Affiliations: The Miami Project te Cure Paralysis, Department of
Neurosurgery, University of Miami School of Medicine, Lois Pope LIFE Center,
Miami, Florida 33136, USA
Note: [] Corresponding author: Allan D.O. Levi MD, PhD., The Miami
Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami School of Medicine, Lois Pope
LIFE Center, 1095 NW 14th terrace, R-48, Miami, FL 33101. Tel.: +1 305 243
2088; Fax: +1 305 243 6017; E-mail: [email protected].
Abstract: Purpose: Caspase-3 is known as a crucial effector for apoptotic cell
death. Apoptosis has recently been recognized as an important cell death
mechanism after spinal cord injury (SCI). This study attempts to define the
effect of methylprednisolone (MP) on the activation of caspase-3 in the
lesioned area following SCI. Methods: Forty-eight rats with a complete
transection of the thoracic spinal cord received a placebo or MP (30 mg/kg,
iv.) at 5 min, 2 and 4 h post-injury and were then sacrificed at 12, 24 h, 3 or
7 days thereafter. Results: Caspase-3 positive cells in the lesioned area were
immunocytochemically observed in both cord stumps and decreased in number with
increasing distance from the lesion site. More caspase-3 positive cells were
present in the MP-treated group than the control group at all time points, but
the differences were not statistically significant. Conclusion: These results
suggest that the MP-induced decrease of tissue loss following SCI may not
involve a reduction of apoptotic cell death.
