Posttraumatic hypothermia reduces polymorphonuclear leukocyte accumulation following spinal cord injury in rats

The present study addresses the effects of moderate posttraumatic hypothermia (32 degrees C) on the temporal and regional profile of polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMNL) accumulation after traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI). We hypothesized that posttraumatic hypothermia would reduce the degree of inflammation by reducing PMNL infiltration. Rats underwent moderate spinal cord injury at T10 using the NYU impactor device. In the first study, the temporal profile of myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity (a marker of neutrophil accumulation) under normothermic (37 degrees C) conditions was determined. The animals were allowed to survive for 3 or 24 h, or 3 or 7 days after SCI. Spinal cords were dissected into five segments rostral and caudal to the injury site. Additional animals were studied for the immunocytochemical visualization of MPO. In the second study, rats were sacrificed at 24 h after a monitoring period of normothermia (36.5 degrees C/3 h) or hypothermia (32.4 degrees C/3 h) with their controls. In the time course studies, MPO enzymatic activity was significantly increased at 3 and 24 h within the traumatized T10 segment compared to controls. MPO activity was also increased at 3 h within the rostral T8 and T9 segments and caudal T11 and T12 segments compared to controls. At 24 h after trauma, MPO activity remained elevated within both the rostral and caudal segments compared to control. By 3 days, the levels of MPO activity were reduced compared to the 24-h values but remained significantly different from control. Neutrophils that exhibited MPO immunoreactivity were seen at 6 and 24 h, with a higher number at 3 days. PMNLs were located within the white and gray matter of the lesion and both rostral and caudal to the injury site. Posttraumatic hypothermia reduced MPO activity at 24 h in the injured spinal cord segment, compared to normothermic values. The results of this study indicate that a potential mechanism by which hypothermia improves outcome following SCI is by attenuating posttraumatic inflammation.     

Post-traumatic moderate systemic hypothermia reduces TUNEL positive cells following spinal cord injury in rat

STUDY DESIGN: A standardized animal model of contusive spinal cord injury (SCI) with incomplete paraplegia was used to test the hypothesis that moderate systemic hypothermia reduces neural cell death. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase [TdT]-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate [dUTP] nick-end labeling (TUNEL) staining was used as a marker of apoptosis or cell damage. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether or not moderate hypothermia could have a neuroprotective effect in neural cell death following spinal cord injury in rats. SETTING: Kagawa Medical University, Japan. METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats (n=39) weighing on average 300 g (280-320 g) were used to prepare SCI models. After receiving contusive injury at T11/12, rats were killed at 24 h, 72 h, or 7 days after injury. The spinal cord was removed en bloc and of examined at five segments: 5 and 10 mm rostral to the center of injury, center of injury, and 5 and 10 mm caudal to the center of injury. Rats that received hypothermia (32 degrees C/4 h) were killed at the same time points as those that received normothermia (37 degrees C/3 h). The specimens were stained with hematoxylin and eosin, and subjected to in situ nick-end labeling (TUNEL), a specific method for visualizing cell death in the spinal cord. RESULTS: At 24 h postinjury, TUNEL positive cells (TPC) decreased significantly 10 mm rostral to center of injury in hypothermic animals compared to the normothermia group. At 72 h post-SCI, TPC also decreased significantly at 5 mm rostral, and 5 and 10 mm caudal to the lesion center compared to normothermic animals. At 7 days postinjury, a significant decrease of TPC was observed at the 5 mm rostral and 5 mm caudal sites compared to normothermic animals. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that systemic hypothermia has a neuroprotective effect following SCI by attenuating post-traumatic TPC.     

Changes in Properties of Spinal Dorsal Horn Neurons and Their Sensitivity to Morphine after Spinal Cord Injury in the Rat

Background: To gain a better understanding of spinal cord injury (SCI)-induced central neuropathic pain, the authors investigated changes in properties of spinal dorsal horn neurons located rostrally and caudally to the lesion and their sensitivity to morphine in rats after SCI.

