurons. Following SCI, the number of GDNF positive neurons in the ventral horn and the caudal part near the lesion area were apparently reduced at detected time points (P<0.05). Moreover, the number in the rostral part of the ventral horn in 7 day, 14 day, and 1 month groups were fewer than those in the caudal part. Importantly, in the contralateral cortex motor area, the positive neurons decreased sharply after hemi-SCI, while gradually increased and went back to normal in 3 months after hemi-SCI.


CONCLUSIONS
To sum up, GDNF disruption in neurons occurred after SCI especially in cortex motor area. Intrinsic GDNF in the spinal cord, plays an essential role in neuroplasticity. Thereafter extrinsic GDNF supplementing may be a useful strategy to promote recovery after SCI.
Laboratory of Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine, Translational Neuroscience Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China.
De-Lu
DL
Qiu
Laboratory of Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine, Translational Neuroscience Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China.
Ting-Hua
TH
Wang
GDNF (glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor); Hemi-SCI (hemisection of spinal cord injury); Macaca mulatta; Motor cortex; Spinal cord ventral horn