Therapeutic effect of methylprednisolone combined with high frequency electrotherapy on acute spinal cord injury in rats

Abstract

Acute spinal cord injury (SCI) has a high rate of disability and mortality. Although secondary SCI results in local tissue hypoxia and the release of inflammatory mediators, it is both controllable and reversible. Therefore, timely rehabilitation treatment is beneficial for the partial recovery of patients with SCI. The present study aimed to investigate the use of methylprednisolone combined with high-frequency electrotherapy as a method of rehabilitation treatment in rats with SCI. The rat SCI model was prepared using the modified Allen's method with the animals randomly divided into the following 4 groups (n=10 for each group): SCI; methylprednisolone (300 mg/kg); high-frequency electrotherapy; and combination treatment with electrotherapy combined with methylprednisolone (300 mg/kg). The Basso, Beattie and Bresnahan (BBB) score, somatosensory evoked potential (SEP) and motor evoked potential (MEP) were used to assess spinal function. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and NF-κB expression levels were detected using reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and western blotting. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and IL-2 expression levels were determined by ELISA, and caspase 3 activity was also assessed. In all treatment groups, BDNF mRNA and protein expression levels were significantly increased, whilst those of NF-κB were reduced. Additionally, an elevated BBB score, improved SEPs and MEPs, inhibited caspase 3 activity and downregulated TNF-α and IL-2 expression levels were observed, compared with the SCI group (P<0.05). However, the combination group exhibited more significant effects on SCI. In conclusion, methylprednisolone combined with high frequency electrotherapy may improve the symptoms of SCI by increasing the expression level of BDNF, reducing that of NF-κB, and suppressing the secretion of inflammatory factors.

Effect of ultrasound-guided stellate ganglion block on lung protection for patients undergoing one-lung ventilation

“…The SGB is also known as the cervicothoracic ganglion, which inhibits the excitement of the sympathetic ner-vous system when blocked. Studies have pointed out that the SGB plays an active role in the treatment of neurogenic pulmonary edema through a variety of mechanisms [28][29][30][31][32][33]. It suggests that SGB may also have some preventive and protective effects on clinical OLVinduced lung injury [34].…”

Longitudinal electrophysiological changes after mesenchymal stem cell transplantation in a spinal cord injury rat model

“…Most studies of tcMEPs in rat models of SCI focused on the responses to regenerative medicine, such as cell administration [3,31] and new therapeutic techniques [1,27,31,32], and tcMEPs were recorded at only one point, as a physiological endpoint of the recovery process. When planning a protocol for such experiments, there is no indicator of when tcMEPs should be recorded.…”

The role of immune cells and associated immunological factors in the immune response to spinal cord injury

“…Methylprednisolone treatment could inhibit the expression of TNF-a and the activity of NF-kB in SCI rats and promote the restoration of neurological function. Methylprednisolone can maintain biological activity in injured tissues and significantly reduce the inflammatory response and protein expression caused by secondary injury, thereby reducing edema (110,111). Gao et al have shown that methylprednisolone combined with amniotic mesenchymal stem cells suppressed MPO activity and cell apoptosis, reduced the expression of pro-inflammatory factors such as TNF-a, IL-1b, and IL-6, and increased the level of IL-10 (112).…”

“…Methylprednisolone treatment could inhibit the expression of TNF-α and the activity of NF-κB in SCI rats and promote the restoration of neurological function. Methylprednisolone can maintain biological activity in injured tissues and significantly reduce the inflammatory response and protein expression caused by secondary injury, thereby reducing edema ( 110 , 111 ). Gao et al.…”