Methods: The right spinal cord of Sprague-Dawley rats was hemisected at the level of L2. At 10 to 14 days after the SCI, when mechanical hyperalgesia/allodynia had fully developed, spontaneous activity and evoked responses to mechanical stimuli of wide-dynamic-range (WDR) and high-threshold neurons rostral and caudal to the lesion were recorded. Effects of cumulative doses of systemic (0.1-3 mg/kg) and spinal (0.1-5 [mu]g) administration of morphine on spontaneous activity and evoked responses to the stimuli of the neurons were evaluated.

Results: Spontaneous activity significantly increased in WDR neurons both rostral and caudal to the SCI site, but high-frequency background discharges with burst patterns were only observed in neurons rostral to the SCI site. Significant increases in responses to the mechanical stimuli were seen both in WDR and high-threshold neurons located both rostrally and caudally to the lesion. The responses to nonnoxious and noxious stimuli were significantly greater in caudal WDR neurons than in rostral WDR neurons. In contrast, the responses to pinch stimuli were significantly higher in rostral high-threshold neurons than those in caudal high-threshold neurons. Systemically administered morphine had a greater effect on responses to nonnoxious and noxious stimuli of rostral WDR neurons than those of caudal WDR neurons. Spinally administered morphine significantly suppressed responses of WDR neurons in SCI animals to nonnoxious stimuli compared with those in sham-operated control animals.     

Changes in properties of spinal dorsal horn neurons and their sensitivity to morphine after spinal cord injury in the rat

BACKGROUND: To gain a better understanding of spinal cord injury (SCI)-induced central neuropathic pain, the authors investigated changes in properties of spinal dorsal horn neurons located rostrally and caudally to the lesion and their sensitivity to morphine in rats after SCI. METHODS: The right spinal cord of Sprague-Dawley rats was hemisected at the level of L2. At 10 to 14 days after the SCI, when mechanical hyperalgesia/allodynia had fully developed, spontaneous activity and evoked responses to mechanical stimuli of wide-dynamic-range (WDR) and high-threshold neurons rostral and caudal to the lesion were recorded. Effects of cumulative doses of systemic (0.1-3 mg/kg) and spinal (0.1-5 microg) administration of morphine on spontaneous activity and evoked responses to the stimuli of the neurons were evaluated. RESULTS: Spontaneous activity significantly increased in WDR neurons both rostral and caudal to the SCI site, but high-frequency background discharges with burst patterns were only observed in neurons rostral to the SCI site. Significant increases in responses to the mechanical stimuli were seen both in WDR and high-threshold neurons located both rostrally and caudally to the lesion. The responses to nonnoxious and noxious stimuli were significantly greater in caudal WDR neurons than in rostral WDR neurons. In contrast, the responses to pinch stimuli were significantly higher in rostral high-threshold neurons than those in caudal high-threshold neurons. Systemically administered morphine had a greater effect on responses to nonnoxious and noxious stimuli of rostral WDR neurons than those of caudal WDR neurons. Spinally administered morphine significantly suppressed responses of WDR neurons in SCI animals to nonnoxious stimuli compared with those in sham-operated control animals. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that changes in properties of spinal dorsal horn neurons after SCI are caused by different mechanisms, depending on the classification of the neurons and their segmental locations.     

