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Estrogen attenuated markers of inflammation and decreased lesion volume in acute spinal cord injury in rats

2005; Wiley; Volume: 82; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1002/jnr.20622

1097-4547

Eric A. Sribnick, James Michael Wingrave, Deborah Denise Matzelle, Gloria G. Wilford, Swapan K. Ray, Naren L. Banik,

Spine and Intervertebral Disc Pathology

Abstract Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a devastating neurologic injury with functional deficits for which the only currently recommended pharmacotherapy is high‐dose methylprednisolone, which has limited efficacy. Estrogen is a multiactive steroid that has shown antiinflammatory and antioxidant effects, and estrogen may modulate intracellular Ca 2+ and attenuate apoptosis. For this study, male rats were divided into three groups. Sham group animals received a laminectomy at T12. Injured rats received both laminectomy and 40 g · cm force SCI. Estrogen‐group rats received 4 mg/kg 17β‐estradiol (estrogen) at 15 min and 24 hr post‐injury, and vehicle‐group rats received equal volumes of dimethyl sulfoxide (vehicle). Animals were sacrificed at 48 hr post‐injury, and 1‐cm‐long segments of the lesion, rostral penumbra, and caudal penumbra were excised. Inflammation was assessed by examining tissue edema, infiltration of macrophages/microglia, and levels of cytosolic and nuclear NFκB and inhibitor of kappa B (IκBα). Myelin integrity was examined using Luxol fast blue staining. When compared to sham, vehicle‐treated animals revealed increased tissue edema, increased infiltration of inflammatory cells, decreased cytosolic levels of NFκB and IκBα, increased levels of nuclear NFκB, and increased myelin loss. Treatment of SCI rats with estrogen reduced edema and decreased inflammation and myelin loss in the lesion and penumbral areas, suggesting its potential as a therapeutic agent. Further work needs to be done, however, to elucidate the neuroprotective mechanism of estrogen. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.