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  4. Arylsulfatase B Improves Locomotor Function after Mouse Spinal Cord Injury

Arylsulfatase B Improves Locomotor Function after Mouse Spinal Cord Injury

PLoS ONE, 2013 · DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0057415 · Published: March 8, 2013

Spinal Cord InjuryRegenerative MedicineNeurology

Simple Explanation

This study investigates whether the mammalian enzyme arylsulfatase B (ARSB) can improve recovery after spinal cord injury in mice, similar to the bacterial enzyme chondroitinase ABC (ChaseABC). The rationale is that ARSB might be a better therapeutic option due to its greater chemical stability and lower potential for causing an immune response. The researchers injected ARSB into the injured spinal cords of mice and observed that it reduced the presence of chondroitin sulfates, which are known to inhibit nerve regeneration. Mice treated with ARSB showed improved locomotor recovery compared to control groups. The study also found that nerve fibers expressing serotonin and tyrosine hydroxylase were more abundant in the spinal cords of mice treated with ARSB, suggesting that the enzyme promotes nerve regrowth and sprouting. These findings suggest that ARSB could be a promising treatment for spinal cord injuries in humans.

Study Duration
9 weeks
Participants
C57BL/6 female mice
Evidence Level
Animal Study

Key Findings

  • 1
    ARSB is more thermostable than ChaseABC at physiological temperature and acidic pH levels relevant to injured tissue.
  • 2
    A single injection of ARSB after spinal cord injury enhanced locomotor recovery in mice.
  • 3
    ARSB treatment resulted in increased presence of serotonergic and tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactive axons beyond the injury site.

Research Summary

The study aimed to determine if ARSB, a mammalian enzyme, could improve locomotor function after spinal cord injury in mice, similar to ChaseABC but with potentially better stability and immunogenicity profiles. The results showed that ARSB reduced chondroitin sulfate immunoreactivity, improved locomotor recovery, and increased the presence of specific types of axons in the injured spinal cord. The findings suggest that ARSB is a promising candidate for treating spinal cord injury, offering advantages over ChaseABC due to its stability and reduced immunogenicity.

Practical Implications

Therapeutic Potential

ARSB could be a viable alternative to ChaseABC for treating spinal cord injuries due to its enhanced stability and reduced immunogenicity.

Drug Development

These findings may encourage the development of ARSB-based therapies for spinal cord injury and other CNS injuries in humans.

Further Research

Further research should investigate the specific molecular mechanisms by which ARSB promotes recovery and axonal regrowth.

Study Limitations

  • 1
    The structural/molecular mechanisms underlying the observed functional improvement remain to be elucidated.
  • 2
    The chemical determination of CS chain structural changes due to ARSB application, in GAGs retrieved from live tissue, is not feasible with presently available methods of CS compositional analysis
  • 3
    It is not yet clearly resolved which CS sulfation patterns are regeneration prohibitive or promoting.

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