早期肠道喂养对烧伤大鼠肠道一氧化氮合酶的影响

OBJECTIVE: Our previous studies have proved that early enteral feeding could improve intestine blood flow after burn injury. But the mechanism was far from being clarified. This study was attempted to explore the effects of early enteral feeding on nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity in burned rat small intestine and the relationship between the intestine mucosa blood flow (IMBF) and the activity of NOS. METHODS: The rats were randomly divided into three groups: burned control (B), burned and early enteral feeding (EF), and normal control (C). The activity of NOS including constitute NOS(cNOS) and inducible NOS(iNOS), and the IMBF were determined at postburn 0, 3, 6, 12, 24, 48 hours. RESULTS: It was found that cNOS activity and IMBF were decreased markedly postburn, and there was positive correlation between cNOS and IMBF (r = 0.97, P < 0.01). But the activity of iNOS, total NOS were increased significantly postburn, they had no correlation to the IMBF. In EF group cNOS activity and the IMBF were significantly higher, the iNOS was obviously lower than that of B group and there was no significant difference of total activity of NOS between two groups. CONCLUSION: Our results suggested that NOS which is catalyzed from cNOS may play main role in adjusting IMBF. By using early enteral feeding the activity of cNOS is increased and the ischemic state in small intestine is improved after burn injury.     

Effects of L-NAME and 7-NI on NOS catalytic activity and behavioral outcome after traumatic brain injury in the rat

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) produces transient increases in constitutive nitric oxide synthase (cNOS) activity and prolonged behavioral abnormalities. This study investigated the effects of nitro-L-arginine-methyl ester (L-NAME) and 3-bromo-7-nitroindazole (7-NI) treatment on cNOS catalytic activity and sensorimotor behavioral outcome after TBI. Rats underwent moderate (1.8-2.2 atm) parasagittal fluid percussion brain injury (FPI). At 5 min after FPI, cNOS activity was significantly increased within the damaged cerebral cortex of vehicle-treated rats compared to the noninjured contralateral cortex (206.7 +/- 150.5 % of contralateral, p < 0.01). Pretreatment with L-NAME and 7-NI significantly reduced injury-induced cNOS activation (47.7 +/- 42.6 %, p < 0.05, and 96.16 +/- 12.76, p < 0.05, respectively). Pretreatment with L-NAME and 7-NI also inhibited cNOS activity within the contralateral noninjured cerebral cortex compared to vehicle-treated rats (L-NAME 43.7 +/- 12.47%, p < 0.05; 7-NI 36.8 +/- 7.47%, p < 0.05). Furthermore, pretreatment with 7-NI, but not L-NAME, significantly reduced forelimb placing sensorimotor deficits (3.14 +/- 1.07, p < 0.05) at 1 day after TBI compared to vehicle-treated rats (5.38 +/- 0.42). These data indicate that inhibition of injury-induced elevations in neuronal NOS activity has a beneficial effect on neurological outcome after parasagittal FPI brain injury.     

氨基胍对大鼠胰腺移植保护作用的实验研究

目的:探讨诱导型一氧化氮合酶抑制剂氨基胍对大鼠移植胰腺的保护作用。方法:糖尿病大鼠模型30只随机分成3组：（1）空白对照组（n=6），仅开腹手术，不作移植;（2）移植对照组（n=6），仅作胰腺移植;（3）氨基胍处理组（n=18），移植胰腺恢复血运前经阴茎背静脉注入盐酸氨基胍（AG）溶液，剂量分别为60，80，100 mg/kg。再灌注4h后检测血清一氧化氮（NO）水平，血糖以及淀粉酶活性，定量分析胰腺组织中的结构型一氧化氮合酶（cNOS）和诱导型一氧化氮合酶（iNOS）活性，并对胰腺进行组织形态学和组织化学检查。结果:与移植对照组比较，氨基胍处理组血NO水平及淀粉酶活性明显降低，胰腺病理损害较轻，其中以AG 80 mg/kg亚组效果更显著（P＜0.01），且该亚组血糖及iNOS活性与表达也明显低于移植对照组（P＜0.01）。结论:诱导型一氧化氮合酶选择性抑制剂氨基胍在大鼠胰腺移植中起到保护作用。其作用机制可能与抑制NO的过量产生，减轻其作为自由基的细胞毒性有关。     

Effect of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, nerve growth factor, and neurotrophin-3 on functional recovery and regeneration after spinal cord injury in adult rats

