Gene expression profiling ofliver X receptor αandBcl-2-associated X proteinin experimental transection spinal cord-injured rats

Abstract

Background: Study of molecular responses to central nervous system injury would be helpful for controlling the harmful pathways post-injury and triggering the useful pathways required for the treatment of injury. Objective: To investigate the expression level of liver X receptor α (LXRα) which has anti-inflammatory effects and pro-apoptotic Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax) upon spinal cord injury (SCI). Design: To induce SCI, transection was carried out at T9 level of male Wister rats. Approximately 8 mm of rostral, caudal, and epicenter tissues of injured sites in treated rats were chosen for quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction at the 6, 24, and 72 hours, and 7 and 10 days post-surgery. Results: Our results showed a complicated temporal and spatial pattern of alteration in LXRα and Bax mRNA expression levels after SCI. LXRα expression level followed a homologues pattern (additive and subtractive wave) with a difference in time at three areas of studied. Rostral, caudal, and epicenter expression patterns of Bax were dissimilar in these areas. Gradual increase in the expression of Bax without any decrease at the rostral area was observed, presumably indicating the active transcription process of this gene, regardless of its protein situation. Conclusion: A time lapse significant change in Bax expression level was observed only in the epicenter of injury, emphasizing that apoptotic responses are limited to this area. Furthermore, an increase in LXRα transcription level was observed first in rostral area and then extended to epicentral and caudal areas, implying that inflammation responses extended from rostral to caudal areas.

Mangiferin attenuates contusive spinal cord injury in rats through the regulation of oxidative stress, inflammation and the Bcl-2 and Bax pathway

“…The Bcl-2 gene family is an important regulator of apoptosis in SCI, and Bax and Bcl-2 are the most representative genes in the Bcl-2 family, which are apoptotic and anti-apoptotic genes respectively (8,9). Chen et al reported that the administration of Ad-HIF-1α ameliorates neuronal apoptosis and promotes angiogenesis through the expression of Bax/Bcl-2 in SCI rats (10).…”

Resveratrol treatment of spinal cord injury in rat model

“…Both Bax and Bcl-2 are quintessential genes in Bcl-2 family, with Bax being the apoptotic gene and Bcl-2 being the antiapoptotic gene. The ratio of Bcl-2 to Bax is considered a decisive factor and plays an important role in determining whether cells will undergo apoptosis (Luo et al, 2015;Mohammadi, Ghaedi, Esmailie, & Rahgozar, 2013). Whereas positive intensity of both Bax and caspase-3 were abruptly increased on day 14 in the anterior horn of injured spinal cord, Bcl-2 intensity was gradually decreased between days FIGURE 7 Ultra-structural examinations, as described under the materials and method section, showed morphological changes in myelin sheath and axons.…”

Therapeutic Effect of Curcumin and Methylprednisolone in the Rat Spinal Cord Injury

“…Both Bax and Bcl‐2 are quintessential genes in the Bcl‐2 family and represent apoptotic as well as anti‐apoptotic genes, respectively. The ratio of Bcl‐2 to Bax is considered a decisive factor and plays an important role in determining whether or not cells will undergo apoptosis (Mohammadi et al, ; Luo et al, ). Our results indicated that Bax positive cells gradually abated and was subsequently chaperoned by the upregulation of intensity in the anterior horn of the spinal cord in both Cur‐ and MP‐treated groups.…”