ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate effect of monosialotetrahexosy-1 ganglioside (GM1) on the autophagic neuronal death induced by spinal cord injury.Methods Ninety SD rats were randomly divided into sham group,isotonic saline group and GM1 group,with 30 rats per group.Spinal cord injury at T10 segment was induced by Allen method in the isotonic saline group and GM1 group.Expression of endogenous LC3 was detected by florescence microscope.Ratio of LC3-Ⅱ and LC3-Ⅰ,and expression of Beclin-1 were detected by Western blot.Results LC3 was significantly up-regulated in the isotonic saline group,as compared to the sham group (P ＜0.05).Also,an up-regulation of LC3 and a decline of autophagic body formation were observed in GM1 group,as compared to isotonic saline group (P ＜0.05).Expressions of LC3-Ⅱ and Beclin-1 and ratio of LC3-Ⅱ to LC3-Ⅰ were significantly increased in the isotonic saline group,as compared to the sham group (P ＜ 0.05).Expressions of LC3-Ⅱ and Beclin1 and ratio of LC3-Ⅱ to LC3-Ⅰ significantly were decreased in the GM1 group,when compared to the isotonic saline group (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion GM1 inhibits autophagic neuronal death after spinal cord injury and hence exerts protective effect on the neurons.
ABSTRACT
[Objective]To establish a reproducible rat model of disc degeneration by puncturing the annulus with needles of defined gauges.[Method]Twenty skeletally mature male Sprague-Dawley rats were used to determine the depth of puncture by measuring anular thickness of lumbar disc.Twelve rats were carried out transperitoneal ventral surgery and anular stab was performed using a 21-gauge needle to make a full-thickness or partial-thickness stab incision in the L3、4,L4、5 and L5、6 anteriorlateral disc.The L6S1 level was used as a control.Magnetic resonance images scans of the stabbed discs and control discs were performed at 4,8-week time point and after MRI histological analysis were performed.[Result]The depth of puncture was respectively partial-thickness 1.5 mm and full-thickness 2.3 mm.The stabbed discs exhibited a decrease signal intensity from T2-weighted images starting at 4-week time point in full-thickness stab incision and 8-week in partial-thickness.Histological analysis revealed disc degeneration in both stab incision groups at 4-week time point and full-thickness stab incision displayed more severe degenerative changes compared with that of partial-thickness.[Conclusion]Full-thickness or partial-thickness anulus stab incision with needles of defined gauges is reliable,effective and reproducible to establish a rat model of intervertebral disc degeneration.