This study examined whether continuous intramedullary infusion of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), nerve growth factor (NGF), or neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) had either an early neuroprotective effect or a delayed effect on regeneration after spinal cord injury (SCI) in adult rats. BDNF, NGF, NT-3 or vehicle was infused at a rate of 625 ng/h into the SCI site at T3 through an implanted cannula attached to an osmotic pump. This infusion was maintained for 14 days after a 35-g clip compression injury. At 4 weeks after injury, the axonal tracer fluorogold (FG) was introduced into the spinal cord caudal to the lesion and the animals sacrificed 3 days later following behavioral assessment. The inclined plane score was significantly higher in BDNF-treated animals (45 +/- 3 degrees) compared to control animals (36 -/+ 1 degrees) at 1 week after injury (p < 0.05), although the scores were not significantly different at later times. BDNF-treated animals also showed more FG-labeled cells in the red nucleus and sensorimotor cortex (1,638 +/- 350 and 124 +/- 83, respectively) compared to controls (1,228 +/- 217 and 36 +/- 15, respectively) and a lower percent cavitation at the injury site (21.4 +/- 10.4%) compared to control animals (32.3 +/- 11.7%). Invasion & proliferation of Schwann cells and formation of peripheral myelin were more prominent at the injury site in the BDNF-treated animals than in the other groups. These results indicate that continuous intramedullary infusion of BDNF provides neuroprotection and enhances some regenerative activity after SCI.     

The role of constitutive nitric oxide synthase in pathogenesis of secondary lesion after spinal cord injury. Preliminary results

BACKGROUND: Secondary lesion (SL) is an early phenomenon of cellular death following spinal cord injury (SCI). Nitric oxide (NO) could be involved in its pathogenesis. NO is a gaseous metabolite produced by 2 constitutive isoforms of NO synthase (cNOS), constantly active, and by 1 inducible isoform (iNOS), synthesized during inflammation and able to produce large amount of NO. High concentrated NO is toxic for cells; therefore, NO concentration is strictly and finely regulated. We suppose that major inhibitory effect on the iNOS expression is represented by the same physiological concentration of NO, synthesized by cNOS. The aim of this study is to assess the role of the 2 cNOS in pathogenesis of SL after SCI in rat. METHODS: A dorsal SCI has been performed on rats (n=5) by a vascular clip (50 g/mm(2) for 15"). Fifteen minutes after trauma, activity of nNOS and eNOS has been measured (U/mg) in the cervical, dorsal and lumbar segments of spinal cord. Uninjured rats (n=5) served as control group. m-RNA for iNOS in untreated rats (n=2) has been also investigated by Northern blotting. RESULTS: In injured rats nNOS activity has shown a reduction in dorsal and lumbar segments, compared to the control group. eNOS activity, highly variable in the control group, has not been detectable in injured spinal cord. i-NOS mRNA has not been found in spinal cord of uninjured rats. CONCLUSIONS: These results would be in line with our hypothesis and provide the bases for other investigations. New therapeutic strategies for SL prevention, based on the modulation of cNOS, will be evaluated.     

丙戊酸对大鼠急性脊髓损伤后氧化应激的影响

[目的]探讨丙戊酸(VPA)对大鼠脊髓损伤(SCI)后氧化应激的影响。[方法]72只雄性SD大鼠随机分为3组:假手术组(C组)、损伤组(SCI组)和丙戊酸保护组(VPA组)。采用改良的Allen法制作脊髓损伤动物模型。VPA组术后即刻及其后每12 h皮下注射VPA 300 mg/kg至取材;C组和SCI组在相应时间点注射等体积的生理盐水。大鼠在伤后24、48、72 h和1周先行后肢运动功能BBB评分,随后处死取材。通过石蜡切片HE染色观察脊髓组织病理变化,并用免疫组化法检测诱导型一氧化氮合酶(iNOS)的表达;通过化学比色法测定脊髓组织中丙二醛(MDA)和谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶(GSH-Px)的含量。[结果]BBB评分显示C组运动功能未受影响,VPA组的BBB评分均高于SCI组,两者相比在伤后48、72 h和1周差异有显著性(P<0.01)。HE染色示C组脊髓组织形态正常,VPA组各时间点的病理变化与SCI组相比没有明显改善。C组偶见或未见iNOS阳性表达细胞。与C组相比,SCI组和VPA组的iNOS表达均明显增加(P<0.05),在伤后72 h达高峰,但VPA组的iNOS表达在各时间点均明显低于SCI组(P<0.05)。SCI组和VPA组脊髓组织的MDA含量明显高于C组,而GSH-Px活性明显低于C组(P<0.05),VPA组和SCI组相比较,MDA含量在各时间点均明显下降,GSH-Px活性均明显升高(P<0.05)。[结论]VPA通过减轻SCI所诱导的氧化应激,从而对SCI发挥保护作用。     

