Correlation of alterations on Na(+)-K+/Mg+2 ATPase activity, lipid peroxidation and ultrastructural findings following experimental spinal cord injury with and without intravenous methylprednisolone treatment.

The sodium-potassium activated and magnesium dependent adenosine-5'-triphosphatase (Na(+)-K+/Mg+2 ATPase EC 3.6.1.3.) activity and lipid peroxidation and early ultrastructural findings are determined in rat spinal cord at the early stage of trauma produced by a surgical clip on the thoracal 2-7 segments. The effect of treatment with intravenous methylprednisolone (MP) was evaluated the basis of these biochemical alterations and ultrastructural findings in the same model. The specific activity of the membrane bound enzyme Na(+)-K+/Mg+2 ATPase was promptly reduced in as early as ten minutes following spinal cord injury and remained at a level lower than the levels in the control group and in the sham-operated group. Methylprednisolone treatment immediately after the trauma attenuated the inactivation of Na(+)-K+/Mg+2 ATPase. On the other hand, there was significant difference in lipid peroxide content between the sham-operated and the injured animals. Methylprednisolone treatment reduced thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) content in Group IV. We determined a positive relationship among membrane-bound enzyme Na+K+/Mg+2 ATPase activity, malondialdehyde (MDA) content and early ultrastructural changes in the traumatized and treated groups.