Effect of Hyperbaric Oxygen on Protein Kinase R-like ER Kinase Expression and Motor Function in Rats with Spinal Cord Injury / 中国康复理论与实践

ABSTRACT

@#Objective To investigate the effect of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) on the behaviors, organizational morphology and the expression of protein kinase R-like ER kinase (PERK) in rats with spinal cord injury. Methods Thirty-six male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into normal group, sham group, model group and HBO group, with nine cases in each group. The normal group did not receive any treatment, the sham group received only laminectomy, and the other two groups were established spinal cord injury model with modified Allen's method. Six hours after operation, the model group was treated with regular air, and HBO group received HBO treatment for seven days. The recovery of locomotor function was evaluated by BBB (Basso Beattie and Bresnahan) on the day before operation and six hours, three days, seven days after operation. HE staining was used to observe the change of tissue morphology in injured spinal cord, and the expression of PERK in spinal cord was detected by Western blotting. Results There was no neurological deficit in the normal group and the sham group. The neurological score was lower in the model group than in the sham group three days and seven days after operation (P < 0.05), and was higher in HBO group than in the model group seven days after operation (P < 0.05). There was no obvious structural change in the normal group and the sham group, however, the model group showed swelling cells, condensed cytoplasm, and nucleus pycnosis hyperchromatic, and the HBO group showed slighter swelling cell compared with the model group. The expression of PERK was higher in the model group than in the sham group, and was lower in HBO group than in the model group seven days after operation (P < 0.05). Conclusion HBO could reduce the expression of PERK in the injured spinal cord, and improve the recovery of hind limb locomotor function in spinal cord injury rats.