Changes in nitric oxide synthase expression in young and adult rats after spinal cord injury

OBJECTIVE: To examine the clinical meaning of the changes in nitric oxide synthase (NOS) expression and activity after spinal cord injury (SCI) according to the age of the experiment animal. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Ten 5- and 16-week-old Sprague-Dawley rats were laminectomized at T10 and SCI induced at this level using a New York impactor. Outcome measures to assess SCI utilized the Basso-Beatti-Bresnahan scale to quantitate hind limb motor dysfunction as a functional outcome measure. NOS isoforms (nNOS, neuronal NOS; iNOS, inducible NOS; and eNOS, endothelial NOS) were also immunolocalized in sections of control and spinal cord injury in the two sample groups using specific monoclonal antibodies. Student's t-test evaluated the difference between the young and adult rats, and P<0.05 was considered as significant value. RESULT: As the expression of nNOS on the spinal gray matter of the adult rat decreased, eNOS activity increased. Different from the adult rat, expression of the nNOS in the young rat was maintained until 1 day after SCI, and compared with the adult rat; eNOS activity was increased in the vessels from the damaged gray matter area after 7 days of SCI. iNOS expression was maintained until the 7th day of SCI on the adult rat, but iNOS expression after 7 days of SCI on young rat decreased. The young rat showed relatively less motor disability on the hind limb when compared with the adult rat, and had a rapid recovery. CONCLUSION: Neural protective eNOS activity increased after SCI in the young rat, and neural destructive iNOS expression was more remarkable in the adult rat.     

Delayed intrathecal delivery of RhoA siRNA to the contused spinal cord inhibits allodynia, preserves white matter, and increases serotonergic fiber growth

RhoA is a key regulator of the actin cytoskeleton that is upregulated after spinal cord injury (SCI). We analyzed different methods for siRNA delivery and developed siRNAs targeting RhoA (siRhoA) for SCI treatment. Cy 3.5-labeled siRNA delivered at the time of SCI yielded fluorescence in several cell types in the injury site. Intraspinal injections of chemically stabilized siRhoA into the spinal cord of injured rats reduced RhoA protein levels after 1 week and improved hindlimb walking over 6 weeks. To explore a less invasive route, we tested intrathecal injection of Cy 3.5-labeled siRNA via lumbar puncture 1 day after SCI, which resulted in robust uptake in the T9-T10 injury site. Lumbar injection of siRhoA 1 day after SCI reduced RhoA mRNA and protein levels 3 days after injection. Although siRhoA treatment did not yield significant improvement in locomotion, it decreased tactile hypersensitivity significantly compared to controls. Histological analysis at 8 weeks showed significant improvement in white matter sparing with siRhoA compared to control siRNA. siRhoA treatment also resulted in less accumulation of ED1+macrophages, increased PKC-γ immunoreactivity in the corticospinal tract rostral to the injury site, and increased serotonergic fiber growth 12 mm caudal to the contusion site. The ability of siRhoA to preserve white matter and promote serotonergic axonal regrowth caudal to the injury site is likely to suppress allodynia. This provides justification for considering clinical development of RhoA inhibitors to treat SCI sub-acutely to reduce allodynia, which occurs frequently in SCI patients.     

