scholarly journals Cellular Changes in Injured Rat Spinal Cord Following Electrical Brainstem Stimulation

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 124 ◽  
Author(s):  
Walter J. Jermakowicz ◽  
Stephanie S. Sloley ◽  
Lia Dan ◽  
Alberto Vitores ◽  
Melissa M. Carballosa-Gautam ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Cellular Proliferation ◽  
Radial Glia ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Cell Counts ◽  
Cord Injury ◽  
Near Term ◽  
Altered Cell

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a major cause of disability and pain, but little progress has been made in its clinical management. Low-frequency electrical stimulation (LFS) of various anti-nociceptive targets improves outcomes after SCI, including motor recovery and mechanical allodynia. However, the mechanisms of these beneficial effects are incompletely delineated and probably multiple. Our aim was to explore near-term effects of LFS in the hindbrain’s nucleus raphe magnus (NRM) on cellular proliferation in a rat SCI model. Starting 24 h after incomplete contusional SCI at C5, intermittent LFS at 8 Hz was delivered wirelessly to NRM. Controls were given inactive stimulators. At 48 h, 5-bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) was administered and, at 72 h, spinal cords were extracted and immunostained for various immune and neuroglial progenitor markers and BrdU at the level of the lesion and proximally and distally. LFS altered cell marker counts predominantly at the dorsal injury site. BrdU cell counts were decreased. Individually and in combination with BrdU, there were reductions in CD68 (monocytes) and Sox2 (immature neural precursors) and increases in Blbp (radial glia) expression. CD68-positive cells showed increased co-staining with iNOS. No differences in the expression of GFAP (glia) and NG2 (oligodendrocytes) or in GFAP cell morphology were found. In conclusion, our work shows that LFS of NRM in subacute SCI influences the proliferation of cell types implicated in inflammation and repair, thus providing mechanistic insight into deep brain stimulation as a neuromodulatory treatment for this devastating pathology.

scholarly journals A Collagen-Based Scaffold for Promoting Neural Plasticity in a Rat Model of Spinal Cord Injury

Polymers ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (10) ◽  
pp. 2245
Author(s):  
Jue-Zong Yeh ◽  
Ding-Han Wang ◽  
Juin-Hong Cherng ◽  
Yi-Wen Wang ◽  
Gang-Yi Fan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Spinal Cord Injury ◽  
Rat Model ◽  
Neural Plasticity ◽  
Collagen Scaffold ◽  
Glial Scar ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Cord Injury

In spinal cord injury (SCI) therapy, glial scarring formed by activated astrocytes is a primary problem that needs to be solved to enhance axonal regeneration. In this study, we developed and used a collagen scaffold for glial scar replacement to create an appropriate environment in an SCI rat model and determined whether neural plasticity can be manipulated using this approach. We used four experimental groups, as follows: SCI-collagen scaffold, SCI control, normal spinal cord-collagen scaffold, and normal control. The collagen scaffold showed excellent in vitro and in vivo biocompatibility. Immunofluorescence staining revealed increased expression of neurofilament and fibronectin and reduced expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein and anti-chondroitin sulfate in the collagen scaffold-treated SCI rats at 1 and 4 weeks post-implantation compared with that in untreated SCI control. This indicates that the collagen scaffold implantation promoted neuronal survival and axonal growth within the injured site and prevented glial scar formation by controlling astrocyte production for their normal functioning. Our study highlights the feasibility of using the collagen scaffold in SCI repair. The collagen scaffold was found to exert beneficial effects on neuronal activity and may help in manipulating synaptic plasticity, implying its great potential for clinical application in SCI.

scholarly journals Planet of the AAVs: The Spinal Cord Injury Episode

Biomedicines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 613
Author(s):  
Katerina Stepankova ◽  
Pavla Jendelova ◽  
Lucia Machova Urdzikova
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Gene Therapy ◽  
Spinal Cord Injury ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Specific Cell ◽  
Adeno Associated Virus ◽  
Adequate Treatment ◽  
Cord Injury ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
Transgene Delivery

The spinal cord injury (SCI) is a medical and life-disrupting condition with devastating consequences for the physical, social, and professional welfare of patients, and there is no adequate treatment for it. At the same time, gene therapy has been studied as a promising approach for the treatment of neurological and neurodegenerative disorders by delivering remedial genes to the central nervous system (CNS), of which the spinal cord is a part. For gene therapy, multiple vectors have been introduced, including integrating lentiviral vectors and non-integrating adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors. AAV vectors are a promising system for transgene delivery into the CNS due to their safety profile as well as long-term gene expression. Gene therapy mediated by AAV vectors shows potential for treating SCI by delivering certain genetic information to specific cell types. This review has focused on a potential treatment of SCI by gene therapy using AAV vectors.

scholarly journals Biomaterial Approaches to Modulate Reactive Astroglial Response

