Effect of Early Weight-Bearing Training on Blood-Spinal Cord Barrier Function in Mice
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Date
2013-03-28
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Abstract
Spinal cord injury (SCI) results in a breakdown of the blood-spinal cord barrier (BSCB) that permits a robust inflammatory response. Mechanisms responsible for inflammation promote further damage to the neural tissue. Neurotoxicity results from inflammatory cells moving into the spinal cord through the damaged and permeable blood vessels. Activities such as treadmill training attempt to utilize spinal plasticity to promote recovery, but recent animal studies have shown increased BSCB permeability with early swim training [1]. Exercise-regulated gelatinase matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) is a regulator of vascular permeability utilized to degrade tight-junctions of the blood vessel wall, allowing extravasation into surrounding tissues. MMP-9 is a potent early regulator of pathology after SCI. Whether locomotor training stabilizes or exacerbates BSCB integrity is unknown.
Description
Biological Sciences: 1st Place (The Ohio State University Denman Undergraduate Research Forum)
Keywords
spinal cord injury, permeability, weight-bearing, MMP-9, functional recovery, evans blue dye