Limitations of ischemic tolerance in oxidative skeletal muscle: perfusion vs tissue protection

OBJECTIVES: This study determined if ischemic tolerance occurs in oxidative skeletal muscle following a severe ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) insult and if such protection involves the induction of nitric oxide synthase (NOS). METHODS: The soleus muscle of male Wistar rats (250-350 g) was preconditioned (PC + I/R) using five cycles of ischemia (10 min) and reperfusion (10 min) or had no PC (I/R) and 24 h later 2 h no-flow ischemia was induced. Calcium dependent (cNOS) and independent (iNOS) NOS activities were determined from PC (n = 5), or sham (n = 5) and the role of iNOS was tested by application of aminoguanidine (AMG) (100 microM; n = 4) to the muscle bath. Direct measures of the number of perfused capillaries (Npc; #/mm) during 90-min reperfusion were obtained using intravital microscopy. Tissue injury was estimated using the fluorescent vital dyes ethidium bromide (E; labels injured cells) and bisbenzimide (B; labels all cells) and expressed as the ratio E/B. RESULTS: PC prevented microvascular flow deficits (Npc:I/R = 23.4 +/- 1.3 vs PC + I/R = 29.9 +/- 1.1) and resulted in a modest, but significant reduction (21%) in tissue injury (I/R = 0.82 +/- 0.03 vs PC + I/R = 0.64 +/- 0.04). PC led to a nine fold increase in iNOS activity, but decreased cNOS activity by 94% compared to sham. AMG prevented the parenchymal protection following PC, but had no effect on microvascular perfusion. CONCLUSIONS: Ischemic tolerance, 24 h following PC, preserved microvascular perfusion, but only modestly improved tissue viability in the soleus muscle.     

Acute molecular perturbation of inducible nitric oxide synthase with an antisense approach enhances neuronal preservation and functional recovery after contusive spinal cord injury

Abstract Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) is a key mediator of inflammation and oxidative stress produced during pathological conditions, including neurodegenerative diseases and central nervous system (CNS) injury. iNOS is responsible for the formation of high levels of nitric oxide (NO). The production of highly reactive and cytotoxic NO species, such as peroxynitrite, plays an important role in secondary tissue damage. We have previously demonstrated that acute administration of iNOS antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) 3?h after moderate contusive spinal cord injury (SCI) potently inhibits iNOS-mediated increases in NO levels, leading to reduced blood-spinal cord barrier permeability, decreased neutrophil accumulation, and less neuronal cell death. In the current study we investigated if iNOS ASOs could also provide long-term (10-week) histological and behavioral improvements after moderate thoracic T8 contusive SCI. Adult rats were randomly assigned to three groups (n=10/group): SCI alone, SCI and mixed base control oligonucleotides (MBOs), or SCI and iNOS ASOs (200?nM). Oligonucleotides were administered by spinal superfusion 3?h after injury. Behavioral analysis (Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan [BBB] score and subscore) was employed weekly for 10 weeks post-SCI. Although animals treated with iNOS ASOs demonstrated no significant differences in BBB scores compared to controls, subscore analysis revealed a significant improvement in foot positioning, trunk stability, and tail clearance. Histologically, while no gross improvement in preserved white and gray matter was observed, greater numbers of surviving neurons were present adjacent to the lesion site in iNOS ASO-treated animals than controls. These results support the effectiveness of targeting iNOS acutely as a therapeutic approach after SCI.     

