Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Neuroscience Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Eur J Pain. 2019 Apr;23(4):750-764. doi: 10.1002/ejp.1342. Epub 2018 Dec 10.
Spinal cord injury (SCI) causes continuous neurological deficits and major sensory-motor impairments. There is no effective treatment to enhance sensory-motor function following SCI. Thus, it is crucial to develop novel therapeutics for this particular patient population. Astaxanthin (AST) is a strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic agent. In the present study, it was tested in a severe compression SCI model with emphasis on sensory-motor outcomes, signalling pathway, along with other complications.
A severe SCI was induced by compression of the rat thoracic spinal cord with an aneurysm clip and treatment with AST or the vehicle was carried out, 30 min after injury. Behavioural tests including open field, von Frey, hot plate and BBB were performed weekly to 28 days post-injury. Rats were assigned to measure blood glucose, weight and auricle temperature. Western blot and histological analysis also were performed at the same time points.
AST decreased mechanical and thermal pain and also improved motor function performance, reduced blood glucose and auricle temperature increases and attenuated weight loss in SCI rats. Western blot analysis showed decreased activation of ERK1/2 and increased activation of AKT following AST treatment. The histology results revealed that AST considerably preserved myelinated white matter and the number of motor neurons following SCI.
Taken together, the beneficial effects of AST to improve sensory-motor outcomes, attenuate pathological tissue damage and modulate ERK and AKT signalling pathways following SCI, suggest it as a strong therapeutic agent towards clinical applications.
Spinal cord injury (SCI) impairs sensory-motor function and causes complications, which astaxanthin (AST) has the potential to be used as a treatment for. The present study investigates the effects of AST in a compression model of SCI with emphasis on sensory-motor outcomes alongside other complications, histopathological damage and also related signalling pathways.
脊髓损伤（SCI）会导致持续的神经功能缺损和主要的感觉运动障碍。目前尚无有效的治疗方法来增强 SCI 后的感觉运动功能。因此，为这一特定患者群体开发新的治疗方法至关重要。虾青素（AST）是一种强大的抗氧化剂、抗炎剂和抗凋亡剂。在本研究中，AST 被测试用于严重压迫性 SCI 模型，重点关注感觉运动结果、信号通路以及其他并发症。
通过动脉瘤夹压迫大鼠胸段脊髓来诱导严重 SCI，并在损伤后 30 分钟进行 AST 或载体治疗。在损伤后 28 天内每周进行行为学测试，包括旷场、von Frey、热板和 BBB。大鼠被分配来测量血糖、体重和耳温。同时还进行了 Western blot 和组织学分析。
AST 降低了机械和热痛，还改善了运动功能表现，减少了 SCI 大鼠的血糖和耳温升高以及体重减轻。Western blot 分析显示，AST 治疗后 ERK1/2 的激活减少，AKT 的激活增加。组织学结果表明，AST 显著保留了 SCI 后的髓鞘化白质和运动神经元数量。
AST 改善感觉运动结果、减轻病理组织损伤以及调节 SCI 后 ERK 和 AKT 信号通路的有益作用表明，AST 作为一种有前途的治疗方法具有很大的潜力。
脊髓损伤（SCI）会损害感觉运动功能并引起并发症，虾青素（AST）有可能被用作治疗方法。本研究在压迫性 SCI 模型中研究了 AST 的作用，重点关注感觉运动结果以及其他并发症、组织病理学损伤和相关信号通路。
