Objective To investigate the therapeutic effect of tacrolimus on spinal cord injury in rats and its regulation on NF kB/JNK signal pathway.
Methods The experimental rats were randomly divided into three groups (n=15): sham operation group, model group and tacrolimus treatment group. The spinal cord injury model was established by Allen's method. After modeling, the rats were given tacrolimus (0.3 mg/kg) for 21 consecutive days. The behavioral score of Basso Beattie Bresnahan (BBB) spinal cord injury was tested on the 0, 1, 7, 14 and 21 days respectively. HE staining was used to observe the state of spinal cord injury in experimental rats, and the activity of antioxidant enzymes in spinal cord tissue was determined. IL-4 mRNA and TGF in spinal cord tissue were determined by RT-PCR- β MRNA expression and the expression of NF kB/JNK signal pathway related proteins in spinal cord tissues were measured by Western blot.
Results Tacrolimus could significantly improve the BBB score (P<0.05), increase the activity of SOD, CAT, GPX and reduce the content of MDA (P<0.05), reduce the abnormal apoptosis of spinal cord neurons, and reduce IL-4 mRNA and TGF in spinal cord tissue in rats with spinal cord injury- β MRNA expression and the ratio of NF kB p-p65/NF kB p-p65 and p-JNK/JNK protein expression (P<0.05).
Conclusion Tacrolimus can significantly improve spinal cord injury, which may play a role through antioxidation, anti-inflammatory reaction, anti apoptosis of spinal cord neurons, and inhibition of activation of NF kB/JNK signal pathway.