大鼠脊髓损伤后巢蛋白在脊髓组织中的表达

目的探讨大鼠脊髓损伤后巢蛋白(nestin)的表达规律及其意义。方法30只Wister成年大鼠,随机分为正常对照组(A组)、损伤组(B组)。采用Allen打击模型(25g·cm),在T10段造成急性脊髓损伤,于损伤后1d、3d、1周、4周、8周进行取材,对距离损伤中心5mm处脊髓进行nestin免疫组化检测。应用图像分析软件进行nestin阳性区域面积侧算。结果A组脊髓室管膜细胞只可见极少数细胞胞浆内nestin表达,白质中几乎无表达。B组中nestin于损伤后24h表达于室管膜以及软膜,灰质和白质亦有少量表达,1周达到高峰(P<0.05),4周明显下降,8周时很少或几乎无表达。结论脊髓组织的许多部位可能存在具有分化和更新潜能的祖细胞,脊髓损伤后这些细胞被激活,在功能恢复中可能发挥着重要的作用。     

丹参对大鼠缺血再灌注肾组织一氧化氮合成酶mRNA表达的影响

目的：探讨丹参对肾缺血再灌注损作保护效应的分子机制。方法：以大鼠缺血再灌汪肾损伤为模型，采用组织细胞原位杂交有图像分析技术技术，检测cNOS（eNOS和nNOS）及iNOSmRNA在缺血再灌注肾组织中的表达，并测定肾组织NOS总活性有血肌酐（Cr）。结果：①3种NOS在正常肾组织中均有表达，其中eNOS表达最丰富，cNOS／iNOS比值为2．29。②缺血时，肾组织NOS总活性显著下降，3种NOSmRNA在皮质、髓质有小球中的表达均下调，以eNOS最显著，cNOS／iNOS比值呈下降（2．01）趋势。③再灌注后，3种NOSmRNA的表达明显上调，以iNOSmRNA最明显，cNOS／iNOS的比值降至1．77。④肾缺血注射丹参后再灌注，iNOSmRAN表达明显下调，而nNOSmRAN则显著上调，cNOS／iNOS比值处于正常范围（2．14），Cr含量下降至正常水平。结论：①皮质肾小管上皮中iNOS活性升同与再灌汪后肾功能进一步受损密切相关。②缺血再灌注肾损伤中，丹参抑制iNOSmRNA和促进cNOSmRNA的表达是其介导肾保护效应的重要分子机制。③cNOS／iNOS比值的恒定对肾血流量和肾小球滤过率（GFR）的调节可能具有重要的意义。     

早期肠道喂养对烧伤大鼠肠道一氧化氮合酶的影响

目的阐明烧伤大鼠经早期肠道喂养后肠组织中一氧化氮合酶(NOS)的变化规律及其与肠粘膜血流量(IMBF)的关系。方法采用30％TBSAⅢ度烧伤大鼠模型,分为正常对照(C)组,单纯烧伤(B)组和早期喂养(EF)组,分别检测伤前及伤后0,3,6,12,24,48小时肠组织中 NOS 活性,包括原生型 NOS(cNOS)和诱导型 NOS(iNOS),并测定肠粘膜血流量。结果烧伤后各组 cNOS 和 IMBF 呈下降趋势,二者呈显著正相关(r=0.97,P<0.01),而 NOS 总活性和 iNOS 活性都呈上升趋势,IMBF 与 iN-OS 和总 NOS 相关不显著。烧伤后 EF 组 cNOS 和 IMBF 明显高于 B 组,iNOS 则低于 B 组,NOS 总活力两组无显著差异。结论①两型 NOS 中 cNOS 与 IMBF 的关系更加密切。②早期肠道喂养改善烧伤后肠道缺血状况,可能与食物对肠壁神经的刺激从而提高 cNOS 活性有关。     

Role of nitric oxide in the secondary expansion of a cortical brain lesion from cold injury