2018 ◽  
Vol 205 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 372-395 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan M. Zuidema ◽  
Ryan J. Gilbert ◽  
Manoj K. Gottipati
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Glial Scar ◽  
Secondary Injury ◽  
Injury Site ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Cord Injury ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
Preclinical Animal Models

Over several decades, biomaterial scientists have developed materials to spur axonal regeneration and limit secondary injury and tested these materials within preclinical animal models. Rarely, though, are astrocytes examined comprehensively when biomaterials are placed into the injury site. Astrocytes support neuronal function in the central nervous system. Following an injury, astrocytes undergo reactive gliosis and create a glial scar. The astrocytic glial scar forms a dense barrier which restricts the extension of regenerating axons through the injury site. However, there are several beneficial effects of the glial scar, including helping to reform the blood-brain barrier, limiting the extent of secondary injury, and supporting the health of regenerating axons near the injury site. This review provides a brief introduction to the role of astrocytes in the spinal cord, discusses astrocyte phenotypic changes that occur following injury, and highlights studies that explored astrocyte changes in response to biomaterials tested within in vitro or in vivo environments. Overall, we suggest that in order to improve biomaterial designs for spinal cord injury applications, investigators should more thoroughly consider the astrocyte response to such designs.

When a romantic partner has a spinal cord injury: Caregiving tasks and resilience as moderators of support quality on psychosocial distress and relational closeness

2020 ◽  
Vol 37 (8-9) ◽  
pp. 2551-2577
Author(s):  
Andrew M. Ledbetter ◽  
Kristen Carr ◽  
Gentry Lynn
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Spinal Cord Injury ◽  
Romantic Relationship ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Psychosocial Distress ◽  
Support Providers ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Relationship Closeness ◽  
Cord Injury ◽  
Relational Closeness

Using a sample of 312 people in a romantic relationship with a partner who has a spinal cord injury (SCI), this study examined the separate and combined effects of caregiving tasks, resilience, and received support on the participant’s level of psychosocial distress. We also tested whether such distress might mediate the effect of the predictors on romantic relationship closeness. Results supported the beneficial effects of both resilience and receiving high-quality support, although the timing of the injury moderated these effects. Injuries sustained after relationship initiation particularly threaten well-being and closeness and, along with the burden of caregiving tasks, alter the extent to which received support and resilience are associated with health and relationship benefits. These results suggest that support providers should be sensitive to the context of the SCI and, for scholars, indicate the importance of further theorizing context in the theory of resilience and relational load.

Embryonic radial glia bridge spinal cord lesions and promote functional recovery following spinal cord injury

2005 ◽  
Vol 193 (2) ◽  
pp. 394-410 ◽  
Author(s):  
Koichi Hasegawa ◽  
Yu-Wen Chang ◽  
Hedong Li ◽  
Yana Berlin ◽  
Osamu Ikeda ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Spinal Cord Injury ◽  
Functional Recovery ◽  
Radial Glia ◽  
Spinal Cord Lesions ◽  
Cord Injury

Beneficial effects of nitric oxide synthase inhibition on the recovery of neurological function after spinal cord injury in rats

2001 ◽  
Vol 363 (1) ◽  
pp. 94-100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Toshio Suzuki ◽  
Hozumi Tatsuoka ◽  
Tanemichi Chiba ◽  
Toshihiko Sekikawa ◽  
Tetsuharu Nemoto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nitric Oxide ◽  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Spinal Cord Injury ◽  
Nitric Oxide Synthase ◽  
Neurological Function ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Cord Injury ◽  
Oxide Synthase

scholarly journals Growth-Promoting Treatment Screening for Corticospinal Neurons in Mouse and Man

2020 ◽  
Vol 40 (8) ◽  
pp. 1327-1338
Author(s):  
Nicholas Hanuscheck ◽  
Andrea Schnatz ◽  
Carine Thalman ◽  
Steffen Lerch ◽  
Yvonne Gärtner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Interleukin 4 ◽  
Regenerative Capacity ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Cord Injury ◽  
Tissue Culture Model ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
Cone Formation ◽  
New Treatments

Abstract Neurons of the central nervous system (CNS) that project long axons into the spinal cord have a poor axon regenerative capacity compared to neurons of the peripheral nervous system. The corticospinal tract (CST) is particularly notorious for its poor regeneration. Because of this, traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) is a devastating condition that remains as yet uncured. Based on our recent observations that direct neuronal interleukin-4 (IL-4) signaling leads to repair of axonal swellings and beneficial effects in neuroinflammation, we hypothesized that IL-4 acts directly on the CST. Here, we developed a tissue culture model for CST regeneration and found that IL-4 promoted new growth cone formation after axon transection. Most importantly, IL-4 directly increased the regenerative capacity of both murine and human CST axons, which corroborates its regenerative effects in CNS damage. Overall, these findings serve as proof-of-concept that our CST regeneration model is suitable for fast screening of new treatments for SCI.

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