| Abstract: | Objective: To investigate the effects of exogenous brain derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF) expression on in- jured spinal cord by being injected into the cord following its reconstruction with adenovirus. Method: A reliable rat model with injury of different gradation was established by using a weight-drop apparatus with a laser compression recorder. The replicate-defect recombinant adenoviral vector containing BDNF gene was transferred into the site of injured spinal cord by direct injection. The validity of gene transfer was verified with X-Gal staining. The morphological changes of the injured ax- on were studied quantitatively. The expression of BDNF mRNA, and immunocytochemical reactivity of BDNF and neurofila- ment(NF) in injured cord of rats were observed. Results: It was verified that the spinal coal could be effectively infected by injecting the adenoviral vector into the injured cord, and the reporter gene was expressed. The loss of axons reduced following the in vivo infection of adenoviral vector carrying exogenous BDNF gene after in injury, while more NF immunopositive ax- ons than that of normal spical cord were found. Conclusion: With in vivo transfer of adenovirus vector into the injured site, a certain extent of protection could be provided to the injured axons by increasing local expressions of exogenous DBNF, and renovation of the cytoskeleton in the injured neurons was facilitated. These double effects are both important in gene therapy of spinal cord injuries. |