We have investigated the role of nitric oxide (NO) as mediator of the secondary growth of a traumatic cortical necrosis. For this purpose, a highly standardized focal lesion of the brain was induced in 46 Sprague-Dawley rats by cold injury. Twenty-four hours later--the timepoint of maximal lesion spread--the animals were sacrificed and brains were removed for histomorphometry of the maximal necrosis area and volume. The animals were divided into five experimental groups. Group I received the NO donor L-arginine as i.v. bolus 10 min prior to trauma (300 mg/kg body weight; n = 10) and a second bolus of the same dosage intraperitoneally 1 h after trauma. Group II (n = 10)--serving as control of group I--was infused with an i.v. bolus of 1 mL/kg isotonic saline 10 min prior to and a subsequent bolus i.p. 1 h after trauma. Group III (n = 8) received 100 mg/kg b.w. of the inducible NOS (iNOS) inhibitor aminoguanidine (AG) 1 h before and 8 h after trauma by intraperitoneal route. Group IV was administered with the nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor N(G)-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA; 100 mg/kg b.w., i.p.; n = 8); group V--the controls of group III and IV--was administered with isotonic saline (1 mL/kg b.w. i.p.; n = 10) 1 h before and 8 h after trauma. In the control group with i.v./i.p. sham treatment (II), the focal lesion led to a cortical necrosis with a maximum area of 3.1 +/- 0.3 mm2 and a lesion volume of 5.7 +/- 0.5 mm3 at 24 h after trauma. In animals with administration of L-arginine, the focal lesion had a maximum area of 3.1 +/- 0.3 mm2 and a volume of 5.3 +/- 0.5 mm3. Hence, the NO donor did not affect the secondary growth of necrosis. Animals with i.p. sham treatment (group V) had a maximal lesion area of 3.6 +/- 0.2 mm2 and lesion volume of 6.2 +/- 0.4 mm3. Administration of aminoguanidine afforded significant attenuation of the lesion growth. Accordingly, the maximal area of necrosis spread only to 2.8 +/- 0.2 mm2 with a volume of 4.5 +/- 0.5 mm3, respectively, at 24 h after trauma (p < 0.01 vs group V). On the other hand, administration of L-NNA did not influence the maximal lesion area (3.7 +/- 0.2 mm2) or lesion volume (6.5 +/- 0.5 mm3) evolving at 24 h after trauma. Thus, neither the enhancement of the formation of NO by L-arginine nor gross inhibition of the synthesis of NO by L-NNA did affect the secondary spread of the necrosis from a focal trauma. The marked attenuation of the posttraumatic necrosis growth by the iNOS inhibitor aminoguanidine strongly indicates an important role of iNOS product in this phenomenon. These findings, thus, demonstrate that the expansion of a primary necrotic focal lesion is a secondary process which can be therapeutically inhibited. Thereby, the growth of a focal tissue necrosis from trauma is clearly identified as a manifestation of secondary brain damage. This information is deemed important for the better understanding of the pathophysiology of traumatic brain injury and for the targeted development of specific treatment modalities.     

Increased protein oxidation and decreased creatine kinase BB expression and activity after spinal cord contusion injury

Traumatic injury to the spinal cord triggers several secondary effects, including oxidative stress and compromised energy metabolism, which play a major role in biochemical and pathological changes in spinal cord tissue. Free radical generation and lipid peroxidation have been shown to be early events subsequent to spinal cord injury. In the present study, we demonstrated that protein oxidation increases in rat spinal cord tissue after experimental injury. As early as h after injury, the level of protein carbonyls at the injury epicenter was significantly higher than in control (169%, p < 0.05) and increased gradually over the next 4 weeks to 1260% of control level. Both caudal and rostral parts of the injured spinal cord demonstrated a mild increase of protein carbonyls by 4 weeks postinjury (135-138%, p < 0.05). Immunocytochemical analysis of protein carbonyls in the spinal cord cross-sections showed increased protein carbonyl immunoreactivity in the epicenter section compared to rostral and caudal sections of the same animal or control laminectomy animals. Increased protein carbonyl formation in damaged spinal cord tissue was associated with changes in activity and expression of an oxidative sensitive enzyme, creatine kinase BB, which plays an important role in the maintenance of ATP level in the CNS tissue. Damage to CK function in the CNS may severely aggravate the impairment of energy metabolism. The results of our study indicate that events associated with oxidative damage are triggered immediately after spinal cord trauma but continue to occur over the subsequent 4 weeks. These results suggest that antioxidant therapeutic strategies may be beneficial to lessen the consequences of the injury and potentially improve the restoration of neurological function.