Effect of Electroacupuncture on Spinal Cord Injury in Mice: Inhibition Of Inflammatory Response and Oxidative Stress via ApoE and Nrf2

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ni Dai ◽  
Chenglin Tang ◽  
Hongdi Zhao ◽  
Pan Dai ◽  
Siqin Huang

Abstract Background: Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a catastrophic central nervous system disease. Inflammatory response and oxidative stress are two critical factors in the pathophysiological process of SCI and closely involved with Apolipoprotein E(ApoE) and Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor (Nrf2). Electroacupuncture (EA) has perfectly neuroprotective effect on SCI. However, the underlying mechanism by which EA mediates the inflammatory response and oxidative stress is not completely elucidated. In the present study, we investigated the signaling pathways that EA regulates inflammatory response and oxidative stress through elevation of ApoE and Nrf2 after SCI.Methods: C57BL/6 Wide Type (WT) mice and ApoE -/- mice were subjected to SCI model by a serrefine clamping. Neurological function was detected by BMS scores, ultrastructure of demyelinationed axons was observed by transmission electron microscopy. ApoE, pro- and anti- inflammatory cytokines, oxidative stress-relevant proteins were determined by histochemistry technology. Two-way ANOVA was applied to BMS scores. One-way ANOVA and Bonferroni's multiple comparison test were used to analyse differences among groups.Results: BMS scores were increased gradually and demyelinated axons were improved by EA gradually with the expression of ApoE. EA can inhibit inflammatory response by activation of ApoE, which decreased pro-inflammatory cytokines(TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β) expression and increased anti-inflammatory cytokines(IL-10 and TGF-β1).Meanwhile, EA can also inhibit oxidative stress by elevation of Nrf2,which induced HO-1 and NQO1 expression in WT and ApoE -/- mice.Conclusions: EA is a reliable treatment for promoting functional recovery of SCI. Thesynergisticrole of ApoE and Nrf2 in EA regulating inflammatory response and oxidative stress is decisiveto recovery after SCI.

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Feng Sun ◽  
Haiwei Zhang ◽  
Tianwen Huang ◽  
Jianhui Shi ◽  
Tianli Wei ◽  
...  

Objectives. To investigate the roles of miR-221 in spinal cord injury (SCI) as well as the underlying mechanism. Methods. A mouse model of SCI was generated and used to examine dynamic changes in grip strength of the mouse upper and lower limbs. The expression of miR-221 and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) was detected by RT-qPCR and Western blot. Levels of inflammation and oxidative stress in microglia cells of the injured mice overexpressing miR-221 were then measured by ELISA. Bioinformatics analysis and dual-luciferase reporter assay were conducted to identify the miR-221 target. Results. We successfully constructed SCI mouse model. The results of qRT-PCR showed that miR-221 was gradually upregulated in the spinal cord tissue of mice in the SCI group with the prolonged injury time. At the same time, the mRNA and protein of TNF-α gradually decreased. We further confirmed through cell experiments that the inflammatory factors TNF-α and IL-6, as well as iNOS and eROS, were upregulated in spinal cord microglia cells of SCI mice, and upregulation of miR-122 can inhibit their expression. Finally, the luciferase reporter experiment confirmed that miR-122 targeted TNF-α. Conclusions. We present evidence that miR-221 promotes functional recovery of the injured spinal cord through targeting TNF-α, while alleviating inflammatory response and oxidative stress.


Nanomedicine ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (22) ◽  
pp. 2013-2028
Author(s):  
Jun Gao ◽  
Minkyung Khang ◽  
Zhen Liao ◽  
Megan Detloff ◽  
Jeoung Soo Lee

Spinal cord injury (SCI) and the resulting neurological trauma commonly result in complete or incomplete neurological dysfunction and there are few effective treatments for primary SCI. However, the following secondary SCI, including the changes of microvasculature, inflammatory response and oxidative stress around the injury site, may provide promising therapeutic targets. The advances of nanomaterials hold promise for delivering therapeutics to alleviate secondary SCI and promote functional recovery. In this review, we highlight recent achievements of nanomaterial-based therapy, specifically targeting blood–spinal cord barrier disruption, mitigation of the inflammatory response and lightening of oxidative stress after spinal cord injury.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhanjun Ma ◽  
Yubao Lu ◽  
Fengguang Yang ◽  
Shaoping Li ◽  
Xuegang He ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a severe central nervous system injury for which few efficacious drugs are available. Rosmarinic acid (RA), a water-soluble polyphenolic phytochemical, has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic properties. However, the effect of RA on SCI is unclear. We investigated the therapeutic effect and underlying mechanism of RA on SCI in vivo and in vitro. Methods: In vivo experiment, The BBB locomotion scale, the inclined plane test, Nissl staining, and spinal cord edema were employed to determine the neuroprotective effects of RA treatment after SCI. Inflammatory and oxidative stress markers were detected by commercial kits and cell apoptosis status was measured by TUNEL staining. A proteomics and bioinformatics approach, together with Western blotting, was used to investigate the effect of RA on the proteome of SCI rats. In vitro experiment, oxidative stress and inflammatory injury were induced by H2O2 and LPS stimulation. Effects of RA on cell viability, apoptosis, inflammatory, and oxidative stress were evaluated. Results: Using a rat model of SCI, we showed that RA improved locomotor recovery after SCI and significantly mitigated neurological deficit, increased neuronal preservation, and reduced apoptosis. Also, RA inhibited activation of microglia and the release of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β and MDA. Moreover, proteomics analyses identified the Nrf2 and NF-κB pathways as targets of RA. Pretreatment with RA increased levels of Nrf2 and HO-1 and reduced those of TLR4 and MyD88 as well as phosphorylation of IkB and subsequent nuclear translocation of NF-κB-p65. Using H2O2- and LPS-induced PC12 cells, we found that RA ameliorated the H2O2-induced decrease in viability and increase in apoptosis and oxidative injury by activating the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway. Also, LPS-induced cytotoxicity and increased apoptosis and inflammatory injury in PC-12 cells were mitigated by RA by inhibiting the TLR4/NF-κB pathway. The Nrf2 inhibitor ML385 weakened the effect of RA on oxidant stress, inflammation and apoptosis in SCI rats, and significantly increased the nuclear translocation of NF-κB. Conclusions: Therefore, the neuroprotective effect on SCI of RA may be due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which are mediated by modulation of the Nrf2/HO-1 and TLR4/NF-κB pathways. Moreover, RA activated Nrf2/HO-1, which amplified its inhibition of the NF-κB pathway.


2014 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-34 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu Song ◽  
Hui Xue ◽  
Ting-ting Liu ◽  
Jia-mei Liu ◽  
Dong Chen

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