Functional Recovery of Contused Spinal Cord in Rat with the Injection of Optimal-Dosed Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles

Adv. Sci., 2017 · DOI: 10.1002/advs.201700034 · Published: July 8, 2017

Spinal Cord Injury Regenerative Medicine Biomedical

Simple Explanation

Spinal cord injury (SCI) leads to excess reactive oxygen species (ROS) that worsen secondary injury and cause permanent functional impairment. The study explores the use of cerium oxide nanoparticles (CONPs) as an effective ROS scavenger. CONPs suppressed inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) generation and enhanced cell viability of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-insulted cortical neurons in vitro. In a rat model of contused spinal cord, CONPs were administered at various doses and monitored for up to eight weeks. The study found that CONPs reduced ROS levels, attenuated inflammation and apoptosis, and consequently helped locomotor functional recovery. This suggests a promising strategy for treating acute SCI.

Study Duration

Eight weeks

Participants

Adult female Sprague-Dawley rats

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
CONPs suppressed iNOS generation and enhanced cell viability in H2O2-insulted cortical neurons in vitro.
2
In vivo, CONP treatment reduced lesion cavity size and the number of inflammatory cells in the injured spinal cord of rats.
3
CONP-treated groups showed significantly improved locomotor functions compared to the control group, indicating functional recovery.

Research Summary

The study investigates the therapeutic potential of cerium oxide nanoparticles (CONPs) in treating spinal cord injury (SCI) in rats by reducing reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. CONPs were found to suppress inflammation, apoptosis, and iNOS generation, leading to a reduction in lesion cavity size and inflammatory cell population. The administration of CONPs resulted in significant improvement in locomotor functions, suggesting a promising complementary strategy for acute SCI treatment.

Practical Implications

Therapeutic Strategy

Local administration of CONPs can be a viable therapeutic strategy for acute SCI.

Combined Therapies

CONPs can be used to augment drug, gene, or cell therapy for acute SCI.

Drug Delivery

CONPs can be a promising candidate for controlled delivery of anti-inflammatory drugs.

Study Limitations

1
The study needs clarification with the quantitative analysis of tissue ROS levels.
2
Further preclinical investigations involving larger animal models are needed.
3
The synergistic or additive role of CONPs with clinically-available drugs needs further clarification.

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